T H E
F A R M
A N I M A L
S A N C T U A R Y
WE ARE OPEN!!!
SPRING
NEWSLETTER 2021
Dear Friends and Supporters
THE SHEEPOVER IS BACK!!
BOOK YOUR PLACE ONLINE NOW - SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE FOR DETAILS EXCITING NEWS: WE ARE BUYING THE FARM! NOW ALL WE NEED IS £900,000 FROM YOU! READ MORE ON PAGE 6...
Registered Charity:702287
Christmas and New Year have long been forgotten, given the circumstances at the time it wouldn't have b e e n v e r y appropriate to be wishing everyone a happy Christmas and
new year, although we hope it wasn’t a miserable one either? And now spring is here, at last? Sadly it doesn’t really stay spring like for very long. One day steam is coming from the
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sheep, who are still wearing their winter woollies, the next day there’s snow on the roof and the same sheep are refusing to leave the barn for a healthy stroll around the paddock. Horses rugs are off, back on again, off again, the pigs grunt happily as they sink into their new wallows and next day make it clear they have no intentions of being icebreakers. It’s the same for the staff, they arrive looking as though they’re equipped to climb the Himalayas and go home showing off their vests and tattoos. We’re waiting for some good, long, warm April showers to bring the grass on, at the moment the only grass that seems to be growing is in my tiny excuse for a garden. What’s coming next isn’t very cheerful reading, but do read it through because what follows is guaranteed to cheer you up. Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
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...“you can’t say that, you can’t talk about eating these lovely bunnies, that’s awful!” What did they go on to
cook, and eat? A leg of lamb.
Lambing Season?
Thankfully this is now almost over. Many lambs are born before Christmas, the aim is to get them fat enough to grace the Easter dinner table. Families delight in driving out to farms who advertise, “Give your children a wonderful experience, bring them to see and stroke our cute ba by la m bs, something they’ll never forget”. How many of these families then go home to carry a roast leg of lamb out of the
oven and serve lunch? Covid has put paid to these visits this year, instead the many television stations have filled the gap by visiting farms, filming lambs being born, focusing on beaming farmers proudly clutching the cute newborns. Children love to see this, lambs are the most delightful, playful, happy little beings, like living toys. Recently, featured on the “This Morning” TV programme hosted by Philip Schofield and Holly
Would they like to look behind the scenes? Public demand for “Spring” lamb means that ewes lamb when the weather and conditions are at their harshest. The majority of sheep farmers do look after their animals, we’re particularly lucky where we live, our neighbouring farmers have lamb “crèches” where orphaned or weak lambs are fed and monitored, they don’t begin their lambing until March/April. But others aren’t so lucky. December born lambs have to be moved out from the shelter of the barns into the fields, whatever the conditions, snow, icy rain, bitter winds, to make way for the next lot of ewes due to have their lambs. Some of these lambs may only be a few days old, many won’t be strong enough to survive icy rain and cold winds and will die from hypothermia. No one knows how many lambs die during lambing season, on farms their bodies are collected in large builders type bags and Registered Charity:702287
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Willoughby was a giant pet rabbit, (with the owner, not on his own), followed by a discussion about how fluffy rabbits make lovely pets. This was followed by the cookery slot, whereupon the Chef of the Day remarked how much he enjoyed rabbit stew. Holly leapt to her feet, clutched her face in her hands and squealed, “you can’t say that, you can’t talk about eating these lovely bunnies, that’s awful!” What did they go on to cook, and eat? A leg of lamb.
taken away to the rendering plants to be disposed of. I don’t imagine that process is very environmentally friendly? There will be no counting of bodies up on the hills and mountains and out on the commons, foxes and birds will be the only ones to benefit. We’ve spoken to so many people who find it hard to believe that there are some breeders of farm animals, I won’t call them farmers, who lose so many of their animals through pure neglect and have absolutely no shame when dead and dying animals are found on their properties. They’re the ones who have tattooed on what passes as their brains the legend, “if you have sheep, you’ll need a shovel”. Except they don’t bury their dead animals, they leave them out as a favour to the predators. People ask “How can they make a profit”? We can’t answer that one, but we have seen for ourselves so many times over the years that places like these are not difficult to come across. To try to get the owner prosecuted is like pushing treacle up a hill with a broom, and yet the farming industry and the Government Department, DEFRA, who are responsible for all farming and agricultural matters are constantly reminding us that we have the best animal welfare standards in the world? Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
SPRING
NEWSLETTER
Billy finds his Forever Home
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Billy, the young gypsy foal found straying around the lanes on his own five years ago has been found a wonderful new home for life. He’s gone to live in a wonderful part of Wales, surrounded by nature and beautiful views. There are no expectations of Billy, if he takes to being ridden or driven that’s what he might do, if not he’ll be taken for walks and chats. Lucky Billy, we always thought that if we waited for long enough the right person would find him, and it happened.
