The Animal Sanctuary

While browsing Facebook a few weeks ago I came upon a job vacancy with a difference. A voluntary position at Yorkshire Animal Shelter. I've always wanted to work with animals since being very young, I missed out on veterinary nursing college because I couldn't get the GCSEs required in maths and English, and now with my work experience only being in retail and creative work any job I apply for I get knocked back from. Working with animals is highly sort after work even if it's not particularly well paid.
So when I see I could gain a little experience I jump at the chance. Yorkshire Animal Shelter mainly takes in the over spill from the RSPCA basically saving them from death row. They have a horse, 8 sheep, 1 chicken, 1 rabbit and 6 cat currently although I'm informed this is a quiet time.

www.yorkshireanimalshelter.org.uk If you can help them do even if it's only collecting stamps.

So I meet the animals. Suzie a 15+ year old horse with arthritis and cushings disease and she's also retty deaf. Poor Suzie was bought by a naive lady wanting a show jumper of around 9 years old, when she found out actually Suzie was neither 9 or in a fit state for jumping it was either the rescue or the slaughter house for Suzie. So we start the day by feeding Suzie a mixture of feed, apples, carrots, biscuits and breadcakes as well as oil and cider vinegar (good for her joints). Suzie doesn't wear horse shoes but needs the mud and grass cleaning from her feet daily, she's not 100% happy about it because of her sore joints. By what is now my 3rd week I've learned to lift her feet by running my hands down her legs and grasping the wispy hair down near her feet and holding the hoof close to the toe whilst leaning in to her (although she ended up leaning on me.) Then taking the hoof pick to firmly but gently remove the mud from the hoof. Her back feet are a little harder as she finds it uncomfortable so we have to bend down lower (exposing gardeners arse crack to the world.) This week with help from Abbie I cleaned all 4 hooves. Result!

2 of the sheep also have arthritis but plod on in their retirement. The rest of the sheep including Larry and Baby Lambkins follow me round the field while I shovel poo into a wheel barrow. Picking the poo not only keeps the field from becoming a pooey mess but also the poo gets added to the onsite allotment. Can't go wrong with lotsa veg.

Then there's Queenie the only hen currently at the sanctuary, they usually take in ex-battery hens for their retirement but at the moment Queenie happily scatches around the allotments alone. Abbie tells me they will be getting more ex-batteries again soon which I can't wait to see. Chickens should be happy and free. Queenie is 8 and a oriental breed so produces greenish eggs. However being 8 she is past her laying age but this week she surprised us both, as I leaned in to clean the hen house I see a single egg in the corner. Amazing, just goes to show what a happy animal can do.

Anyway I'm learning already and I love it looking forward to my work week after week also lotsa wildlife around too. Next Friday I get to see the farrier at work, the way he handles Suzie might help me with her. Can't wait.

Appologies for the Instagraming taking the real camera tomorrow.