Rainbows and Goodbyes

The big day had arrived. Everything was in place despite there being setbacks for the ten ram lambs to go to Hillside Animal Sanctuary. I was running late then was late. I called the transport company and the person who was coming had come down with bad food poisoning and so it was all nearly off. She had sent her partner out who was patient but worried as they had ten horses of their own to look after and had not tended to yet. I was really grateful that they did not let me down as it was a real possibility that would have happened. It was my day off and I had two days off together to ensure that I could settle them in the next day.

We were not able to move the rams till the farm manager came. There was a trailer blocking the way and only a tractor could move it. Once the farm manager arrived, it was plain sailing. The rams had all come out to look and see what was happening. They looked a bit confused and it took a short while to get them in to the van. Charlie was a bit panicked and was the last to load. The driver had been to the Royal Vets College before and was able to take local roads to avoid the traffic.

This was helpful because we were running late. There was paperwork to do once the ram lambs were unloaded. The boys had been very good and not afraid. I had done my best to reassure them but I did not know how they would be after the operations. I wondered that as the van was used for horses, if it had made the difference, as maybe the smell of fear from the usual trailers lingers in the air when farm animals are transported in these, whereas horses are a different industry altogether, and there might be nicer smells.

I came back about 2ish and they were not ready to go yet. The vet wanted to keep them to observe them a bit longer. The health checks had brought up that they were a bit skinny (condition score 2) but otherwise nothing too wrong with them. He wanted to observe the bleeding. Charlie had bled more than the others. Leroy predictably had been the lively one. He is the dominant in the flock and had been given time with the ewe lambs so knew with Larry, Justin and Jake what he was giving up. The alternative though is slaughter and although they might not have wanted me to make that decision for them, I did.

They all looked at me silently. 10 pairs of eyes fixed on me. They all knew, and no one looked very impressed at losing their fertility. Please don’t think I am being sentimental. I know that it was the most responsible thing to do given behaviour traits in sheep and also that they were going to a sanctuary who did not need to deal with the possibility of them producing more sheep. It makes me uncomfortable though that they are sentient beings and I had taken this choice away from them. I wondered what they might be thinking and thought that I was probably their least favoured person at the moment. They loaded in to the van walking a bit stiffly. All had survived with no complications and were under long term anaesthetic but it still must not be the greatest for them to travel after an operation. The driver looked at them sympathetically. It was drizzly when we set off and when it brightened a hopeful rainbow showed in the grey sky. The drive to the sanctuary was long and it was dark by the time we got there. The driver had been there before and knew where he was going.

Once at Hillside Animal Sanctuary, I went to reception and the founder, Wendy Valentine was there with my contact, John. They led us to the barn that they would be housed in for assessment and also to be their home till the weather was better. It was late. The sheep were only interested in exploring their new environment and were ravenous as they had not eaten all day. It was plush compared with what they were used to and I felt overwhelmed at the hospitality. I was tired. I had covered about 5-6 hours of driving today and just wanted to find my accommodation. I said that I would return tomorrow late morning to the sanctuary. It was a full moon and I stopped a few moments to appreciate the silence of the country lane.

The Salhouse Lodge was friendly and clean and definitely gave me that bit of comfort and cosiness that I needed with everything going on. I was ravenous so I ordered some dinner and went up to settle in. I had hoped to do a report that I had needed to do for work but was only fit for snoozing that evening, I was so exhausted and my kidneys had been playing up the last few days.

I had a delicious breakfast the next morning, and chatted across tables to a friendly sailor who had been staying there and was rearing to go out on his new boat. I left a leisurely time and went to the sanctuary where I saw John and Wendy. They were viewing footage of the slaughter houses that they had taken and showed me some. I can say this as this footage is now out. It was difficult viewing. I have actually been to a slaughter house once as I wanted to explore the whole food to fork process and I did not want to be a hypocrite if I ate meat. The men in the footage shown to me had a total disregard for what the animals were giving up and the fear they had. I have always been struck by my visit to the abattoir of the sacrifice animals make so we can eat and since then have more of a respect for the meat I do eat. I am trying to give up. I have succeeded in giving up lamb. Every time I am faced with the prospect of eating lamb, I think of Georgie now and what might have become of her. I can only hope that she and Dot were kept for breeding where they ended up and not meat. I have observed animals loaded for slaughter and also how they react when seeing those they are with being killed in front of them and I don’t think I can comprehend how this must feel – as it has not happened to me but adding to this pain is unnecessary.

