Birthdate: 22 August 2020   Arrival date: 24 August 2020

 

As a significant cold front rolled in across the region and we were doing all we could to stay warm indoors, our thoughts went out to the thousands of lambs who have just entered the world and are facing the freezing conditions as extremely vulnerable newborns.

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​Owen Woolson was born a large lamb, but his size and strength didn't spare him almost becoming one of the millions of lambs who succumb to exposure shortly after being born.  Found on a rural road with no sheep in sight, Owen was taken into care.  Now he is safe at Little Oak Farm Animal Sanctuary, he is warm, but millions of his brothers and sisters aren't as fortunate.

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The Australian sheep industry estimates that more than 10 million lambs die within 48 hours of birth, with an average mortality rate of 25% for lambs up to the age they are weaned.

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Humans aren't designed to be able to relate to such large numbers.  In a condition known as "psychic numbing". "As the number of victims in a tragedy increases, our empathy, our willingness to help, reliably decreases." Dr Paul Slovic.

It's often the story of the individual cow who breaks free from the slaughterhouse, the chicken who runs to freedom hearing of their impending doom, or the lamb who is found lost, wandering on the road.  These individual stories help us make a connection, to expand our circle of compassion to their plight.  Through their story we an appreciate the suffering of the others in their place.

This is why Little Oak Sanctuary does the work that we do.  It's hard to comprehend 10 million newborn lambs being exposed to the bitter winter elements.  It's easier to feel for compassion for Owen, an individual who faced this and survived by chance and extend the compassion you feel for him to the others suffering just the same.

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You can support Owen by becoming his sponsor below.

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