Spring/Summer Newsletter 2016

Spring has Sprung! At long last wellies and waterproofs have been abandoned, the sheep are back out in the fields, lambs are out of the bedroom and Rambo has just shot past the kitchen window for the third time in three minutes.

Rambo is a small chocolate coloured sheep with yellow eyes and a face full of charm. That is, until he decides that he doesn't like you. He particularly doesn't like small children and has successfully left bruises on quite a few who have ignored the warning signals. They thought he looked cuddly? He thought otherwise.

Today it seems that he doesn't like one of the new sheep in his group so decided to give him a battering. As soon as he was spotted, Charlotte, Jacqui, Steph and Louise went down to break it up and bring him in. He dodged past them all, hence three times sprinting past the kitchen window until someone managed to get to the gate before his fourth sally forth became the fifth.

He's now been relegated to a smaller paddock with bigger sheep, the upside for him is that the paddock is bordered by a footpath frequented by small children on their way to the playground, plenty of opportunities for him to practise his evil glare.

www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk

SPRING NEWSLETTER 2016 10 MAY 2016

Did you know you can raise a free donation for us every time you shop online? Visit giveasyoulive.com for more details.

Looking for a different gift to give? Adopt Colin or one of his friends for £25 per year.

01386 834500

Manor Orchard Farm, School Lane,

Middle Littleton, Evesham, WR11 8LN

[email protected]

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY REGISTERED CHARITY: 702287

New arrivals The first arrivals came as a great surprise. During a routine MOT and health check on the sheep we found that Carol, one of our middle aged spinster ewes was heavily in lamb.

It was a surprise because liaisons of that kind are not encouraged here. We thought back to one day in autumn when Randolph, one of our very ancient, arthritic rams managed to squirm his way out of his paddock. His escapade lasted for about 10 minutes before being spotted and he was put on the naughty step. We thought no more about it, he was so doddery, he wobbled on four legs so the thought of him actually managing to do anything on two was out of the question.

One hundred and fifty five days later Carol, who is white, produced three beautiful black lambs, miniatures of Dad without the horns. Randolph has certainly left his mark for posterity.

Next, ten sheep arrived from three different homes, followed by a small flock of fifteen sheep. All had been kept as much loved rescued pets, circumstances changed for their owners who searched for forever homes for them and found us.

After quarantining them they were turned out into one of the fields, a few days later one of the fifteen, Peggy, had a small but robust lamb running by her side, who the girls named Jake. We checked the others, to find that one ewe had obviously lambed but had no lamb with her. A search of the fields didn’t reveal a lamb, we suspect a fox was involved. The ewe, who we named Eva, had plenty of milk. She watched Carol feeding her little brood, her instinct told her that something was missing?



Perry the lamb came next. He was just a few days old when someone saw a farmer throw something white over a wall. Two hours later she went back to look and found a small white lamb lying in the grass, soaking wet from the rain. Freezing cold, he was unable to stand and looked in a very poor state. He was taken to a Vets who gave a depressing prognosis and suggested euthanasia might be the best option. However, he’d been found by someone who wasn’t prepared to give up on him without a fight and he soon showed that he didn’t want to give up either.

Perry was nursed back to strength before being brought to us as a bright, confident little chap who was just learning to stand and walk a few steps. Perry needed a friend. Two mornings later we found a cardboard box outside

the front door. Inside was a small, cold, skinny, grubby little lamb, just a few days old. We named him Kevin, and he and Perry spent nights in my bedroom and days in a little pen in the barn.

We had the perfect solution for these two little orphaned boys in the name of Eva, who was grieving for her lost lamb. She was the perfect foster mother, within a few days of introducing the lambs to her we were able to move the hurdle keeping them separate and both boys were able to suckle from her in peace. Little Kevin found a good way of keeping his feet warm, he stood on Eva’s back while she sat chewing the cud, lazy Perry lay in the straw and drank until he fell asleep.

Eight five month old calves came next.

Their farmer/owner was retiring, these calves were the last he’d bred and he was having to send them to Market. From there they would go into the commercial world, not an enviable place for cattle in these times of computerised, intensive, indoor modern husbandry, and a short life for beef cattle. They were bought by someone who thought it worth giving at least eight calves the chance of a natural life. There will be no stress for them, their life expectancy in the commercial world dependent on how good they at producing calves or beef. They now have the greatest gift of all, the right to life.

Frieda

Since Colin and Gloria decided to move in together it left us with another spare pig space. Frieda came first, a beautiful big eight year old sow who had spent almost her entire life living on her own in what could only be described as a swamp. The only shelter she had was a bent

piece of rusty corrugated iron. She had no bedding, was fed mainly on scraps and must have been the loneliest sow on earth. When she walked into her little paddock she found a deep straw path leading to her straw filled insulated house, bliss was written all over her lovely face. We thought she might faint when she saw her tea, sow nuts, vegetables, doughnuts and apples.

S h e ’ s s u c h a l o v e l y, friendly, contented sow, we’re so lucky she managed to find us and that someone who found her cared enough to get her to us.

George


YOU CAN NOW DONATE VIA PAYPAL! Click on the ‘Donate’ PayPal button on our website, or

send your payment to [email protected]

Frieda’s former home. Frieda in her new cosy bed!


George was next, a large pig who’d lived a charmed life since being found by the farmers’ wife as a half drowned tiny piglet. He was kept as a pet, then

went to live with a family who had everything a piglet could want. People and dogs to play with, a wild garden to explore, until the situation changed and

George sadly had to be found a new safe home. He’s large, very large, but

he’s a chatty old softy and with luck we could have another Colin and Gloria

situation with him and Frieda. Watch this space!

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Three little white lambs came next.

