Saturday is not your average lamb – she trots around thanks to a cart, sleeps in a “race car” and receives care on call.
Or on bleat, if you prefer.
Born on a New South Wales hobby farm, this little Suffolk ewe struggled to walk.
Saturday’s owners sent her to Edgar’s Mission, Lancefield’s not-for-profit sanctuary for rescued farm animals, in hope of a good outcome for their lamb.
Saturday was found to have congenital plasticity, meaning her back legs don’t work in a synchronised way with her brain’s messages.
The Edgar’s Mission solution was a customised cart, with the wheels serving as her inactive hind legs.
Edgar’s Mission founder and director Pam Ahern said Saturday proved that animals are individuals.
“She’s very determined – everyone who works with her is overcome by her willingness to face adversity,” Ms Ahern said.
She said Saturday cheekily considered the Edgar’s Mission workers as her slaves.
“She sleeps in what looks like a racing car so that she can’t topple over in the night,” she said. “And she just bleats out when she wants something.”
Saturday is loved and looked after – her owners send money to Edgar’s Mission every month to assist with her needs.
Even the way this lamb got her name is unique.
“It’s really funny – she actually came to us on a Sunday,” Ms Ahern said. “It was at a time when we were naming lambs by days of the week, and we already had every day of the week except Saturday.”
