NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2024
April showers bring May flowers. That’s what they say….but for Muddy Paws, March showers brought the rain - and lots of it (and we don’t really need flowers - it would be nice if it brought hay)! Farmer Howard didn’t know if he should tackle drainage issues or build an ark. We don’t quite have ALL the animals to coax two of each on board but we’ve got a start!
Well, the good news is that Farmer Howard decided to work on drainage (which is a LOT of work) so soon the donkeys, ponies and goats won’t have to lose sleep over shedding those extra winter pounds to get in a bathing suit - quite yet - and water wings wouldn’t work too well on 4-legged animals (the ducks, geese and chickens would just laugh).
So the next time you visit, pardon the appearance. There’s still lots of work to be done to make sure no one, including any human, needs to grab a kayak.
SPOTLIGHT ON:
TONY THE PONY
Meet Tony the Pony... otherwise known as Mr. Distinguished.
He’s very suave and handsome and we’re pretty sure he knows it. He hangs out in the upper pasture with his friend Omar and you’ll rarely see them apart from each other.
Unfortunately, their pasture is one of the worst areas affected by the deluge of rains, so Farmer Howard is working on draining the small unwanted pond in the middle of their grazing grounds. It’s no easy feat but Tony and his buddy seem to just patiently be waiting until it’s taken care of. In the meantime, Tony will take all the carrots and apples you’re willing to give him. Maybe a little extra since he’s had to deal with some of the other animals on the farm wanting to use his pool, er, pond. You get a pool, er, pond, and suddenly everyone is your friend.
Fun pony fact: A pony’s teeth take up more space in their head than their brain! But by no means are they less smart. They actually tend to be more intelligent than horses. Shhhh, don’t tell Dare.
Please consider sponsoring Tony
For $25 a month you can sponsor him.
We accept sponsorships for one month or on a recurring basis.
Your generous donation will provide food and veterinary care for Tony,
and you will receive a current photo and update on your new friend.
AROUND THE FARM
Spring is here and that means lots of things for farm animals. Of course, spring is known to be mating season so on your next visit, you’ll most likely see Tom the Turkey and Cock Cock the Peacock strutting around in full Mummer’s regalia trying to attract the ladies.
It also means the animals that bulk up with winter fur start to shed their coats. The horses, donkeys and ponies start to shed and the Angora goats tend to molt - their fur looks like it’s almost peeling off of them in pieces. Frosty is a prime example - right now, he looks like a half shorn sheep. Poor guy. But soon his fur will be smooth and white and it won’t grow and get full and curly again until the fall. We don’t sheer the goats because we don’t use the fur, which is called Mohair - and it’s an extensive process to turn it into the proper fiber to use for sweaters, blankets, etc. Oh, and that red bootie is for his sore hoof. He was a little angry about taking this photo when he wasn’t looking his best.
April is also National Volunteer Month - so shout out to all of the volunteers who help make all the four- and two-legged animals at Muddy Paws happy!
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“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” ~ Mahatma Gandhi