Hello friends!
Where has the summer gone? Maybe it is because we have been so busy here at the barn that it feels like it has just flown by! With fall around the corner and winter not far behind, we have a lot of preparations at the new property to make sure we are settled in soon. It has been a whirlwind, but a lot of fun along the way too. We will have many updates regarding the move and the barn raising very soon! For now, we will keep things brief so you can get outside and play in the few remaining weeks of summer.
Tree huggers unite! Don’t forget that our new property wide tree planting event is taking place Saturday, September 16th at 11:00am! We will be meeting at the new address at 14755 Imboden Rd., Hudson, CO 80642. If you are interested in attending and meeting the animals, walking the property and planting beautiful trees to help provide shade to our animals, then come and play! We would love to have you join us. It promises to be a laughter filled, joyful day. All of this while doing a good deed! To sign up please go to HERE.
The word must be getting out that we are a safe haven for sweet souls looking for shelter and love. We had three little black and white feral kittens show up this month asking in “meows” for a place to stay. We are working on getting them vetted and then we will introduce them to the new property and barn once we get fully moved. Stay tuned to learn more about these two new residents! We always welcome and appreciate any and all donations and we could use help with these new friends. If you are interested in donating to help with vet bills and upkeep of these two, please visit our DONATE page now. Thank meow so much, in advance!
This is a great segue into what you should do should you see a litter of feral kittens near your home or during a walk. It all depends on how and where you have found them, whether their mother is around, and how old they are. Mothers will feed their kittens every three hours, it is in their DNA to do so. If mom doesn’t return that means that something may have happened to her or for some reason she has abandoned them. In this scenario the kittens may be dirty and meowing for food rather than clean and quiet with full bellies. Or, you may find a litter of kittens in a box. This is a pretty telltale sign that they were dropped by another human. In either of these situations, you need to step in. Place the kitties gently in a box and contact your local no-kill shelter for further instructions. Kitties best survival rate is when they are with their mom, so please be sure to be mindful before taking them too hastily. Also, take note of where you found them incase mom can be trapped, neutered, and returned after caring for her litter. A wonderful article was written by The Dodo and we have provided the link HERE. Please take a few moments to read this very informative piece to help guide you through, in more detail, what to do to help insure the safety of the kittens.
If you have been following Project:Thrive at all, you have heard of Miss Daisy the Pig. She is quite the character! We received sweet Daisy when she was just a piglet and she has kept us on our toes ever since. She is funny and more often times than not, a mess! Do you know why Daisy and Violet are a real mess especially in the summer and usually covered from head to toe in mud? There is actually a really good reason for this and it has to do with cooling and keeping pests away.
Pigs are actually very clean animals, when they aren’t covered in mud, because they don’t ever sweat like humans do. They have very few sweat glands and a barrel like, heat storing physique. So pigs and some other animals such as the rhino, the elephant, the bison and the deer have been observed rolling around in the mud and dirt in order to keep cool and prevent overheating when outside temperatures rise. Rolling in the mud can lower an animal’s body temperature by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, making mud more efficient than sweating. Pretty smart, huh? Playing in the mud is fun AND beneficial!
Mud also acts as a sunscreen, who knew? A pig’s pink skin is very light and prone to sunburn. In order to prevent a very unpleasant burn, the pig will roll around in the mud and use it as a sunscreen. As the mud slowly dries on their skin, a natural barrier against the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun is created. Not only is mud a sunscreen for Daisy and her friends but it is also an insect repellant. Insects like bad biting flies and digging parasites are often drawn to the pig’s abode because food is always near. A nice thick layer of mud helps protect the pig from insects, thus keeping them away from the pigs’ sensitive skin. Ticks and lice need air to breathe and cannot survive if trapped under a layer of mud and biting bugs like the fly will bother other animals if they encounter an obstacle like mud.
That is all for now, folks! We will see you again real soon! If you would like to learn more about Project:Thrive, including ways to get involved, sponsor one of the animals, or make a one-time donation, please visit our website HERE. Don’t forget about our Giving Grid! There is still time to put a BIG smile on all of the faces at the barn. We need your help and this is a great way to be a part of our barn raising celebration! Thanks so much!
Pictured: The best little Project Managers and volunteers ever; One of our newest kitty additions; Daisy the Pig playing in the mud; Daisy and Bodhi taking a break and enjoying the sun.
In kindness,
Project: Thrive