By Chris R.
Hope and
her twin sister Faith arrived at Possum Valley in the Autumn of 2016. Their
mother had been sent to market and the farmer, who was unable to rear them,
contacted a friend who coordinated their trip to the Valley.
Hope and
Faith were inseparable, greeting us with loud baas in unison for their bottles each
morning and night and sleeping side by side in the sunshine.
As time
passed, we noticed that Faith was struggling keeping up with the other lambs, often
last in for breakfast and dinner and sleeping more than usual. Hope
always stayed by her side, waiting patiently for her sister even when feed time
arrived.
Faith visited the vet for testing but all results were inconclusive. Then late one night she collapsed in her yard
and was rushed to Murdoch Vet Hospital. Faith was admitted overnight
and the following day we were saddened to hear that she had a serious heart
murmur. After two days of care, the vets suggested she come
home to be with her sister. Hope was excited to have Faith home
and the two relaxed in the comfort of our bedroom. Faith’s heart
condition progressed quickly. Within a day she was unable to stand and just
two days later passed away peacefully. Hope
cried terribly when Faith’s body was taken away – reminding us yet again that
animals have great love for, and attachment to their kin.
With time,
Hope settled, choosing Dorothy Lamb as a new buddy in the lamb yard. Soon
after Faith’s passing, Hope suffered a chest infection and lost all her
wool. Again the vets were at a loss as to the cause of her ill
health. With the onset of Spring, however, Hope’s health slowly improved and by
Christmas she had reached the grand weight of 17kg – a huge milestone for this tiny
lamb.
Hope has
grown into a playful, cheeky lamb. What she lacks in size she makes up for in
spirit and she is a much loved member of the sheep flock in the Valley.