Our Animals - In Memory...
In a perfect world death would not exist but, sadly, it does. Here are some of our much loved friends who’s lives have enhanced those that knew them. To the companions that we have loved and lost….
In memory of Tim, a little lamb, that changed everything for so many of us. It was a privilage to have been so close to you.
RANI
Rani was
unique. Born with two normal ears and a vestigial ear in the middle, Rani
came off a slaughter man at just over a week old. She was due to be killed
the next day. Since it would be an expense, he had no intention of giving
the frightened, hungry little baby the ‘privilege’ of a last
meal. He just got a flat rate for calves, whatever.
She was placed in the back of his truck with three, horned goats who were
equally fearful. Their response was to attack her and she was defenceless,
without her mother, to retaliate. After some argument, the slaughter man
agreed to separate her and the helpless little baby laid down, alone, and
closed her eyes as if in shock.
It was too much for me to watch and so I bought her from him. He thought
me odd at taking issue with him when he proceeded to try to kick and drag
the baby to its feet. Until she arrived back at the sanctuary, she refused
to stand or even open her eyes and I seriously thought that, even though
she was healthy, she had given up.
Fortunately, I had another calf and it was only on hearing its gentle call
as we entered the pen that the floppy, lifeless Rani took to her feet and
walked over to her, nuzzling her gently for comfort. From that moment Rani
never looked back and grew into a strapping, healthy, golden cow with a
personality as big as she was.
Rani was very clever - too clever - and if there was any naughtiness to
be had then you could bet that she was behind it! It was through her enthusiasm
that she struck up a wonderful relationship with a young neighbour with
a terminal illness called Simon. Rani decided to go and visit the new neighbour
and, instead of being angry, he was overjoyed and so their bond was forged.
Simon used to visit Rani and if he had a garden party she was on the official
guest list, though I always declined the invitation, much to his disappointment,
on her behalf. Half a ton of cow helping herself to the buffet may have
alarmed some of his less enthusiastic friends!
It was with much sadness that we learned of the death of Simon, a talented
theatre producer. It was a total shock to loose Rani, without warning, just
a few days later.
A picture of her was placed by his friends and family in Simon’s coffin
and it would lovely to think that the two characters who saw life as a stage
and loved an audience should walk into heaven together.
The theatre producer and the three eared cow - you couldn’t make it
up! I have lost two dear friends.
LILLY
This little baby lamb came to us as one of a group brought from a city farm
by a concerned supporter. Its back end was riddled with maggots and its bones
poked through its flesh.
Along with the others it had been hand reared to trust the humans that had
taken it from its mother.
The value of this lamb’s life was 50p per pound.
Sadly, despite intensive treatment and nursing, Lilly did not survive.
KEVIN
Kevin was a black cow
that sustained long term problems as a result of pneumonia at birth. His life
expectancy was based on speculation since so little is known about large animals
that are used in the food industry.
Sadly, Kevin’s time with us was all too short. It could have been the
move and the change in circumstances that lead to his death. That will never
be answered but, slowly and surely, he faded away. The vet could find nothing
conclusively wrong with him and, in the end, it was necessary to have Kevin
put to sleep. He was and will remain sadly missed.
MICK
Mick came to F.R.I.E.N.D.
at about 10 days old. He had come from a farm that also kept battery hens
and had somehow fallen into a pit of chicken excrement. They washed him off
but still his mother rejected him due, probably, to his unfamiliar smell.
It was lucky for Mick that he was a big lamb, carrying a lot of body mass,
since he refused, despite all best efforts, to accept the bottle for a number
of days. It was only on receiving homeopathy for grief and separation that
he finally took his milk. Mick soon began to thrive and grew into the biggest,
greediest sheep I’ve ever seen. Often people would remark that he looked
more like a bullock than a sheep!
Mick had so many endearing features, far too many to list, but his sweetest
trait had to be that he had no concept of his size. He was massive in stature
and a total baby. Mick was a wimp! He was afraid of all new animals, no matter
how tiny and used to hide behind my legs for protection and peep at them,
only coming out when he thought it was safe.
I shall never forget losing Mick as I saw it coming where nobody else could,
so close were we. He seemed off colour, one Sunday, nothing that you could
put your finger on and none of the volunteers could see it. I sent for the
vet and, after a thorough examination, she said he was 100% healthy. Unfortunately,
I found Mick dead the next morning.
LEE-ROY (more about Lee-roy)
It is with all consuming sadness that we write to you of the loss of our darling Lee-Roy.
It is but speculation as to why our beautiful little baby was taken. He was well the night before and found peacefully lying dead the next morning. There was no reason as far as we could see. Certainly no cause. His end looked peaceful and we are grateful for that.
It would be easy to be heartbroken just now. Indeed, that emotion has been a hard one to beat back but it is only knowing him that stalled that thought and made it go away.
Lee-Roy was something else. Lee-Roy was a moment in time that took your breath away. Lee-Roy changed people’s thoughts and, more importantly, their actions. Lee-Roy made a difference and that is all that we can aspire to do.
I can say, hand on heart, that being ‘mum’ to the little fallow deer that was booked down to die with a broken leg at a few days old has changed me. Watching my three-legged baby run like the wind filled me with pleasure. Seeing him jump for joy and do everything that we were told was impossible made me laugh out loud.
My little Lee-Roy moved hearts and stopped people in their tracks. He was, quite simply, a treasure that we were loaned to love and learn from.
Thank you in supporting us in our chance to enrich our lives with a little bloke that was so special as to come to us, die on his first birthday and cause a ripple around the world.
Lee-Roy, we will always love, respect and admire you. You were a simple, funny, little three-legged deer that changed the world. xxx
