Each and every one of the animals at Sugarshine FARM Animal Sanctuary are miraculous. This is for many different reasons, but one of the most prevalent is that they have survived.
Each of the sheep at Sugarshine are miraculous. Bonnie, Lollie, Opal and Maartin are defying the odds each day they live past eight months of age. This is the age lambs are sent to slaughter in the lamb industry. The wool industry is an entirely different ball game. Because of the high amounts of sheep per farm and lack of observation, lambs are lucky to make it past a few days old. If they do, their tales and ears are cut, their skin in certain parts of their body is shaved in order to attempt to prevent fly strike, when in reality the open wounds attract flies. This is all done without anaesthesia. If they survive all this they are then left to grow wool in amounts that are not natural. When the farmers are ready to profit from the sheep, their precious wool is taken from them in often what is a horrific experience for the sheep. Sheep scare easily, even the gentlest of shearers are likely to scare them. The wool industry views sheep as products, not as delicate individuals, therefore the majority of sheering is not gentle, and it is not uncommon for sheep to have cuts and bruises after the ordeal. When these sheep have stopped producing as much wool as is needed to keep consumers happy, they are sent to the abattoir. Sheep in the wool industry are very lucky if they ever live out their natural lifespan. The sheep at Sugarshine will continue to live happy and healthy lives until they are 12 or older.
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Goats such as Millie, Shirley, Forest, River, Misty, Rueben, Nibbles, Never, Sunshine have outlived their factory-farmed counterparts by years. Cheeky Millie Moo is more than a year old, but would not have lasted more than a day if he had stayed as part of the goat dairy industry. This is because male kids are considered a waste product because the industry has to sell the milk their mothers produce for them. Goats used for meet are usually killed within five months of being born, still kids. Their natural lifespan can be up to 14 years. Millie has a lot of cheeky tricks to perform yet!
Don’t let appearances deceive you. All the animals sent to the abattoir are babies, no matter how big they look.