Running a sanctuary takes more than pats, cuddles and kisses. It also takes a lot of money. As a not for profit registered charity we rely on the goodwill of those who care about animals. Every day expenses include feed, shelters, medication, cleaning, veterinary assistance, and fencing. These costs add up and any donation, no matter how big or small, will help the animals. We are a No Kill Sanctuary which means that animals that are not suitable to be re-homed, or have special needs stay here for the remainder of their lives.
Sponsorship does not cover the full cost of caring for the animals, nor does it take into account their feeding costs. It is with this in mind that Big Ears encourages the animals to be sponsored by more than one sponsor.
We understand that an upfront payment doesn’t suit everybody so for less than most people spend on coffee you can choose ongoing monthly payments from as little as $5.00 per month.
Sponsors are sent a laminated certificate with the name and photo of the sponsored animal thanking them for their sponsorship as well as a Big Ears sticker.
Big Ears would really love some corporate sponsorship to help with ongoing costs. 100% of all donations is spent on the animals – there are no wages paid, all staff are volunteers.
Lorry arrived at the sanctuary in May 2017. Lorry is a cross Jersey steer who was found in a ditch on the side of the road. He had either jumped or fallen from a livestock truck on the way to the Cressy slaughterhouse.
His rescuer hand reared him for 2 years where she taught him to walk on a halter and come to his name. Lorry was provided with all he needed and more, except for the one thing his rescuer couldn’t provide – same species companionship. That’s why he now has a forever home at Big Ears.
You can sponsor Lorry for $200.00 for 12 months or choose to give a monthly donation of just $20.00 a month. Sponsorship goes towards his vet check, vaccinations and parasite control.
Rosie came to the Sanctuary in 2015 after being rescued from the dairy industry. Her friend recently died and with little feed remaining in her paddock, her humans approached Big Ears to take her in. We said yes and she arrived yesterday (24/09/15) and has fit in with her new herd really well. She loves all the green grass, a good scratch under her chin and her new bestie Jasper.
Sponsorship of Rosie is $200.00 for 12 months or just $20.00 a month ongoing which goes towards her parasite control and health checks.
Jasper arrived on Jacqui’s birthday as a 3 day old male calf from a dairy farm. Male calves are excess to the needs of the dairy industry and thus he had been removed from his mothers milk and put in a shed with the other young ‘Bobby’ calves all crying for their mum’s. They get very sick as they don’t get colostrum (first milk) containing much needed anti-bodies and high in nutritional value. Instead they are fed weak powdered milk as they only have to be kept alive for 4 days until they are sent to the slaughterhouse. They are used as veal, for some medical products, their hide is used for leather and the rest used for blood and bone. The local slaughterhouse in Longford kills approx. 3000 of these calves a week in birthing season.
Basically the calves are born, taken from mum, end up sick and scared and then slaughtered all in a week – what a horrible short existence that is.
Jasper was one of the lucky ones who has come to live at Big Ears to be an ambassador for all the calves that we don’t see. They can’t speak out with their beautiful eyes to ask you to please consider giving up dairy or at least cutting down. By doing this you are removing demand for the product which means fewer calves will have to die. You make think your action is so small, how will it help? Well it all helps, just think if everyone did it the industry would be killing fewer and fewer of these beautiful boys.
Jasper found a ‘mother’ at Big Ears with an old dairy cow we had named Blossom. She was 23 years old and she had given birth to approx. 12 calves in her past dairy days. She fell in love as soon as she saw Jasper and she let him suckle on her udders which resulted in her coming into milk. They developed a mother/child bond.
Sponsorship of Jasper is $200.00 for 12 months or just $20.00 a month ongoing which goes towards his parasite control and health checks.
Katie the cow came to the sanctuary on the 18th February 2008 when she was approx. 4 years old. She was originally rescued by some kind people from a dairy farm and as a friend for their cow Roxy. Both Katie and Roxy are best of friends. Eventually the people who rescued her had to re-home both of them and they ended up on a farm not too far from Big Ears. Life was good there, they were loved and cared for. However, the owners were in the process of moving interstate and went over to do some of the unpacking and settling in, leaving the cows unattended. Katie managed to get herself into a yard near the house that only had concrete in it. She became emaciated with no food to eat and her friend Roxy lost her voice from all the mooing she was doing trying to get attention to Katie’s plight.
On pure intuition, Jacqui persuaded Brett to take her to the farm to check on the animals even though they had not been asked to do so. Jacqui just felt it was a long time for the animals to be on their own and had an uneasy feeling. Jacqui’s uneasy feeling proved accurate as Katie was located close to death still stuck in the tank yard with concrete and no water or food. Katie was emaciated with ribs and other bones poking out. Her manure was the size of 20 cent pieces. Roxy was nearby encouraging Jacqui and Brett to free her friend. Once released from the yard Katie drank and ate and reunited herself with Roxy.
Jacqui and Brett contacted the owners to let them know what they found and that they were taking hay and a mineral lick to Katie and would check her daily. The rest is history. The people asked if Big Ears could home Katie and Roxy and they have been here ever since. It was indeed a close call for Katie and a good reminder to people that all animals need to be checked on regularly as you never know what type of mischief or accident they might have.
Sponsorship of Katie is $200.00 for 12 months or just $20.00 a month which goes towards her parasite control and health checks.
Roddie the Scottish Highland steer came to live at Big Ears in April 2015. He had been raised from a calf but when he got bigger he was in put in a paddock on his own. Cows live together in herds as they are prey animals and the herd provides them with protection. As Roddie had no herd he was always scared and kept to the corner of his paddock. When he matured he would get so scared he would run through fences and end up on neighbouring farms. Because of his habit of escaping Roddie needed a new home and Big Ears provided one.
On the day Roddie arrived at Big Ears all our other cows formed a circle around him. Roddie walked into the centre of the circle, laid himself down and proceeded to sleep, feeling for the first time safe because he was protected by the herd.
Roddie has fit right in with the Big Ears herd and he is loving being part of a group. As the largest and oldest steer he has won the hearts of the girls and the admiration of the boys.
Sponsorship of Roddie is $200.00 for 12 months or just $20.00 a month which goes towards her parasite control and health checks.
