To adopt by post or standing order, download and complete this form and return to us at Adopt a Farm Animal, VVF, 8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH.
Bluebell the pig
This nine year old sow spent almost her entire life on an intensive pig farm, confined in a crate in a concrete pen and used as a breeding machine. During a short spell of freedom in an outdoor paddock she attracted the attention of farm visitors; when she reached retirement age and was booked into the slaughterhouse, her new friends pleaded for her life and found her a home at Farm Animal Sanctuary.
Hear the latest sanctuary news and goss from your favourite porcine princess!
Buttercup the cow
At only seven days old Buttercup was suffering from a severe type of enteritis. Weak and dehydrated she lay in Midlands Livestock Market, a byproduct of the dairy industry and waiting her miserable fate: to be bought and sent to Holland to be imprisoned in a dark, veal crate. But Farm Animal Sanctuary rescued her and vets spent the next few weeks saving her life. Sixteen years on she is strong, friendly and living a natural life in the fields with other cattle.
Paul the goose
Paul arrived at the sanctuary very young after being kept with lots of other geese in a muddy shed with no roof or access to water. One day the person who had bred them stuffed them into a small crate with slated sides and took them to a noisy, smelly market. Some of his friends collapsed with shock – geese do not cope well with stress – so Paul courageously stuck his head out through one of the slated sides and shouted for help. Farm Animal Sanctuary owner Janet, alerted by the noise, took them home. Aged four, he now has water to swim and play in, good food and a roof. As Pauline the goose’s toyboy he was passionately protected, until she died sadly in 2007. He’s since chosen the single life and spends most days wandering the farm with fellow bachelor and adoptee Musky the duck.
ET the sheep
In 2004 aged only eight months a group of walkers found ET in a field being viciously attacked by a dog and took him to a vet. His ears were so badly mangled they had to be amputated, two thirds of the flesh from his neck had been torn away almost exposing the spine and he’d lost a lot a blood. Amazingly he survived the surgery and was brought to Farm Animal Sanctuary, where he’s developed into a confident and friendly character. He’s not even afraid of dogs and the rest of the flock don’t care or notice he’s earless! This traumatic experience actually saved his life as his sheep companions in the field went to slaughter only two weeks later.
Stan the turkey
Bred for the Christmas dinner table, Stan spent his first few weeks in a filthy, overcrowded shed with thousands of others, waiting to be slaughtered. But with the help of a compassionate animal lover Stan escaped into a sanctuary, although sadly his mate there died this summer. With no other poultry he felt lonely so Farm Animal Sanctuary stepped in. Now Stan has the full reign of their yard, seeking out company, impressing visitors with his gorgeousness and looking forward to more Christmases to come.
Musky the duck
Musky is a muscovy duck, hatched in May 2006 by someone in their back garden and then irresponsibly passed on to random school children. An angry parent passed this cold and, by now, weak little duckling on to Janet, who gave him a fluffy toy duck for company and lots of love. Now a strong handsome fellow, he’s more likely to be found with best friend Stan the turkey. On the crowded, filthy factory farm, Musky would’ve had the tip of his beak painfully cut off to prevent ‘feather pulling’ – a product of the stressful conditions. Viva!’s campaigns ended the cruel practice of debeaking of ducks in the UK, giving characters like Musky the chance of a happy life outside of the factory farm.
Timmy the pony
Aged only 18 weeks and abruptly weaned from his mother, this miniature Shetland pony was transported to saleyards around the country by his dealer looking for a good price. He wasn’t sold and was taken back to the dealer’s premises, where a few weeks later a pony died because of poor welfare. Janet went to fetch Timmy and found a sick, depressed foal covered in lice and sores, undernourished and terrified of humans – a result of the dealer’s habit of picking the foals up by their manes and tails when throwing them off and on his lorry. Timmy responded to treatment and became more confident. He might be small and cute but he is very strong and cheeky, always causing havoc and nipping knees!
Gloria the chicken
Like other battery hens, Gloria was forced to share a cage the size of a microwave oven with four other hens, in a windowless shed with thousands of other birds. She was brought to Farm Animal Sanctuary two years ago with 50 others, most featherless and debeaked – Gloria’s particularly bad as the upper part was left very short and deformed. Although she appeared to be dying on first sight and needed individual care, within days she was sharing food with Janet’s dogs, chasing cats and being bossy! Now her feathers have grown back there’s no mistaking this handsome hen rules the roost!