I told Wendy and John that I was on an intern ship but said that I would regularly donate once I was earning some money and would do what I could to let people know of the work they were doing. I had looked at starting an animal sanctuary when first faced with the lambs going to slaughter but when I thought about the costs and it would involve funding then it just seemed too difficult and not what I really wanted to do. Here at Hillside they will be able to live to the end of their natural lives and make new friends. The implication had hit me that it was very far away for me to come, about three and a half hours away, so volunteering was not a viable option. I was honest about my feelings and said that I felt bad for giving them the responsibility to feed ten more lambs when they already had so many mouths to feed. They really have been the knights in shining armour in this process and everyone I have dealt with to make this happen have been an inspiration. The funders, the animal transport horse people, the vets and I knew it was time to talk about what next. We all agreed the best thing was that I would say my goodbyes today. They would soon be integrated with the main flock and have different lives with different friendships to make. I was confident I was leaving them in good hands and this was the best outcome. I was told that if I needed to bring the 11th if he became well enough to travel, then he would be welcome. The issue would be of getting him there. Of course, if the pregnant females on the farm do not prove good mothers or produce babies, they also will be up for slaughter, and I have asked that I be kept informed. It is pretty standard flock management to cull those who do not prove fruitful for healthy flock management. There was no negligence on the farm’s part and they remain helpful and do good work within it.

I drove down to the information office where I was met by some lovely staff who took me to the barn. I had handed over the records and went to see the boys. I spent about 4 hours saying goodbye. I wanted to engage with each individually and am guilty of wanting my last lamb selfies to remember the occasion. One of the two on-site vets came by to look at them and check the bleeding. I asked her about how they stare at the walls from time to time and did so when they were younger. She seemed to think it may have to do with needing a bit more solitude. I started with Spartacus and worked my way round the barn. There were curious goats living next door that stood and peered over from time to time. It would be the first time the sheep had seen goats too which should be interesting for them. I have enjoyed a warmer relationship with Spartacus, Horatio and Sieggy and they were true to form in the time I spent with them. Leroy was subdued and needed time to himself but engaged a bit. Charlie, Brick and Justin were a bit skittish but were curious about the activity in the yard and around them. They explored their new food and decided it was not too bad at all. It was a dry green mixture that constituted all their nutritional needs and they had hay.

It had been important to me to be able to settle them in and sit with them as they inhabited their new space. I had been there when they were let out the stable in to the field outside after three weeks or so after birth and then found them for their first field move, then in to the woods and then further fields on the farms. For me, it provided continuity and I wanted them to feel supported each time. This has proved challenging when they have become ill and at times I had to visit up to five locations in an evening. I have heard that they are doing well at the sanctuary and hope that they have a good life ahead of them.
I did not reach my funding target which was about £1800 instead of the original ambitious £200,000 I had asked for. I funded the rest myself after people who have contributed, as I realised after the last visit that there was no way it could not go ahead and whatever the financial consequences, it was something I had to do. The crowd funding ends in two days and the situation for the brown-faced lamb is unresolved if he recovers. I hear he is still coughing. I am thinking of getting an animal transport license so I can take him if I can borrow or hire a vehicle to do so. It is just an idea at the moment. Having not been able to afford sending the first lot and now having to find money for my storage unit renewal, I have to get my finances in order pretty quick smart this year, which I guess is motivation to get organised. Check if I have any PPI owed (by my own investigation not a company) and to sell anything, get rid of anything I do not need. Looks like I will be car booting this Summer…

I am very inspired by Hillside Animal Sanctuary and they really genuinely care and are in a position to do something for the animals they have rescued. I really hope that people will support the work that they do and contribute if and when they can if they feel so inclined. I feel that there was so much more I could have done to reach out to media but the new placement I have has been intense and I have been working in to the evenings a lot on it – which I do not resent but it has been very frustrating with not being able to give this my full attention. I am glad I do not have the pressure of fund raising now and will keep adding photos and videos of the sheep and other animals I have worked with as I get organised. I would like to share moments and observations of my work. I have really benefited from my relationship with the lambs and maybe can get on to writing the second draft of a children’s book I wrote with more farm experience now – as it was set on a farm. Please keep connected with social media if you would like to see more as I have a back log of animal moments. Although I had a close relationship with the lambs, I find that it is about time and consistency with many species, then it is the individual character of the animal that I have memories of.
My media is as follows so far but may change as it is not all about sheep. Main changes will be on my personal Facebook site. I have footage since 2011 so I will be busy..

A visual walk through this journey can be seen on the sheepstars blog album.

https://www.facebook.com/michelle.artiss
https://sheepstarsblog.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sheepstars
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sheep-stars-a-friendly-orphan-flock/x/9512176
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUWJqwUx1apc4IKrr8znfPw

Nearly There

It has taken me a long time to start writing this. Sometimes when an event is so emotional and draining with so much apart from it going on, it is difficult to talk about it till some distance has passed. When I last wrote, I had been crowd funding and was inexperienced with the process and how much to ask for. At the time, I did not know of a sanctuary that might be able to take the animals and having trained in animal care, I knew that keeping sheep is no light commitment or cost. I had to try to fundraise in a way that I would be able to find a responsible solution for them and that could involve a lot of money. It took a while for me to start the crowd funding as I was leaving an intern ship and there was a lot to focus on to sort out before I left and Christmas was coming up.

