Emergency snake rescue, A lamb called Dumbo, and A boy called Mabel.

AUGUST 2018

OPEN DAY!

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CRAFT & GIFT STALLS, ANIMAL CHARITIES, INFO TALKS, FOOD & DRINK

DON’T FORGET OUR OPEN DAY! 2ND SEPTEMBER, 1-5PM

SUMMER NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends and Supporters

Manor Orchard Farm

School Lane

Last time I wrote we were just recovering from one of the worst winters we'd had for a very long time. Five months on, we're struggling to survive a heatwave that's been going on for far too long. Lovely for those lucky enough to be on holiday or working in an air conditioned atmosphere, when you're lugging 1000 litres of water every day to thirsty animals, or carrying a 50kg bale of hay on your back it's not so much fun. Especially when five minutes after the water bowser has been installed in perfect working order, sheep and horses have worked out a way to dismantle the fittings and stand by to watch the precious contents gush around their hooves.

That wasn't me doing any of that, lugging water bowsers and hay around, just incase anyone thinks I'm still capable, I'm the one sitting in the cool kitchen with REG. CHARITY 702287

Middle Littleton

Evesham

Worcestershire

WR11 8LN

01386 834500

info@thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY OBE

AUGUST 2018

the dogs, shouting instructions at everyone through the window.

Since early In June we've had no grass, it had all been burnt to a crisp. Hay that we've been buying in for winter feed was being fed to over 600 animals, as well as protein and mineral blocks, essential for the older animals.

The lovely Vale of Evesham looked more like the Kalahari desert without an oasis, all that we can see are large areas that resemble a giant dust bath, with a sprinkling of yellowing herbage.

The brook that runs through the farm, which acts as a barrier between some of the fields and provides many of the animals with fresh water, dried up completely in June, which some of the naughtier sheep took full advantage of.

Before long some of them discovered that they could scramble down the bank, have a little jaunt along the dry bed and then scramble back up into somewhere else they shouldn't be.

Fortunately, when it came to turning our ewes and new lambs out into the paddocks there was still plenty of lovely, fresh green grass for them, just what the ewes needed to produce their milk, so at least the lambs all had a good start.

Lambing All but one of the ewes, now named Dilly Daydream, finished lambing in early May. Dilly decided to keep her lamb on the slow burner until the middle of June. By then we were all convinced it was a false pregnancy or wind, although she had grown to the size of a small bungalow.

One lunchtime, Dilly was enjoying her usual habit of lying down chewing the cud and gazing at the landscape, when her lamb decided it was time to leave his watery cave and see the world.

Steph spotted Dilly just by chance as she was just lounging around behind the kitchen window. The lamb had just been born, the cord was still attached, his watery cocoon had only just ruptured and he was motionless.

Dilly continued to chew the cud and admire the view of the Cotswold Hills.

Emergency revival techniques were administered to the rather large lamb who didn't appear to be breathing. After what seemed like an age of slapping his chest, pumping the heart area, he coughed.

Dilly ignored all the activity going on behind her, eyes half closed she carried on cudding and burping, sheep bliss.

We gave this rather large, rubbery wet lamb a quick rub down and laid him down infront of mums' nose, she gave him a quick glance, gave us a look that said "What am I supposed to do with this?”

Eventually the light went on with her when the lamb bleated, she got to work cleaning him and nudging him to his feet. He had the biggest ears and the longest, bendy legs. For the first few days he wobbled everywhere, he would try to follow mum and would wobble across the barn, eyes on mum, legs everywhere else.

He's better now, don't think he'll ever grow into his ears, which is why he's named Dumbo.

REG. CHARITY 702287

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Well, we did it!,

Well, we did it! We were pushed out of a plane at 15,000 feet to hurtle face down at 125mph for 1 minute, before the parachute thankfully opened.

For Nick, who works here, this was child's play, he's done all sorts of silly things as he's grown up, and is still doing them.

Theresa and I both dislike flying and feel faint looking out from anything higher than the bedroom window.

But, for two of us at least, holding back our fear and taking this great leap of faith, (that the parachute would open, that we wouldn't have a heart attack, that we wouldn't break both legs on landing etc etc) would be worth it because the sponsorship money raised would enable us to buy field shelters for those animals who would be spending the winters outside.

Between us we raised £18,000, sadly we weren't able to ring fence the money to buy field shelters, it was needed for running costs, fortunately when the cost of keeping the animals fed during the drought trebled we had the funds to cope.

