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Animal sanctuary searching for new home

An animal rescue charity has made a plea for help finding a new home as it battles to avoid having to close.

Happy Pants Ranch future is in jeopardy after a divorce dispute is forcing the sanctuary to move from its current home at Yelsted, near Sittingbourne.

The charity has become a haven to more than 350 animals, rescuing the likes of pigs, cows, and emus.

Amey James, founder of Happy Pants Ranch with Little Larry

Its founder, Amey James, exclaimed that giving away the ranch residents is not an option:

“Over my dead body. You will have to kill me first to harm these animals. This is my life now. I could not be without them and they could not be without me.

“If I have to live in a tent, or a treehouse, that’s fine I’ll do it.”

The charity is desperately calling on its supporters to help them find land a minimum of six acres of land within the budget of £200,000 – as the cost of staying is not financially viable.

Appealing to the sanctuary’s supporters on Facebook Amey said: “Ideally the land needs to be as local as possible to the current premises, near Sittingbourne in North Kent as the charity has a fantastic local presence and support network which has taken years to build up.”

One of the ranch residents: pony Bob

The charity, set up seven years ago, is now home to once stray, mistreated or abandoned animals and is run by a devoted crew of volunteers.

However, since the start of lockdown, the ranch has become more than just a place of refuge for animals – people too are using it as a place to escape.

As a result, the charity has seen an increase in volunteers. One new volunteer, Tabitha Conquest, who joined four weeks ago, now appreciates the brief moments of sitting under the trees, enjoying the sound of the rustling branches and the company of the pigs.

She recalls her first visit: “In this worrying time with the pandemic, I was able to just stop, relax and be mindful of these darling piglets, fast asleep with full tummies and their mum close by.

“It made me feel calm and privileged to be able to have a place like Happy Pants that I can come to in this anxious time.”

One of the multiple rescued cats

Founder Amey is optimistic if they can get over the minor hurdle of relocating, and that support continues to grow – then the ranch can continue to flourish and grow in the future to further educate and innovate, whilst simultaneously offering community outreach during the Covid crisis and beyond.

She hopes to open a vegan café, set up an education centre where people can learn about the animals and to expand the charities work with mental health.

She said: “Massive dreams just becoming bigger and better. Helping more animals. Helping more people.

“It is becoming like a global domination. That would be great. That’s my ultimate goal, global domination.”

“The sky is the limit.”

Amey said while donations are always welcome, people can also get involved by hosting their own fundraisers, spreading the word or even by mucking in.

“We can never have enough helping hands here. There is always work to be done.”

To support the charity, you can visit their online appeal here.

1 COMMENTS

  1. I have adhd and asperger syndrome anixtey depression ptsd and I joined the farm to help me and since I volunteer I love it there it’s helped out with my problems and I fell in love with a pig called dolly, and she’s my world, I have findly found some where to go, and I wish anyone to take the farm, this is my world and I love it there spending time with the animals and the love they give is amazing please help the farm, I don’t want it to go no where, its all I have to be close to the animals thank you, mich moon

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