Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

The Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats
Founded 2003
Founder Bob and Valerie Hitch
Focus Animal Welfare
Location
Area served
Kent and the surrounding counties
Method animal sanctuaries, popular education, Adult education
Website Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

The Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats is a British charitable organisation devoted to the welfare of these animals. The charity, which is based in Maidstone, Kent, England, was established in 2003 . It is as yet the only goat charity in the whole of the UK.

History

The Buttercups Sanctuary started in 1989 when Robert and Valerie Hitch took over the care of two goats from the RSPCA. As more goats arrived, because they had become unwanted or have been neglected, the costs of keeping them soared, so they were granted by the Charity Commission for England and Wales charity status in September 2003.

Animal welfare

A goat at Buttercups Sanctuary

The sanctuary now cares for over 140 goats and provides care to approximately an additional 120 goats in foster homes. [1]


Common problems for goats arriving at the sanctuary include malnutrition and ailments such as Rainscald, Foot rot, Mud fever and other skin conditions. They may also be infested with worms. Neglect and cruelty may also mean, that on arrival, the animals may be very miss-trustful of humans. Yet, many do recover human trust again.[2]

Educational work

They offer student work-placements to assist with their studies.

Postdoctoral researchers from Queen Mary University used this sanctuary to conduct studies into Anthrozoology [3]

Some of this research work has been featured on prime-time British television.[4]

See also

Animal sanctuary

External sites

The official website of Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

References

  1. Cole, Angela (4 April 2014). "Buttercups Goat Sanctuary in Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone, needs foster homes for its four-legged rescues". Kent Online. Kent, England, UK: KM Group. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  2. McElligott, Alan (April 2013). "Happy goats: How animal rehab works". BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2016. Missing or empty |series= (help)
  3. Nawroth, Christian; Brett, Jemma; McElligott, Alan (5 July 2016), Goats display audience-dependent human-directed gazing behaviour in a problem-solving task, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2016.0283, retrieved 28 August 2016
  4. Bradbury, Julia (11 March 2012). "Goats on Countryfile". Countryfile. BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
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