Thank you everyone for your generous support, in two years time I'll be pushing eighty and am planning to do it again, we will get those field shelters eventually!

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY OBE

AUGUST 2018

New Arrivals Like most farm animal sanctuaries there is a limit to how many animals we are able to take in. We're full to capacity with horses, pigs, cattle, cockerels, geese and ducks, to take in any more would compromise the welfare of the animals we already have, spaces are created only when an animal has died.

Over half of our 600 sheep are now in their teens, the life of commercial sheep is usually over by the time they are five or six.

With dedicated care most of our sheep live well into their teens and longer, but inevitably the day comes when it's time to let them go, in their pen, with a Vet they know and trust.

Over the last few years we have lost between 30 and 50 sheep a year to natural causes, they're all missed, but they have left behind not just a memory, but a space available for other sheep in need.

So, we had space to welcome Harold and Hilda, two sheep who had been hidden away by the man who received a lifetime ban for keeping animals and who he planned to start breeding with again. Harold has since had his pockets picked, no more being a dad.

Noah and Lily Next, Noah and Lily, two very young lambs found abandoned by walkers on separate farms. Noah was collapsed and dehydrated, Lily had a deep wounds on her neck and the back of her head which had become infected, most probably caused by a fox. Noah, although close to death when brought to us, recovered within a few days after treatment, for Lily it took almost six REG. CHARITY 702287

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weeks to get on top of the infection. Two small lambs, very little value, not worth bothering with.

Forest of Dean Ewe A little white ewe and her two lambs came in from the Forest of Dean, where sheep and wild boar are allowed to roam the forest by licensed grazers .

Last winter was harsh for all animals left to their own devices, the Forest was such a place. One little ewe who grazed there chose to take up residence in someone's garden. Helen, who lived in the house began to feed her, vegetables, biscuits, a bit of bread, until the ewe became a regular visitor .

The snow came, the little ewe didn't come for her regular treats, Helen thought that the worst had happened as so many forest sheep are killed and injured by traffic.

After a few days she did come back, bringing two new little lambs with her, back to where she was safe and sheltered and now, besides her treats, fed with proper sheep food that Helen had managed to buy.

Mum and lambs thrived and grew, they were part of Helens' family, they trusted her, knowing that when they went off into the forest to graze they had somewhere safe to come back too.

One of the lambs came back one day with a horrendous injury to her back end, her tail had gone completely, also a large area of flesh and fleece.

Helen knew the owner, he came out and sprayed the lamb with an antibiotic spray when what she needed was urgent surgery, her lower bowel was prolapsing.

An offer was made to buy all three of the sheep.

Helen had been saving to buy a new carpet, new carpets only become old carpets so eventually so a deal was made with the owner, the money had to be produced quickly or the sheep would be sent into market, which is where we came in.

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY OBE

AUGUST 2018

A phone call from a very worried Helen and arrangements were made to transport them to us before the owner changed his mind. Three very lucky little sheep, befriended by a lady who valued life above an Axminster, happiness like that doesn't wear out.

The lamb has now been operated on and looks much more comfortable, fingers crossed for her.

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Two much loved pet Alpacas, Goliath and Flicka were next to arrive. Friendly, well behaved, gentle little Beasties, having had a happy life for many years a sudden family bereavement meant that giving them the same care was no longer possible.

They've settled in well with their sheep companions, they're good to handle and as yet haven't taken aim at anyone with the alpaca method of telling you off, a large mouthful of grass flavoured, flying spit.

Louise, who by then was almost 8 months pregnant, looked at the sheep, who we thought probably weighed about 120 kilos, looked at my rapidly shrinking frame and we both wondered how on earth we were going to get her on board?

I still don't know how we managed, as Mabel, as we'd named her didn't offer to help, I know it was a lot easier getting Mabel off than it was getting her on.

The shearer was called in, it looked as though Mabel could have been wearing two years worth of fleece which was very uncomfortable for her, she was wearing nettles and a variety of other vegetation.

When he'd finished he asked why we'd called her Mabel? We thought she just looked like a Mabel, when we asked him why he wanted to know he said, "because she's a boy."

A Boy called Mabel

Bertie and Baabra

Alpacas.

Another phone call asked for help to give a home to a middle aged sheep, the only one left of three who had been bought many years before as pets.

Again, a family bereavement left the sheep with no one to care properly for them, when there was only one sheep left it was decided it would be better if it was rehomed.

Louise and I set out, expecting to find a friendly sheep in a nice little paddock who would run up to the bucket and with a bit of persuasion would jump into the back of the pickup.