For the price of 80 Coffees... A lamb who had been born on a large commercial farm was blind, she was unwanted, if a home couldn’t be found she’d be shot. She had a mum and a sister. She was already disadvantaged, there had to be a better solution than to take her away from her family to bring her into our unfamiliar surroundings. Our best solution was to do some fast extra fundraising and buy her mum and her sister, something we don’t usually do. We’re so glad that we did, this little family are so contented together, big sister is so good at looking after her little sister. We were asked £200 for all three, the price of about 80 ordinary coffees, are 80 coffees worth more than a life?
“We were asked £200 for all three, the price of about 80 ordinary coffees, are 80 coffees worth more than a life?”
Doris, Mouse & Little B
Could we take in a ewe who had been found lying in a field containing the bodies and carcasses of sheep. There was no grass, no hay or feed, and one rusty trough half full of filthy water. Little wonder so many animals had already died there. The ewe lay on her side beneath a hedge, she was thin, she didn’t try to get up when approached, she looked more than half dead. The owner was notified, not surprisingly his attitude was “if you want it take it”. Her rescuers returned to get her, they walked around the field to check if there were others like her. In the same field Registered Charity:702287
two small lambs were found lying on their own with no mum around. The smallest one was unable to stand, the other stood hunched and cold and looked thoroughly miserable. They came home with the ewe and made comfortable with good straw beds and bottles for the lambs. Within a short time they’d both fallen into a warm, peaceful sleep. The biggest lamb, now named Doris, improved as soon as she’d had milk and warmth, it’s possible that one of the dead sheep in the field was her Mum, and she’d just been left to get on with it.
Josie, our Vet found the small lamb had a large abscess in his shoulder which had gone untreated, after treatment Mouse, as he’s been named, was up on his feet and looking much happier. The following day a very small ewe lamb was brought to us by a young American Veterinary student, who was here to gain work experience on commercial farms in the UK. This little lamb had been born blind, there
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was no place on a commercial farm for a blind lamb, there was no way she was going to grow into profit. The farmer was happy for the lamb to be brought to us, the alternative would have been to stay on the farm and take her chances. Her name is Bea, we’ll always be grateful to Kaitlin for taking care of this little lamb and for taking the trouble to bring her too us and also giving us financial support to help take care of her future.
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
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More Animal Tails “Neville’s best friend Nigel died suddenly leaving Neville bereft and lonely, he needed company.”
It’s not only lambs that have been coming through our gates since the beginning of the year, Neville the sheep was carried in, inside a dog crate. Neville is an Ouessant breed, originating from the island of Ouessant off the coast of Brittany. They are also known as
the Breton Dwarf. Neville’s best friend Nigel died suddenly leaving Neville bereft and lonely, he needed company.
Neville is extremely small, he behaves more like a lively woolly monkey than a sheep, and now having paired up with Merlin, another tiny sheep of no recognisable breed, we have a pair of vertically challenged sheep who behave like naughty schoolboys.
A loud, unrecognisable crowing was heard at dawn one cold morning, the noisy culprits were found on the doorstep in a sealed cardboard box. Two angry looking young cockerels sat inside, not looking too thrilled with their temporary accommodation. They’re still angry, they don’t like each other and they certainly don’t like the hands that feed them, they’re up for drawing blood on every occasion. Little wonder someone decided that they weren’t going to make the best pets.
Some people are never happy….
Lockdown is over! (For the hens at least…) Bird Flu, which made its appearance in October last year meant that all poultry, including back yard birds, commercial free range units, and sanctuary birds, hens, ducks, geese, turkeys, all had to be kept in an enclosure that kept out all wild birds. This was particularly hard on all of those ex battery hens who had found freedom, especially as it went on for six months. It was a great day for us and all the birds when we were finally given permission to let them out, the ducks, geese Registered Charity:702287
and turkeys soon went about their business of making a mess, the hens were more cautious. They stood in the open doorway blinking in the sunshine, presumably to see if everything looked the same and they hadn’t been transported back to where they’d come from.
