Wooly Farm strongly believes in the 5 Freedoms of Animal Welfare
- Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour. Wooly Farm has a team of professional animal care workers who maintain the daily diet and water requirements of all the animals on the farm. During a mobile event, a trained staff member is constantly monitoring the feed and water needs of all animals on display. Our qualified animal care team member present on the day knows each individual animal’s needs, and caters for them specifically.
- Freedom from Discomfort – By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area. All the Wooly animals live on a 35 acre farm in Tipperary. Each breed of animal has their own enclosures suitable to their needs. During a mobile event, our animal care staff member is constantly monitoring the animals for signs of tiredness or discomfort. Our petting policy for small animals is that animals are petted for one hour and then have a rest period for 30 minutes. All staff members have been taught animal handling and can recognise signs of discomfort.
- Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease – By prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. Wooly Farm follows a strict veterinary program which is designed on an annual basis with our local practice, Walsh Fitzgerald. Dosing, vaccinations and prevention treatments are carried out on a monthly basis and medical records are updated constantly on each animal. Animals are inspected weekly for any other signs of pain, injury or disease. Wooly Farm carries a vet certificate at all times which can be shown on request.
- Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour – By providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind. Wooly Farm has a keen interest in breeding programmes for small animals and poultry. Each animal has at least one companion of its own kind on the farm. All animals are used to interacting with each other and on a mobile event, have no fears by being with other breeds. As mentioned above, all animals have enclosures on the farm which have been designed to suit their own specific needs, so that they can express normal behaviour.
- Freedom from Fear and Distress – By ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.Wooly Farm is very conscious to ensure that all of their animals are trained for mobile events. Animals commence their training program in the first week of their lives by regular handling from the animal care team. They start visiting small events, such as one hour Montessori visits, and work their way up to the larger corporate days. By this stage they are well used to noise, being handled by children etc.
Wooly Farm are very proud of all of their animals, having bred 80% of them at home on the farm. We have a deep love for their individual traits and it is a pleasure to be able to witness them every day in their natural environment.
Precautions to take while holding animals
- Avoid letting animals come in contact with your face.
- Eat only in designated areas.
- Wash and dry hands after contact with animals or animal feed and before eating and drinking.
- Ensure that children’s hand washing is supervised by adults.
- Ensure that children under the age of five are very closely supervised in the presence of any animals.
- Avoid eating anything off the ground.
- Avoid putting fingers in your mouth or in the mouths of animals.
- Only feed animals under supervision from a supervisor.
- Pregnant women should avoid handling sheep or lambs
– Source: HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre
Insurance
Wooly Farm is fully insured – feel free to ask to view our documentation before your event