It is the nature of rescue work that the rescuing is only the beginning of saving some of the animals that come into our care. In Barbara's 10+ years of doing this, she has seen a lot. Each year we see animals with familiar and unfamiliar ailments. One thing remains the same however, we do absolutely everything in our power to save them. No matter what the cost. Because not only do these animals deserve a second chance at life, they deserve for someone to fight for that chance to be possible. When lamb Callie was literally dropped off at our front gate after being spared by a meat buyer because she was too small and ill, we knew we were her only hope. Her prognosis wasn't great. Even if we were able to manage her joint infection, vets believed she would be permanently crippled. Regardless of what her prognosis was, Callie deserved the best possible care we could provide her. She deserved for someone to care enough to try. Treatments were started immediately and incredibly generous and talented volunteers fast tracked designing and building a cart for Callie to assist her during her rehabilitation. Today, she has made a truly amazing recovery. She beat the odds and shows no lingering effects of her joint ill. She arrived terrified of anyone with two legs but with a lot of TLC, even when she wasn't sure she wanted it, those days are long behind her. Medicine is not the only thing in the world with healing powers.
Callie upon arrival, one month into recovery and now two months since arriving at PSGR
The first of our bottle raised kids started arriving back in February, an exciting but always cautious time, as their health is often fragile as they grow and develop immune systems. Boo had only been with us a few days when Barbara went out to the barn one morning to find him collapsed. The days that followed included an emergency vet hospital visit, multiple vet consultations and 24/7 care and monitoring. Barbara dropped everything to care for Boo, volunteers came on last minute notice to stay with Boo when Barbara needed to work and there was nothing that wasn't done to save him. Today, he's bouncing around playing with his friends and escorting everyone to the gate when they leave. Boo didn't have much fight in him that first week of his recovery, he needed to be fought for, and that is exactly what we did.
Boo got house goat status during his recovery
There is a lot of time, energy, emotion and money that is put forth to save animals in all stages of health at PSGR each year. Every bit of it is worth it. There is no greater reward than seeing Callie out grazing as far in the fields as the fences will let her, when she could barely walk just 2 months ago. To see Boo frolicking and racing around the pasture then curling up with his best bud Vespa for a nap, when just a few weeks ago he was too weak to even hold his head up.
There are so many things we have to consider and make decisions about on a daily basis in regards to the work that we do. When it comes to saving our rescues, there are no questions. We do whatever it takes.
Boo has made a full recovery!