Dean Farm Trust Visit…

I haven’t written a blog for a little while, as I seem to have slipped back into posting more in my socials, but on Sunday I visited somewhere that I feel deserves a bit more air time and some proper links…

Dean Farm Trust at Shirenewton, near Chepstow is an animal sanctuary that’s home to mainly the type of animals you might find in UK factory farming. Pigs, sheep, hens, turkeys, along with ponies, donkeys and some absolutely gigantic cows.

It was all set up by Mary Frankland and after many years of fundraising, opened in December 2016.

They’re not generally open to the public but do hold a few open days that you can book onto and yesterday was one of those.

As they’re so close by, and doing such brilliant work that’s very close to my heart, I’d decided last year that they would be one of the charities Anna Mcloughlin Fine Jewellery would support. I was originally booked to go (I think) around this time lest year, but it got rained off. I told them just to keep my booking fee as a donation and then life got in the way and I didn’t get around to booking another ticket.

Visiting on Sunday was a last minute decision that I’m so glad I made.

You might think of a visit to a “farm” as something that you do with small children, perhaps because that’s often who “visiting animals” is pitched to, but the Dean Farm Trust is different. Of course children are very welcome, but this place is about education (and lots of animal stroking therapy) for all ages.

The animals there are mostly all rescued from neglect and abuse in the farming industry. Some have been saved from slaughter as they were no longer operating as the “machine” they were purchased to be, and some were just unwanted pets.

They are now all so clearly loved and cared for which really shows when they come up to you for ear and nose scratches, back rubs, and back brushing.

Knowing what they’ve been through, it’s just so wonderful and humbling to see that they’ve been able to trust us again, and for us to show them that not all humans are out to hurt them.

“Each animal is treated as a complete individual with their own needs, we ensure not only their physical being is cared for but also their psychological well-being..”

Mary Frankland, Founder.

Every resident there has their portrait in a frame, with their name and information about their history on display. They are all very clearly treated an individuals.

All of the animals there are just beautiful, but the ones that have stuck with me are the cows. I’d never seen cows so big, and on reading their information sign, you learn that the cows you see in farmers fields are all just babies and are killed before they’re ever fully grown!

They really are giants and at 7 years old, are still growing! I guess like many farm animals, they’ve probably been selectively bred to grow very big very fast in order to make the most profit for the farmer. It makes me feel even sadder now to see cows in farmers fields knowing that they’re not even allowed to become fully grown!

I know it’s probably an unrealistic fantasy, but I hope someday, humans will learn to show animals the respect they deserve so that we don’t need places like the Dean Farm Trust. Until then, I’ll continue to support them wherever I can.

Please click here to visit their website and learn more about the wonderful work they do.