Photo © Vegan Food & Living

It was a bright but bitterly cold day in February when I arrived at Pear Tree Farm Animal Sanctuary in Wells, Somerset. Thankfully it wasn’t raining, but there was plenty of mud around to prove that it had been.

Regretting my choice of footwear (ankle wellies were not cutting it), I am greeted by the sanctuary manager, Izzy, who introduces me to all the animals. First up, some ex-commercial hens who are happily roaming free around the courtyard, and some turkeys who have been saved from the Christmas dinner table.

While the females are inquisitive, noisy and a little too keen on pecking me, Dolly, one of the males, captivates me with his huge plume of white feathers, alien-like ‘caruncles’ (the red bumpy bits on their head) and surprisingly tame nature.

Izzy tells me that Dolly thinks he’s human. Either way, it’s hard to believe anyone would want to eat him.

Next, we move on to the larger animals, meeting pigs, goats and sheep who all have a story to tell. One group of pigs are the offspring of the first animal to come to the sanctuary (and the reason for its existence) – a pregnant sow rescued from slaughter. I feed them carrots as Izzy explains their intricate relationships.

Freya, for example, has been separated from the others due to her attempts to dominate (or bully) them, while Perky, rescued from a petting zoo, is so overweight that he spends all day sleeping until his tea is served at 5 pm. Sounds like a nice life to me.

Other residents include ferrets, dogs, goats, rabbits and horses – all taken in at the request of other sanctuaries, found as strays by locals or requested to be saved from farms by animal lovers.

It’s lovely to know that Izzy and the owners of the sanctuary, along with most of the volunteers here, are vegan. It’s hard to imagine an animal rescue that serves meat and dairy, but sadly it does happen.

There’s no café at Pear Tree, but vegan afternoon teas can be ordered and enjoyed at the owners’ parents’ house which is on-site. It’s all very rustic, indicative of a lack of resources and funding, but a will to give these gentle souls a second chance.

I wonder how Izzy gets up every morning, even in torrential rain, to feed and muck out the animals. I’m sure many of us would struggle with this kind of commitment.

By late morning, I’m dragging donated Christmas trees up to the pigs, goats and sheep – they love nibbling on them, and the goats’ field is scattered with the skeletons of firs they’ve finished chewing on. Izzy rescues me with an electric wheelbarrow, which gets the job done in half the time.

Dolly chases alongside as I speed up the hill to the sheep field. I’m embarrassed at how exhausting I’m finding it. Despite being pretty fit, the cold really does make everything feel more difficult, and every step takes more effort due to the thick mud.

My day at Pear Tree taught me a lot. Many of us dream of running our own sanctuary and tell ourselves “if only we had the money/land/time,” but the reality is tough.

Vets bills, feed costs, losing animals to illness and old age – it’s not an easy lifestyle choice, and that’s before you’ve even factored in the early mornings and your clothes being coated in mud.

I leave, excited to get a hot drink and with a new-found respect for the incredible humans that dedicate their lives to rescuing animals.

While I don’t think the outdoor life is for me (at least, not in February), I will definitely be giving what I can in other ways.

If you’re thinking of trying volunteer work at an animal sanctuary, here are some simple do’s and don’ts to help you get started:

• Do: Follow your local sanctuaries on social media.
  This is their main tool for calls to action. Whether this is old Christmas trees, surplus veg, towels, toys or old wooden pallets, there are lots of things you may be able to help with.
• Don’t: Expect every sanctuary to bite your hand off for help.
  Some may have enough volunteers already, while others will hold training days which you need to sign up to.
• Do: Consider raising money by completing a challenge or holding a vegan bake sale.
  This not only helps with vital funding, but also raises awareness of their plight. Many rescues also offer adoption options from as little as £2 a month – less than the price of a coffee!
• Don’t: Discount being able to offer valuable help if you can’t physically volunteer or donate money.
  Rescues often need admin support or help with social media. Get in touch to see what skills you could offer.

Can’t volunteer? Try one of these low-cost, easy ways to help animals