KINDEST HEART! Introducing the wonderful Rachael Badger, who runs Greener Pastures Sanctuary with her husband Dave, daughter Phoenix and a dedicated committee. Greener Pastures is a not for profit sanctuary, set on 100 acres, where rescued farm animals get to happily spend the rest of their lives. I first met Rachael a few years ago when I photographed her rescue sheep Levy Lamb, who is the ambassador for Stop Live Exports. Since then she has followed her dream of opening a sanctuary and moved to a new, larger premises to make it happen. Every day she works tirelessly to tend to the animals in her care and she is a very fitting subject for today’s Kindest Heart.
QUESTION: How did Greener Pastures Sanctuary come about?
RACHEL: The journey to becoming the proud owner of Greener Pastures began when I was working as a vet Nurse. An occupational hazard of the job is ending up with numerous abandoned animals who would otherwise have been put to sleep. I started out rescuing and rehoming (or keeping) dogs and cats, until one day an elderly, long term client of the vet clinic had to give up her small flock of sheep. I was horse riding competitively at the time and had 5 acres so I put my hand up to give them a loving home. Soon after, I was given the opportunity to hand raise a lamb who was found on the side of the road next to his dead mum, Levy Lamb changed my life forever. He taught me that these animals we call ‘food’ are no different to the animals we call ‘pets’. Levy loves affection – he comes when I call him, he walks on a lead, and he feels pain, excitement, and happiness.
It wasn’t long before Dave and I visited Edgars Mission in Victoria and saw the incredible work they were doing for farm animals. It was then we decided a farm animal sanctuary was desperately needed in W.A. … and so, here we are.
Q: What does your daily routine involve?
RACHAEL: My Daily routine starts between 6 – 6.30am when my 2.5 year old (human alarm clock) wakes me up. We tend to the animals which includes preparing feeds and feeding, letting the animals out into their day paddocks, cleaning and filling waters, in winter we change or remove the horse’s rugs and medicate any animals who require it. The same tasks are repeated in the evenings from 4.30pm until around 6.30pm.
Between our morning and afternoon routine I try and chip away at any property maintenance I can manage on my own, while simultaneously chasing a fearless animal loving 2.5 year old. This can include getting in the tractor and putting out hay rolls, digging holes for fence posts and cleaning out pens and refreshing bedding. We have one horse at a time up for adoption so I try to work with them a couple of times a week. We also have regular vet visits, farrier visits and group visits.
Q: Who calls Greener Pastures Sanctuary home?
RACHAEL: At last count we have 60 animals, including horses, cattle, sheep, goats, an alpaca, a turkey, ducks, chickens and Pigs. As we have only been at the property for a year we are still getting set up, putting up shelters, fencing etc. we already have a waiting list for animals needing our help and hope to get to them as living space becomes available.
Q: Have any animals have stolen your heart?
RACHAEL: All 60 have so far stolen my heart. The ones who stand out though would have to be our dear Levy Lamb, who I mentioned played a role in the beginning of G.P.S. He was found on the side of the road next to his dead mum who it seemed had fallen from a truck on the way to the abattoir, or worse, a live export ship. When a passer-by found him he had been badly pecked by crows and was covered in sores – he was lucky that his eyes had been left untouched. Levy became the ambassador for the lobby group Stop Live Export and his gorgeous photos, taken by our fave photographer ( Alex Cearns ), can be seen on their website, signs and flyers.
Another very special and very lucky animal is Pixie the calf. She was lucky enough to have been born on the property, though it was a close call. When we first came to view the property we now call Greener Pastures, we noticed 6 cows locked away in a tree belt. I knew that the then owner of the property was a retiring beef farmer and I feared for their lives. He told me that he had sent the rest of his head of 30 cattle off to the abattoir but the remaining 6 had been tangled in a fence and received minor injuries and until they healed the abattoir wouldn’t take them.
Needless to say, we had our very first fundraiser and raised money to buy them all at market price. At the time of purchase I found out that farmer had hand raised one of them from birth and that the elderly cow was pregnant. One month later gave birth to the most beautiful calf we now call Pixie. Her mum was what farmers call a ‘breeder’ she had calf after calf, year after year. When the calves reach around 10-12 months of age they are taken away to be slaughtered. Old Mum Margaret will never have to go through the pain and distress of losing her young again and her family are now safe and very much loved.
Q: Where do you think your love of animals comes from?
RACHAEL: My family have always been ‘animal people’. From the day I was born I have shared my home with at least one animal. They were always treated as part of the family, never left to sleep outside or given up because of ‘problem behaviours’. My Nanna used to fondly tell me stories of the animals she shared her life with and even said if she ever won lotto she would buy a property and rescue animals. I wish she was still around to live the dream with me.
I learned to ride horses, successfully competed at show jumping and eventing, and became a vet nurse. I’ve never known anything but a life with animals. The only thing that has changed is my perception of them as individuals and the shocking and eye opening journey to learning how so many of them are treated at the hands of mankind.
Q: What are your plans for Greener Pastures Sanctuary?
RACHAEL: In the not too distant future we hope to have all the infrastructure and fencing we need to be successfully rescuing and, at times, rehoming any needy animal who comes our way. We will be building a class room to enable us to welcome school and community groups. We believe that education is vital in creating a better world for all animals. We would also like to get out and about as much as possible and we have some animal residents who will accompany us as ambassadors for their kind. We hope that they will help us change the way people see these amazing, intelligent and affectionate beings known as farm animals.
Q: Can you tell us something about Farm Animals that people may not know?
RACHAEL: Farm animal rescue (especially in Western Australia) is uncommon. I’ve even had people say to me ‘why would a farm animal need to be rescued?’ This just reiterated why it’s so important to be doing what we are doing. They are some of the most abused animals on the planet, often seen as nothing more than money in someone’s pocket and a piece of meat on someone’s plate. If you have never hugged a sheep, given a pig a belly scratch, been given a slobbery kiss by a cow or fed a horse a carrot … do it! Once you meet them I guarantee they will change your heart and mind forever.
Cows are also more amazing than most people realise. Researchers at Cambridge university found that cows love an intellectual challenge. When young cows learned how to unlatch a gate to get to food their heart rates accelerated, they became more animated and some even jumped for joy. The cows that received the food without unlatching the gate didn’t show any changes in their behaviour. This shows that cows have an emotional response to their own learning and achievement … just like us.
PICTURED: Rachael with Pixie the calf
For more information on Greener Pastures Sanctuary please visit https://greenerpasturessanctuary.org.au/