Making life better…

Updated November 19, 2024

Opel’s tiny hooves inched into the world on a chilly October afternoon, and thanks to human kindness in a matter of hours she would arrive at sacntuary.

Just hours after taking her first breath, this snow-white, teeny-tiny Aussie White lamb arrived at sanctuary. Her sweet mother, overwhelmed by the challenge of raising four little ones, simply couldn’t care for them all. So, kind humans stepped in to do what her mumma could not.

Raise dear Opel.

Still fresh with the fragrant scent of her mumma’s love and amniotic fluid, Opel awakened our deepest maternal instincts. We carefully warmed her fragile body and thawed that essential first milk, colostrum, for we were determined to give our newest charge the best shot at life possible.

Unlike so many lambs born into this often-materialistic world, Opel will only ever know the touch of human kindness. She shall be spared the cold indifference of the weather, and a life measured only by profit or productivity.

At just over 2 kilos, many would have written Opel off as having little chance of survival. But that cheeky glint in her eye told us she had other plans. And so too do her zoomies!

Whether it is kicking up her little black hooves with wanton abandon, doing ferocious buckeroos, or charging at break-neck speed, Opel proves that zoomies are not the sole preserves of dogs.

And this is not the only myth that our much-loved, little friend busts. Many people still cling to the outdated view that sheep are dull, personality-less beings. But this is a belief that doesn’t survive when one has the courage to get to know animals like Opel for who they truly are.

Opel’s story also reminds us of the harsh reality many farmed animals face. While representing the largest number of domesticated and dependent animals in human care, they are often invisible to the laws that protect those animals considered “pets”. As such they slip silently under the radar of ethical thought, falling through cracks in our animal protection legislation.

Opel’s story then sits as a beacon of hope. Her life was made better by finding sanctuary. She shows that we can improve the lives of all animals by offering them shelter. But not just from the elements — human apathy too. And in bettering their lives, we better ours too. By nurturing the good parts of ourselves that long for connection, kindness, and joy, we become better versions of who we were meant to be