Someone saw the awful conditions they were kept in with no care, no food, left to fend for themselves or be taken away by a fox. The lambs were lucky, someone chose to do something about them and not just walk on by, “nothing to do with us”. The lambs were taken to a Vet, the smallest one was found to have one eye so badly ulcerated that it had to be removed. They were all suffering from malnutrition and dehydration and were lucky to be alive. With love and care from strangers they all survived. The person who bred them, who hoped to make a profit for them, was probably glad that they’d disappeared, it saved him from having to dispose of their bodies. So, Rose, Pip and tiny Ivan, we’re glad someone found us for you, welcome to the rest of your life.

The trio became a quartet when they were joined by Flossie

A pretty little white lamb who had been handed in to Wood G r e e n A n i m a l Sanctuary by a farmer who at least had the decency to take her to a safe place when he

decided he didn’t have the time to bottle feed her. Wood Green wanted her to have company, to grow up with other lambs and we had space. She was well looked after and cared for by the Staff but she had no company, it was the right decision to make, Flossy is so happy with her new friends.



Why do Farm Animals need Sanctuary?

Where to start? Which other animals on this planet are born to have their lives ended because it’s been decided that their flesh taste nice. Which other

animals have their young taken away because we need their milk?

The poultry industry is a disgrace for the way that hens, bright, active, fussy little beings, can still be kept in cages?

Ducks and turkeys can be kept in overcrowded, fetid sheds before they are killed by the most primitive methods. The only way to keep all intensively reared poultry alive to the point of

killing is to feed them massive amounts of antibiotics.

Pigs, highly intelligent sociable animals kept in small prisons with no stimulation, in pure frustration they chew each others tails and ears and then fight. Naughty pigs?

Cattle, selectively bred to produce up to 60 Litres of milk a day, over half suffer from numerous problems - mastitis, milk fever, foot problems, that’s just the start.

In Australia they routinely perform a procedure known as “mulesing” on sheep. This involves cutting a large area of

skin from around their back end leaving an area of raw flesh. This is done to prevent fly strike. Mulesing is

done without anaesthetic and is legal. They’re only sheep.

This is why we’re here, to give at least some of them the life that they deserve…..

We need fundrasiers! Can you car boot, eBay, bake a cake, run 10k, sit in a bath of beans, shave your head, or simply adopt one of our animals?

The Farm Animal Sanctuary desperately needs to raise £2500 per week to feed, house, and provide veterinary care to our 500 plus rescued animals. We need you to help us do it. You don't need to be a millionaire, but just be able to give a small amount of your time, and have some good ideas to get people to donate.

You don't even have to be nearby. Many of the activities can be done from the comfort of your sofa, such as selling your unwanted goods on eBay, or raising funds for free when you shop online, by signing up to Give as You Live.

Please contact us if you would like any fundraising ideas or advice.

Write a Living Will. If you're thinking of leaving money to us in your Will - first of all - Thank you! But have you considered a "Living Will?". This would mean that not only would The Sanctuary benefit from the funds right away, but also, you will get to actually see where your donation has been spent, and what fantastic achievements you have helped to realise.

We have several projects on the go - from Field Shelters to Feed Bins - if you would like to donate to a specific cause. Contact Janet at the Sanctuary for more details.

Remember us on your big day! Rather than four toasters, a set of champagne flutes, or dashing off to the Maldives, why not think about guests donating to your favourite charity as a gift on your wedding day? We can provide leaflets, cards and badges for the tables, so people can read a bit about us, and what their money will go towards. Please contact us if you would like more details...



The Farm Animal Sanctuary Needs Ewe….!

Handyman (or woman!) wanted! Can you use a hammer, screwdriver and drill? Have you got a bit of spare time to help us do repairs and odd jobs. If so - let us know!

Want to donate but don’t know what to give? Have a look at our Amazon Wish List.

“ A l l farm animals are sentient beings, they experience pain and fear, all species are caring protective mothers, and al l deserve so much better…” Joanna Lumley OBE, Patron

Open Day! Our Annual Open Day will be on

Sunday September 4th


The Small Dog May 1997 - April 2016

She had many names, The Small Dog, Lemming, due to her habit of hurling herself skywards off steps. Puppadog, Pup. Towards the end

she didn’t answer to any of them as she’d become deaf. It didn’t bother her, she no longer heard the fireworks or the thunder. The tough little

dog didn’t cope well with either. She chased rabbits, foxes, it didn’t matter that she never caught up with them, she enjoyed bouncing over our ridge and furrow fields full of the chase that ended with her chasing fresh air. She ran up trees then fell out, landing in the brook. That was how she had her first swimming

lesson. She disappeared down drains and was then found hours later wandering casually along our lane, covered in dead stuff.

If she recognised you as a friend she would race towards you then run up your legs to hopefully be caught in your arms. She was very

generous with her favours. Most of our chickens were taller than she was. She shared a house with

40kg plus French Mastiffs, a German Shepherd and a Basset. They all recognised that she was head of the pack. The only threat she ever faced from them was being knocked over by the over exuberant

wag of a tail from a Mastiff. She fell over with dignity, as always. She was buried in a small plot not far outside the kitchen window. Next

to her we planted a young Silver Birch Tree, just coming into leaf. Shortly after we had buried her, sharing memories and saying our

goodbyes with a small glass of something sparkling, we looked out of the kitchen window, past her young tree, and there was the most

beautiful double rainbow. She’s still around.

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there, I'm with my sheep,

I am the loudest cockerel's crow

I'm little paw prints in the snow,

I'm a confused stroll along the lane

After getting lost inside the drain.

When you jump up in the morning's rush,

Or feeding the barn in the evening's hush,

I sit on the table and help you write,

I am feeding lambs all through the night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there - I've gone to feed me chickens.


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Spring/Summer Newsletter 2016