This sheep lived in what appeared to be a derelict, uneven area full of knee high nettles, docks, thistles, broken fencing, and was about as far away from where we needed it to be as was possible. Also, when we rattled the feed bucket, it showed not the slightest interest in coming towards us. With the aid of a packet of Bourbon biscuits and a lot of patience this very large and woolly sheep was eventually persuaded to come close to the pickup.

REG. CHARITY 702287

Meet Bertie and Baabra our newest arrivals, neither had a fantastic start in life, but certainly landed on their feet when Sam came along.

Bertie came from Sam's Local farmer, his mum had died after giving birth. Sam arrived to collect him the day after he was born. He had been left with his dead mum to get colostrum, hiding in a dark corner, petrified, shaking, dirty and cold. Sam picked him up and wrapped him in blankets and took him home.

Once Bertie was home he was very reluctant to take to a bottle, he cried and cried for his mum, but after a lot of persevering he eventually drank. He is now a huge bundle of joy - mischievous, hilarious, affectionate and inquisitive.

Baabra came from the same farmer as Bertie. She was the smallest of twins and just wasn’t strong enough to get enough milk. Sam got her at 3 weeks old, very small, weak, dehydrated and crippled with pain on one of her legs.

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY OBE

AUGUST 2018

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The poor little lamb was very frightened of everything and every one. Sam rushed her straight to her vets, who started her on treatment straight away.

She was in agony and no one was sure she was strong enough to pull through this. After many vet visits and injections she could eventually weight bear on her leg. At last she started to chase around after Bertie and they soon became inseparable.

Other arrivals We've also had brought in to us several birds, usually pigeons or doves, hedgehogs, a stray dog, and a rat snake. The latter, with the aid of Google, we identified as a grass snake who we thought was just emerging from hibernation, that being the reason for it crossing the lane on a sharp bend in such a leisurely fashion.

A delivery driver almost ran it over thinking it was an old bicycle tyre, he got out to investigate thinking he was seeing things when he saw it move, then stood in the middle of the road shouting for help. He was scared stiff of snakes.

We collected him, the snake, not the driver, and Nick took it off to a safe place close to our brook. Ten minutes later, thanks to the power of Facebook we learnt that it was in fact an escaped tropical Rat snake. Fortunately he was still lethargic and Nick was able to gather him up and return him to the owner.

We understand that the delivery driver was not harmed in any way by this encounter.

REG. CHARITY 702287

Adopt an animal!

Please help us look after our residents! We have nine needy animals, for you to choose from...

Why not buy as a gift for someone’s birthday or special occasion? - we can send a special message for you in the pack – show you care and give a gift for life!

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY OBE

AUGUST 2018

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Funds The unnaturally hot, dry summer has seriously depleted our funds, in a normal year the animals live off the grass until the end of October, apart from the very elderly animals, who have supplementary feed all year round. We have now been feeding all of our animals since June, the price of hay and straw has shot up due to a shortage, the same will happen with all feed stuffs.

So many of you have responded so well to our appeal for funds on Facebook, we're so grateful for that, but we now have to continue with an appeal to help us through the winter .

Small bales of hay that we feed to the older sheep are currently costing £4, we will need about 400, big round bales are currently £25 per bale but very likely to cost more around Christmas .

Donating £1 a week would make a difference, we need the funds, and we know you care.

Leaving A Legacy Leaving a gift in your Will to The Farm Animal Sanctuary is a promise to be there for unwanted farm animals in the future.

It’s a gift from the heart that will change lives and help us continue to give vulnerable farm animals a second chance in life. Last year we cared for over 600 animals and around a third of these were looked after thanks to gifts in Wills. We rely on the generosity and support of animal lovers like you to continue to be here for every single sheep, pig, or pony who needs our help.

By remembering us in your Will, your incredible gift, whatever size, will transform the lives of countless farm animals and give them the second chance they so desperately deserve – now and for many years to come.

We Thank You all for your ongoing support - we couldn’t do this without you.

Jan Taylor Founder

Christmas!!

Although it seems unlikely thinking about the Festive season during this blistering heat wave, but it will soon be upon us.

This year, we will have Christmas cards available to purchase featuring Matilda the Turkey!

Prices from £1.40 per card, or £5 for a pack of 6 (mixed sheep and turkeys.)

We will also be holding our annual "Carols in the Barn" on Saturday 1st December - come and join us for a sing along.

REG. CHARITY 702287

PATRON: JOANNA LUMLEY OBE