It was when Georgie and Dot got sent to market that I started the crowd funding. I did not have prior knowledge till it was happening and I will never forget that Georgie came up to me for reassurance (as my head was spinning) and I felt terrible I was not able to help. I had hoped they would not be selected but about 20 sheep were going and she was far too friendly and would have just gone up to them. I had nothing in place and had not heard of Hillside then. Georgie and Dot were not selected for breeding. Dot was skittish but she would always vocalise a greeting when she saw me, and Georgie was not deemed aesthetic enough –neither of them had been ever sick but this did not play in to it. Georgie was so friendly but the fact she was food crazy annoyed the decision maker. The person who made the decision to not select them for breeding has left the farm and had different ideas in this respect. Also he managed to save the rest of the girls from slaughter (as long as they are good mothers) so it is a complex issue. Farming is not an easy life and tough decisions need to be made sometimes.

For the crowd funding, I only asked that people donate a pound and pass it on but there are not too many people who have done this that I know. The ones who have passed the information on or donated have been amazing. It is not just the money but the encouragement. Even if someone said that they could not help but wished it luck it was helpful. I have been doing Crisis Open Christmas for about 10 years, the last few years in the dog service there. I chatted to a few people who were able to tell me about farm animal sanctuaries and I contacted these immediately. Hillside Animal Sanctuary responded almost straight away. I was pushing to get a place for Spartacus as he had been earmarked for slaughter and had been ill with foot rot for some time. I asked for him and Liz to go but she died in the meantime as a reaction to medicine. Then I asked about Charlie – I did not want Spartacus to go and be alone as sheep are sociable animals and he had always gotten on well with him. I asked Hillside about the whole male flock of 10 as I thought there was no harm in asking and I had to do what I was able to. Animals have no voice except ours. I think I read this in John Webster’s Animal Welfare and I had always remembered it. Hillside said yes on the provision that they were all wethered (neutered). Having read a book on the behaviour of Mountain Sheep, I am afraid I am in agreement. Rams change when they are three and just want to dominate everything. Of course this depends on the character but according to my research for online homesteader sites, the orphan rams turn in to the deadliest however cute a pet they have been and I could not risk this happening as they could not be kept if they were going to try to butt everything in sight. I will write about behaviour more another time. I had gotten a decent quote from the Royal Vet College so was hopeful this could be achieved, and was advised that it was possible they could have the operation and travel to their destination the same day safely.

I had to raise about £1800 and did not have the energy to push this with all my energy as I had started a new intern ship and there was a lot to focus on. I had decided to do intern ships instead of another degree as I had a career change of direction. I am an intern in education support to a new centre for special needs and disability in a country park as well as doing school visits and facilitating educational activities so it is very exciting for me but a lot of work. My passion apart from the natural world is education and communication. I had done some work in care farming with Rural Care and really wanted to build upon my learning in working with special needs. I went to visit the ram lambs at the farm to see what the situation was and after spending some time with them as described in my previous blog, I was clear in my mind that it was no longer a case of that I was not able to afford it if I did not reach the fund raising target, I had to just do it. They were all so friendly and it is like time has not passed. They are generous and forgiving like this. I love the ewe lambs too but they do get the hump with you if you do not see them regularly and give you the cold shoulder for a while. So, the money that I have from the crowd funding is helpful and paid for part of the process. I have funded the rest which was going to my storage unit renewal – so I had better do some sorting very quickly as I have a lot in there… I have till April to come to a solution for this. So I committed to all ten plus one sheep. I was not able to leave the brown faced one behind. I did not raise him but he had appealed to me to adopt him more than once and I was sad at his depression and state of health. In the meantime, Rural Care have named him Coffee – but will not be able to keep him if he survives.

The biggest nightmare of this was arranging animal transport. To get a relatively small amount of animals transported is not cheap and most animal transporters are very busy. I had arranged a person who seemed very nice but he let me down the last minute due to personal circumstances which could not be helped. I had about three days to find someone and I was super stressed. I had to think around the usual companies and was lucky to find a really lovely person who dealt with horses who was willing to take them. They were local. More or less the same day, I had more challenges. Three sheep were too sick to travel and everything was arranged and in place. I did not know what to do but decided that it was best to cancel the trip till they were all well enough. Nearer the time it transpired that two had made a quick recovery and were able to go – which left one – the brown faced lamb that I had not raised. I decided that it had to go ahead and I would try to think about what to do for the other one when it was better – if Coffee would get better. I hear that he is still coughing and not fit to travel. I have decided to write this blog in two days. I post this today and will do the rest hopefully tomorrow, my day off. Tomorrow I write about the journey and the goodbyes. There is still time to donate and share before the end of the appeal which would now really help me deal with transporting the last lamb, recoup a bit what I have spent, and then if there would be anything left, the sanctuary – otherwise I have done what I needed to do so far. See the story in pictures and the words will come tomorrow and also what I intend to do going forward:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1587713611443105.1073741840.1556166444597822&type=3

and the crowd funding appeal:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sheep-stars-a-friendly-orphan-flock