Everyone at EFD is animal daft - living with dogs, horses and cats ... so we have decided we are going to give a wee bit back to our beloved animals and help support a F A N T A S T I C animal rescue charity called the Hillside Animal Sanctuary.  Hip Hip Hurray for everyone working at this Sanctuary- you truly do amazing and invaluable work, thank you!

And we're particularly excited because we've managed to adopt this lovely wee girl, Candy Floss the Highland cow!

Candy with best friend Blondie

    In fact Candy Floss is actually quite a Celebrity: you may
      remember hearing all about her in the news a few years ago
       because she lived life on the run ... for 9 months!

We'll tell you a bit more about Candy Floss in this Blog plus we'll be keeping you posted throughout the year with what's she been up to and let you see any new photographs that we can lay our hands on!

So, a bit of background for you.

Well, Hillside Animal Sanctuary houses over 2000 rescued animals (wow that's a lot of animals to feed, muck out and look after, eh)!  The Sanctuary also actively campaigns to help animals in need.

The pics below show just a few of the animals which the Sanctuary is helping.. and I have to say all the animals look like they are enjoying their time together on a beautiful summer's day at Hillside.

Pixie the piglet with Brian the baby deer

Puggy, Rosie the lamb, Paddy, Willow the deer and Cindy an elderly Staffy all running

The Sanctuary home the animals on 2 sites - one at West Runton and the other at Frettenham with the Hillside Shire Horse Sanctuary also located at West Runton.

Hillside Animal Sanctuary opened its doors back in 1995 and now owns over 1000 acres. All animals at Hillside Animal Sanctuary receive a good standard of basic care. The only reason Hillside Animal Sanctuary can help save so many animals is simply down to their loyal supporters - and that's people like you and us!

Candy Floss and friends - Pete, Buttercup, Blondie, Candy Floss and Fergus

All funds that Hillside Animal Sanctuary raise from donations, gifts and adoptions go directly towards feeding and caring for these rescued animals.

Whilst most of the rescued animals have been saved from the farming industry, Hillside is also home to over 700 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.

So what about Candy Floss? Well she is one of the very many animals that the Sanctuary has rescued. She is available for adoption and this is a super easy way to make a real difference to helping rescue animals at risk and improve their lives. You can also simply make a donation or Sponsor a Dog (this will help feed and care for a dog that's been at the Sanctuary long-term)

C a n d y  F l o s s 's  story

In May 2008 Floss was sent to market and bought over along with 2 other cows.  After a long journey to their new home Candy Floss was put in a paddock with the other cows but next morning their new owner discovered Candy Floss had made her escape into a field next door from where she escaped properly later that day.

Candy Floss went on the run and was then spotted all over East Yorkshire and North Lincs over the next 9 months!

If you trace her full journey you will see that she travelled over sixty miles during that time! It is thought that she had gone in search of her calf who she'd been separated from but fortunately for Candy Floss she was eventually caught by a couple of local animal lovers who bought her from her "owner" and  then contacted  Hillside Animal Sanctuary asking them if they could help.

If you'd like to see the full story of Candy Floss's life on the run as reported in the National Press please click here

Here is the letter we received from Hillside Animal Sanctuary  when we sponsored Candy Floss

And this link will download Hillside Animal Sanctuary's newsletter which originally reported on Candy Floss's rescue

Anyway, hopefully by this stage you are asking yourself "how can I help?"

Well, we would  a b s o l u t e l y  love it      if you would also help to look after Candy Floss too - or any of the other animals that Hillside Animal Sanctuary have been able to rescue!

Just click here to go their website and see the different ways you can help animals like Candy Floss.

Our brave wee Candy Floss spent 9 months on the Run !

Cool facts about Candy Floss the Highland Coo

1. She was born in 2005 so she's 10 years old just now! We really hope she will live until she's a very old lady - that would be around 20 years old
2. Candy Floss keeps very well and isn't on any medicines and long may this continue hurray!
3. She lives and socialises very happily in a paddock with 4 other Highland cows - plus pigs, ponies and donkies (or should that be spelled "donkeys"?!)
4. Candy Floss is very settled and spends her days here chewing the cud - that's grass to you and me!
5. What's her favourite thing? Well, as a special treat she loves a hay-ring and will chomp on that with great gusto - along with her fellow coos!
6. Her least favourite thing? ....just has to be getting her feet trimmed - she will definitely try to kick any hapless vet trying to trim her feet. (Her feet need trimmed regularly to help keep them healthy and avoid her going lame - not that she appreciates this..)
   

...and if you love Highland cows just as much as us, and want to learn more about these big soft Coos then Wikipedias is a great place to start

try looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_cattle