Born malnourished, disabled and most likely facing a premature death, this little lamb beat all the odds and is thriving on her new found life. Continue reading below to find out more about Sophie.
The Call
We received a call from a sheep slaughter farm in upstate NY. A lamb had been born who was malnourished, disabled and deemed not viable. The farmers said the lamb was too small to send to slaughter and they refused to spend the money and time to properly care for her. They just wanted to wipe their hands clean of the lamb all together and that is were Longing for Home stepped in. The sheep farm agreed to keep the lamb alive long enough for us to get there to pick her up, but that was all they were willing to do.
The Rescue
Head farm hand, Jack, and farm owner, Madison, gathered a small team and drove up to the sheep farm. Once they got there, Jack did a quick assessment of the lamb and determined that she had a treatable condition called contracted tendons, which was the cause of her inability to walk. They gave her a name, loaded her into the truck and drove her back to our farm. The next morning, Jack took Sophie to our trusted vet to get her the full work up.
The tests confirmed Jack's suspicions about the contracted tendons but also revealed that Sophie had pneumonia and selenium and vitamin E deficiencies. She was also so malnourished that for a 6 month old, she looked more like 2 months. However, the vet was optimistic that Sophie could thrive, and therefore put her in splints to lengthen her tendons and strengthen her legs with hopes of no surgery.
What Now?
We are constantly checking on Sophie's progress and we are happy to say that her recovery is off to a great start. After only a few days in the splints, Sophie already seems like a completely different animal. We foresee that she will continue to get stronger and healthier everyday but her rehabilitation is far from over. To ensure that her treatment is the best it can be, our staff and volunteers spend as much individualized time with Sophie as possible, tending to her every need. They help her navigate a small pasture, strengthening her legs and teaching her how to graze on her own. Although we are not sure what the exact future holds, we are hopeful that Sophie will join our other rescues in the search for her forever home very soon. For more information on Sophie or updates about her progress, please call us or visit the farm.
Comments