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Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
SPRING
NEWSLETTER
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The Perfect Couple Tiny Tim the duckling was a strange little soul, he didn’t seem to realise he was a duck? He’d been found wandering around in a lopsided way a long way away from any water, still wearing his baby plumage. He was kept in the feed room for his own safety, it’s not often you see a duck fall over but Tim found it quite easy. He was also frightened of water, he had no choice but to dip his beak into it to get a drink, but the first time he was lifted into a tray with about 3 inches of water in he squawked loudly, leapt out, and fell over. He’s now been joined by Mrs. Duck. She was lucky to survive an attack by a Sparrow hawk who killed her
We Are Open Again!! We’re still waiting for the lovely, warm, drenching April showers that we need to grow our much needed grass. What we’re getting are frosty nights, ice on the water butts, a spurt of nettle growth, mud has been replaced by large cracks in the ground, but still not much grass. The cattle and most of the sheep are out in the fields, all but two of the horses have had their rugs off, the pigs are tempted into their wallows when the sun is overhead and the Postmen are out and about in their shorts again. Lots of clearing up to be done, sheep and alpacas have their annual MOT and treatment for worms, feet need to be trimmed, fences mended etc, normal routine stuff but this time there’s some urgency with it. It was decided to arrange the start of visits again, following all the COVID guidelines, such was the excitement I don’t think anyone realised how much there was to do before we opened the gate again. Which will be on Saturday April 22nd. Unlike the claims of Zoos, that the animals actually enjoy being scrutinised by visitors, I don’t think our animals have missed visitors at all, unless they happen to be carrying a hamper of biscuits. The alpacas look at everyone as though they’ve got egg dribbled down their chin, the sheep, once they’ve confirmed there are no biscuits get back to chewing the cud and dispensing methane. Cattle just ignore everyone unless they happen to have a bucket with them, only the pigs seem to be vaguely interested, when no treats are offered they go back to Registered Charity:702287
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two companions. She escaped with a wounded neck and severe trauma, her owners thought that a change of scenery and company would help her to recover. We weren’t sure if meeting Tim was the right thing for her, she’s large and white, Tim is small and multi coloured brown, when he walks he looks as though he hasn’t got legs. It was a Little and Large moment, they looked sideways at each other before Tim decided to make his move, he began to glide towards her, she gave one of the loudest quacks we’ve ever heard and they both moved off to stare at the cats. sleep. Apart from Colin, always optimistic that someone will have brought him a doughnut? So, now we will start to have visitors again, any kind of fundraising has been impossible to do for over twelve months now, like all other sanctuaries funding has dropped dramatically, while costs have remained the same. There won’t be a guided tour, people will be given maps and possibly a large balloon in case they get lost, and will be able to walk around at their leisure. If anyone strays off the route there’s a good possibility that they’ll be returning to home ground faster than they left it, if they happen to be spotted by Rameses, who is still honing his skills by head butting fence posts and trees. If he can’t challenge people, posts and trees will do.
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
Britain's First Farm Animal Sanctuary
School Lane Middle Littleton Evesham WR11 8LN 01386 834500 info@thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Farm Animals No Longer Recognised as Sentient?
Farm animals, until recently recognised as sentient beings, no longer have this status since we left the EU? How can this happen? One minute an animal is recognised in law as a sentient being, and then the next minute they’re not, and have no protection with regard to their
welfare needs? What this means in terms of their future welfare requirements doesn’t seem to be quite clear at the moment? But then we’ve all seen at first hand what can happen to all food animals when they were legally recognised as sentient beings? When exposed, prosecutions for the most brutal offences are rare, organisations like Compassion In World Farming, Animal Aid and VIVA! have carried out their investigations, their video footage dispels any doubt that this brutality does happen. What is almost worse is that the companies who fail to monitor this behaviour supply top, trusted Supermarkets who are keen to boast about their high animal welfare
requirements from their suppliers. It would be interesting to know who their Inspectors were? Farm animals are sentient beings, there is no doubt, when we are amongst our animals, either working, or in my case, just looking, there’s a lovely atmosphere of peace and calm when we see them going about what is their right, to have enough to eat, to have the freedom to roam, and to have no fear, it’s exactly why we’re here.
Dependent on Grants available we are planning to establish small wildflower areas, in between double fencing, around the brook that runs through the farm, and a small area at the north end of the farm that is currently unused and needs to be tamed. We have already planted small native trees, Rowan and Hornbeam, in memory of our animals. The latest one we planted was in memory of our lovely Stargazer. Born blind, she came to us as a frightened, unwanted lamb. She left us very recently, and very quietly, with no fuss. She’d grown into the most confident, calm ewe who had a wonderful nose for a Rich Tea biscuit. She could sniff one at ten paces, her head would go up, she’d start licking her lips and march towards the source. We’ll always miss her, but the memories we have of her will always make us smile. If you’d like to support our plans, donations of wildflower seeds, those suitable for clay soil, and for more native trees would be very welcome, climate change is very real so doing our bit is important to all of us. We can now let everyone know that we have been given the opportunity to buy the farm. To give our present animals and future animals total security we need to do this. We are now pla nning our fundraising appeals, which we will make public when our plans are in place and although it seems to be an enormous task we will do it, with all the help we can get. Please, if you are thinking of making a Will, will you consider these animals, they are the only animals who are born without the chance of living a normal or long life? And finally, I’m not sure if it’s now not politically correct to say the words “village idiot”, but we don’t seem to have one in our village currently, unless it’s me and no one has told me, but we do have three animals who could be worthy of taking on the title. For two months a pair of Spotted Woodpeckers have tried to drill a hole in the top of the telegraph pole. They took it in turns then flew off looking exhausted and now seem to have given up. As we have an abundance of trees around us you have to wonder why, and if they had succeeded and built their nest there what would have happened every time a call and through the line? On the opposite side of the lane are two electricity poles, supporting what I think is a transformer? There are lots of dangerous looking bits of wire curling all over the place, so this is where a village squirrel has decided to set up residence, on top of the transformer. Thank you all for reading this, thank you for the support you give us, please stay with us for their sakes.
Future Plans
Registered Charity:702287
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE