**ANIMAL ARK UPDATE & DONATION INFORMATION**
Hi everyone. Gosh, what a challenging few days it’s been.
Just when I think we surely must have been through the worst of things, something else seems to come along to knock us back another few steps. And as you can see from the attached video, the flooding from this past weekend has hit us even harder than before. Facebook won’t allow us to add more than one video/image to a post, however sadly we can report that our whole farm was affected this time around, including our previously “unfloodable” paddocks (which are much higher than the farmpark itself). This has meant that not only have we had to deal with the usual issues around contamination and mud and debris, but also the loss of our two previously untouched “maternity” paddocks, which is where we deliberately grow lush high yielding grass for our pregnant girls or animals who need extra nutritional support from illness or after giving birth. This has meant we have lost the majority of our good quality natural food sources for our animals, and have now basically exhausted our supply of ‘emergency feed’ baleage and hay also.
The feedbarn is empty and so is the bank account - because of course the weather these school holidays has meant we have been unable to open at all. And for a tiny home-run sanctuary such as ourselves, this is beyond devastating. Even with the best planning (or a decent crystal ball) no one could have foreseen a start to October quite like this. Our hearts go out to everyone affected.
To be very clear, because I know people will be worried - all our animals are safe. Thankfully our barn and stables remained watertight (so so grateful for that) and our giant crew of furry fluffballs were able to hunker down safely til the worst of the winds and rain had passed and the paddocks began to drain. We did have some unscheduled arrivals - unfortunately the bad weather often sets off pregnant mamas into early labour and that meant
Well to be fair, I have always wanted a water feature in the back garden. Thanks Steve 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
It’s a hard night here at The Animal Ark tonight.
Fireworks always brings anxiety & fear to animals - but when those animals have already suffered through terrible things in their life, those extra loud shrieks & bangs & crackles & booms & flashing lights cause a re-traumatisation few of us can ever imagine. And unless you witness this kind of fear in animals first-hand you will NEVER understand how truly awful it is to see something you love be so absolutely petrified and not be able to do a thing to help them.
Im currently outside with the gang trying to reassure them that everything is ok but Stanley is a shaking stressed mess and Steve has retreated to the furtherest away trees (something he never, ever does).
I have Bridget and our big boy Sabbath hiding behind me with one of their heads resting behind my knees panting their heart out while I stand in one of the pens typing this message, while all the Angoras are inside the barn actually shaking on their feet with huge eyes and no appetites (so no chance of distraction).
One of our beautiful deer, Hope, has put herself through the fence to try and get away from the bangs echoing around Silverstream, and several of our lambs have buried themselves under the hedge to try and escape the noise while their terrified mums (and me with the torch) have been searching for them in between the explosions. Listening to their cries is genuinely heartbreaking. The worst thing is seeing some of the animals turn on each other because they don’t know who to blame or how to make it stop.
Being somewhat rural its usually so quiet here, and so the bangs and shrieks seem so much louder for us due to the echos and otherwise perfectly still night.
We used to be massively huge fireworks fans ourselves, and so I especially understand the delight and joy that they bring to children and adults, I really do.
I just wish there was a way to explain it to the animals of the world so they didn’t have to spend the next few week
We hope everyone’s had an amazing start to 2023!!
Steve the water buffalo has been making the most of the hot weather - and enjoying a few good dips in his pond to cool off as you can see by the video below!
We’re looking forward to welcoming you all back to the The Ark from Wednesday onwards. Til then stay safe and Happy New Year! 🙂
** DIXIE UPDATE - follow up from trap injuries **
Turn your sound up for this one 🙂❤️
Sweet little Dixie had her surgery late on Wednesday, to amputate her shattered leg after spending a few days at the vets getting her strength back up ready for the procedure.
While it was a very long and very intricate operation as you can imagine, she came through better than everyone hoped, and is loving being back home.
There is still a long healing process ahead, and obviously a lot of adjustments for her to learn, but as you can see she is still her usual sweet loving wee self, and we are so incredibly glad to have her back home (even if she is a wee tripod now!)
Thank you, so very very much, to every single one of you, who donated towards her surgery, to those who shared our posts, to those who went looking trying to find her when we first found she was missing, and to those who have messaged to see how she is doing. We are so very grateful to our amazing Animal Ark community, for all the love and support.
Along with Dixie being able to come home, this past weekend has also bought with it a flurry of tiny unexpected newborn goats and lambs needing some extra love and help, which we will update you all on tomorrow, - so be prepared for a cuteness overload on your Monday!
Thank you again to all our wonderful supporters - your donations to our givealittle page have already made such a huge difference to this little one’s life, and the lives of many others too. ❤️
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-the-animal-ark
**LAST UPDATE ON OUR WEE GOAT BABIES**
Aren’t these guys just the sweetest? Look how big they’re (finally) getting!! Still too small to be in any of our pens, but they’re coming on in leaps and bounds 🙂
These wee cuties are full of the joys of life and enjoying every moment out in the sun - they can’t sit still for more than 2 seconds without needing to bounce on something - trust me, I’ve got the bruises to prove it!
They’re getting stronger each week and are almost ready to head off to their new home. It won’t be the same around here without them causing chaos in the house, but we know how loved they are going to be with their new family ❤️
** SECOND UPDATE ON BABY GOATS **
It’s not the heat getting to you or your eyes playing tricks - you really can see FOUR babies now, instead of 3. 💕
Sadly, another mama (from the same herd we adopted as the other mother who passed away last week) has also just passed away, leaving behind a beautiful baby boy to join our orphaned trio 😢 💔
While we were heartbreakingly too late to help these wee ones mothers, thankfully after a few touch and go moments with the newest one, tonight they all seem to have turned a corner. Our littlest man (the premature one) we’ve named Percy, and he’s still smaller than Fred our Security Cat.
Percy now insists on walking everywhere between my legs, which is very sweet but makes it even harder not to trip over when I’m already someone who manages to fall over fresh air.
Thank you to everyone whose asked about these babies and sent well wishes - it’s very much appreciated.
Kelly 💜
** UPDATE ON THE ORPHANED / PREMATURE BABY GOATS **
Thank you to everyone whose asked how the orphaned baby goats are doing - we thought we’d share this video taken at their tea time tonight so you could see how they are all getting on 🙂
Our wee premature boy is wearing the red jacket and is doing much better than anyone expected - he’s now about the size of an 8 week old kitten and copies everything his ‘brothers’ do, albeit just a little slower ❤️
They are all wee champs and have stolen our hearts - and we know they are going to make fantastic family members for some lucky goat lovers out there in the future 🙂 🐐 💕
