Philip the lamb
Philip was born on a slaughterhouse truck. Like hundreds of other lambs born while their mum is on her way to slaughter, Philip was dumped on the side of the highway by a driver who knew the slaughterhouse wouldn’t accept the baby and who didn’t have the courage to “humanely” euthanise the tiny infant with a bolt to the head as required by federal animal “welfare” codes.
If Philip’s tiny little body hadn’t been noticed by the side of the road he would have slowly died of malnutrition and dehydration, unless of course a dog or bird of prey found him first. His was to be the cruel fate that hundreds of lambs suffer every year – alone, hungry, thirsty, scared and confused. Thankfully he was spotted, gathered up, and taken into care. He was fed all-important colostrum and slowly he got better.
At two weeks of age, Philip arrived at his forever home Farm Animal Rescue. He is healthy and happy, with an enormous appetite for formula and hay. He loves to bounce like most lambs, and leaping dangerously seems to be his favourite past time.
However, he will forever bear the scars of being dumped as a waster product by the side of the highway. When Philip was dehydrated his eyes shrank a little. As this made his eyelids too large, they developed a strange curled shape. After he was re-hydrated and his eyes grew back to their normal size, his eyelids didn’t return to normal.
As a result, every time he opens or closes his eyelid, his eyelashes scratch his eye causing him significant irritation. This irritation creates discharge from the eye and has created an ulcer at the bottom of his eye.
Philip has had surgery today to resolve the issue. While his eyelid will never be normal, we have been able to alter its shape so that it no longer irritates his eye.
Lambs are frequently born on slaughterhouse trucks. Sheep are very timid animals who frighten easily. Ewes are kept constantly pregnant by the wool industry so that they replenish the wool-producing stock. Heavily pregnant sheep are frequently loaded onto slaughterhouse trucks despite their delicate state.
Of course, the stress and terror experienced by the mother sheep can often be enough to induce labour. Australian code requires that lambs born on board slaughterhouse trucks are “humanely” euthanized by a bolt gun to the head. Many drivers are uncomfortable with doing this and leave lambs starving, hungry and alone on the side of the highway instead.
Philip will undergo a full recovery and will have a wonderful life here at sanctuary. Unlike thousands of other lambs who weren’t lucky enough to be spotted on the side of the highway.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Please boycott wool and wool products. Lambs like Philip suffer these horrors simply because people buying woollen sweaters and suits, and wear horrid lambskin products like Ugg boots. With the modern man-made fabrics now available to keep us warm, there is no need for Philip and all of the other baby lambs to suffer.
Philip happened to arrive at the sanctuary during a visit by the renowned philanthropist Philip Wollen. We felt it only fitting that Philip who had survived so much was given shared a name with someone who has worked so hard to give him and all animals a better life. We are delighted to name him Philip in recognition of the marvellous work that Philip does through Winsome Constance Kindness.
