Features - Short Stories & Poems

Funny moments at the rescue...

Because we have a non-breeding policy it’s always necessary to collect the hens eggs. It struck us as odd that suddenly the number of eggs seemed to be dropping rapidly but it was decided that they must just be going off lay.
Then we noticed that Gurt, the St. Bernard, wasn’t accompanying the other dogs on our walks around the sanctuary. So where was she going? It was only with a bit of sharp detective work that we caught the egg-napper in action and, hidden in her droopy jowls, we found the answer to our conundrum!

If you want company on a cold day at the sanctuary all that you have to do is light a bonfire. Within minutes you’ll have a herd of cows jostling for the best spot around it to have a warm. They’ll cheerfully push you out the way, turning from one side to the other to make sure every bit gets heated properly and then look at you as if to say, “Nip off and get some more wood, it’s getting a bit low.”
And most people do!!!

Pigs are notoriously clever. It shouldn’t, then, have come as such a great surprise to discover that Matilda can open pretty well all unlocked car doors. Her ‘talent’ for burglary has caused us a few problems since, once she’s opened the doors she proceeds to get inside - and that’s when the real fun begins. She’s been known to remove a whole backseat and throw it out of the vehicle because there was a bread roll underneath. So, be warned!

Hugo was a very old goat. So old, in fact, he couldn’t have had much longer to live. We allowed the gentle, sweet natured old boy to have the run of the place even when we had human company and the other animals had to be excluded. His inoffensive nature as he wobbled around made people warm to him and he enjoyed their attention.
One evening we had an outdoor gathering of friends and Hugo joined us as usual. It wasn’t until the next day that people started dobbing Hugo in for his uncharacteristically bad behaviour. Either he was hanging his head in shame or he had a hangover as we learnt he’d been going from table to table and pinching drinks!

Cows are nosey and, even by nosey cow standards, Rani was particularly inquisitive. I’ve seen her get herself into someone’s open backed van because she wanted to see what was in there - which caused us, not to mention the driver, some alarm as she weighed about half a ton and it wasn’t designed for cows. She attempted to squeeze her massive bulk through an open door and onto the backseat of a car just for the hell of it and was famous for leaning in over the bottom half of the kitchen door and swiping hands of bananas!

Buck has always been nervous around strangers but that doesn’t stop him from being a notorious lunchbox thief.
Countless volunteers have turned up for the day, their lunch tucked safely away in a bag or rucksack, only to put it down and lose it forever.
On seeing his opportunity the crafty pony would slide past them and grab it, bag and all, and pelt across the field, head held high in triumph. The prize was his and the kindly volunteer would, usually, go hungry!

In the summer of 2004 we found ourselves with a pair of abandoned lambs. A sweeter pair you have never seen with cute black faces and long gangly legs. They weren't much more than a few days old and quite devoted. A castrated little boy and a dumpy little girl. We called them Sidney and Margaret.

Sidney and Margaret thrived in their new environment and soon took up with the rest of the flock to grow into safe sheep. Sheep that would never know the fear of a sheepdog, transportation to market or the slaughterhouse.

Yes, Sidney and Margaret thrived, grew into big fluffy balls of wool that enjoyed life to the full. Unfortunately, it became apparent that Sidney was enjoying life a little above and beyond the call of duty and was showing more than a passing interest in all the female sheep and goats! On inspection Sidney proved to be rather more complete than we realised as he had been ringed at birth but it seems that nobody had checked to see if the necessary 'equipment' was in place when the job was done. We whipped him off to the vets and can only now wait to see what the spring will bring us. (Luckily, we haven't had any unexpected lambs for Sidney's efforts!)

Poems - Do you have a poem for here?

The Palace of Life

I come to a place not far away
Where ponies and piglets play all through the day
They come from afar to knock at the door
Of the palace in the clouds, the place of no war

The Palace of Life with acres of land
Grass for the ponies, for piglets wet sand
They gallop; they wallow and truly are free
Living full lives, the way it should be

Now come angels with arms open wide
In whom hurt little piglets can safely confide
Where rescued ponies can find a true friend
To mend broken hearts, this is the intent

The knocking continues at the huge palace door
Could there be others, are there many more?
With no hesitation the doors open wide
“Let in the others, allow them inside”

The angels each gather a small broken soul
Shelter dogs, parrots and even a foal
Horses, cows and geese stream in
Signalling the rescue is about to begin

A brilliant white light engulfs each little beast
And all the mistrust and grief is released
Tears are wiped dry and smiles are in place
On each little creatures beaming bright face

Angelique Hollingdrake