Last night we took a call to assist a cow downed in a bog. A mirky mire that had claimed her for at least a day.

Amidst graziers’ alerts and frost warnings, three dear ewes were carried into our barn.

When kindness counted her tally for the day last Saturday, no doubt she would have included the benevolent act that saved the life of the wee lamb we have named Adelaide.

Feeling the potency of a predator attack was the soft, moist tongue of the newborn lamb we have named Cincinnati.

Easily mistaken for a deer is our sweet friend whom we have named Happy Days. Her name, we whispered to her as a prophecy of the good things to come.

Some days we wonder how we humans have arrived at where we are in our chequered relationship with animals. And then some days we realise that we can lament the past, accepting that we had no hand in that; our only hand lies in shaping the present.

It was an image that will never leave our hearts. The one of the mother standing over her newborn child.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Little did we know that Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ short stay with us was to be anything but. An aged dairy cow at the end of her useful life, and having prolapsed after her last calving, a lifeline had been thrown to dear Lucy.

Separated from her family and friends by what terror, we shall never know – but clearly, the little grey kid goat surely did. She told such a tale as she raced across the pound yard towards the only familiar figure she could find.

Why he is now good and why we should be as well.

Our first introduction to the wee little lamb with the sweetest of faces, the one who we would name Sarsaparilla, came by way of an appeal for help, along with a video of her stoically trying to keep up with her dear mumma.

Only moments into our care, two little orphan lambs named Micky and Mini, without words, began to tell us about themselves.

Hugs for Harriet.

Struck by a vehicle which almost claimed his life, the young and injured pig was struck again.

Paddy finds his voice, and his story can help us find ours.

Far from shrinking, meet Violet.

With his glistening red comb flopped outrageously over his eyes and his body ensconced by the most silky soft of feather boas, made of the real deal, Earl’s haute couture may not look out of step on the catwalk of Fashion Week or even the cover of Vogue.

Whilst it is hard to define, it is easy to feel, just what makes Special special. For it takes but a moment with this happy-go-lucky little chap to intuit this.

Having difficultly seeing his new world around him, at first Peaky Blinders would scoot away at the mere hint of our presence. But now not so.

Within metres of the road the tiny bird fluttered and flipped. At first thought to be a grey pigeon clipped by a fast-moving car.

As farmed animals, in the scheme of things, it never ends well for them. And every action thus far afforded this mother and child had fuelled their point of view.

Around 4.40 pm on the 11th of January 2023, hope met the reality of our promise, as the last Silkie rooster was removed from the tiny wire prison that had been his home for heaven knows how long.

He was the last in his cage to be removed. Although he was the first we went to.

With his eclectic mix of colour and an outrageous little “do,” dear Elton John stands before us today.

Into the abyss of the tunnel that formed part of a decommissioned sewerage drain our team went.

Tottie persuades us to consider that differences on the outside should never justify differences of our heart.

Mitzy got lucky, for the human who was set to “claim” her had a change of mind.

Although the sweet little goat we have named Daisy May might not know it yet, she has arrived at one of the best places an escapee goat from an abattoir ever could.

Cuddly Dudley and creating a kinder world for all