Operation Esther delivers donations following animal sanctuary fire
Operation Esther’s emergency aid to The Alternative Animal Sanctuary was gratefully welcomed on Friday, 1 February.
The Operation Esther team mobilised again following the fire at the sanctuary in Pepperstock, Bedfordshire on Thursday, 31 January,
On hearing the news of the fire Operation Esther co-founder Julie Magnus immediately issued a plea for help on the H&H forum and once again found herself with a generous response from the public.
Ms Magnus told H&H: “Everyone is so kind to help out at such short notice. It’s been a brilliant response again.”
Five vehicles — including cars, vans and Ms Magnus’s lorry made a delivery to the sanctuary on Friday, 1 February.
The delivery included approximately 30 bales of hay and 30 rugs as well as lead-ropes, headcollars and feed.
The problem now is there is nowhere to store the donated goods. The horses are also still without shelter so the sanctuary is now appealing for monetary donations.
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Sanctuary manager Tamara Lloyd is living in a caravan on site after her house burnt down.
Ms Lloyd told H&H: “People have been really generous. The problem is we have nowhere to store anything.”
Her mother Elaine Lloyd added: “The phone hasn’t stopped ringing. Everyone has been marvellous.
“We’ve had so many rugs and feed delivered by people but what we really need now is money to help rebuild. We don’t like to ask but any donations would be gratefully accepted.”
The horses are currently living outside but now thanks to Operation Esther and other generous people they have rugs and food. However if the weather gets colder the sanctuary are worried the horses will not be able to stay in the field.
At the moment the sanctuary does not want the horses to be relocated but if the weather deteriorates then there are options available.
Nicola Markwell from Redwings said: “We’ve had a lot of emails from the concerned public about the horses and have passed it on to the National Equine Welfare Council who will centrally co-ordinate it accordingly. We’re poised and ready to go if needed.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.