On Sunday 27th June, we packed our cars (we managed to fill 3!) and headed to the Hampshire Country and Garden Festival. This is an event we have been to a few times before and is always one of our favourites. As it was our first event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were very nervous and out of practice! Luckily, being just two fields away from the rescue itself meant we didn't have far to travel if we forgot anything! However, despite our nerves, it turned into a fantastic day for all involved.
For the first time, we took a team of 4 very enthusiastic ferrets on their leads and harnesses. They were a huge hit and absolutely loved it! They were happy to be walked by many children and we were surprised at how few people had ever even met a ferret before. The ferrets certainly slept well afterwards!
Oogway, our giant tortoise, was also a big hit and he certainly made the most of the long grass! We spent time explaining to people how tricky it can be to keep such a large breed of tortoise and what temperature, humidity and space they require and this also shocked people as there is so little public knowledge about the difference amongst tortoise breeds.
Our rabbits and guinea pigs, of course, didn't disappoint and we received many adoption and volunteering enquiries throughout the day. The event was incredibly busy and we had a non-stop queue of animal-lovers waiting to meet our residents.
In total, we made £600 which will go towards the veterinary treatment of our animals and also towards funding a new custom-built unit for our special-needs sanctuary rabbits. A huge thank you must go to the organisers of the event and our volunteers: Jen, Jessica, Abi, Abigail, Connor, Sarah and Chloe.
Please keep an eye out for us at other events this summer!
