By Jessica Micallef
Christine Gilmore is doing her bit to look after animals in the Macedon Ranges.
Ms Gilmore is the owner of Coopers Animal Refuge, a rescue and rehabilitation shelter supporting native animals in the area.
Currently, she’s looking after 50 kangaroo joeys and 10 wombats at the not-for-profit shelter in Bullengarook.
Ms Gilmore said the animals in her care are all orphaned.
“Most of them are from roadkill, which is pretty sad,” she said.
She said the cost involved with caring for the animals was between $800 and $1000 a week.
“Our big issue is funding,” she said.
“We are spending $600 a week on milk alone.”
Ms Gilmore said the shelter also footed the bill for grain, straw for bedding, hay for feed and vet bills.
Most joeys are in Ms Gilmore’s care for up to two years, before being released back to their natural habitat. Wombats can spend up to 18 months in her care before being released.
Ms Gilmore estimates the cost of looking after one joey for two years is about $2000.
She has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the shelter’s costs.
“The funds will be used to purchase more aviaries, build more kangaroo yards [and] wombat enclosures,” she said.
“Our native wildlife do not get enough support and as we love these babies so much it will lift some of the huge financial burden if we can be supported.”
To donate: bit.ly/2DbJPtZ
