Help Galahad’s Sanctuary Thrive - Rescue Camels need a Chute

Nestled amid nature's serenity, Galahad's Animal Sanctuary, run by Lynne McAlister, is a home to rescued camels, horses, donkeys, cows, alpacas, sheep, dogs and chickens. Her aim is to spread a message of hope and compassion, but also to inspire change through connection with the animals and hearing their stories. At Galahad's, each animal has a tale of resilience to share. They are ambassadors of compassion, teaching us that our everyday choices can significantly impact their lives. Galahad’s Sanctuary currently has 53 animals onsite but has rescued many more. Lynne’s mission going forward will be to rescue and provide loving homes for more camels. These majestic creatures often face neglect and hardship and need a voice.

To assist with financial sustainability, ​Lynne runs a B&B, events as well as tours to help pay for some of the bills. This is a one person operation run by Lynne with the bulk of her personal salary and savings goes towards caring for the animals and providing them a loving sanctuary. The overheads for rent, infrastructure, vet and feed bills are large.

For stories and photos of all the animals you can visit her website here: https://www.galahads-sanctuary.com/.

To support this mission, this gofundme was created to raise funds for a much-needed livestock chute (also called a livestock crush). This essential equipment will facilitate vet visits and ensure proper care for the camels, making a significant difference in their well-being.

MESSAGE FROM LYNNE

Australia has the largest population of camels and the only herd of dromedary (one-humped) camels exhibiting wild behaviour in the world. They are now extinct in the wild in their native range. This is incredibly precious for the world and must be protected. The estimated number of camels in Australia today ranges from 300,000 to over 1 million. The latter figure has driven the push for cruel mass culls. Others saw this as an opportunity to exploit camels. Their freedom is taken away and they are introduced to the world of humans via the horror of mustering, trapping, slaughter or enslavement.

As an animal lover and advocate, I am distressed to learn about the plight of camels in Australia. The thought of these beautiful creatures being slaughtered makes my heart ache. So when I heard about an auction for two young camels, Milkshake and Catapult, I wanted to make sure they were safe from the ‘doggers’. The 'doggers' are notorious for buying horses and camels at auctions and selling them on to a knackery. They are then slaughtered and processed, often for pet food. I couldn't let that happen to Milkshake and Catapult. They were only two years old and had their whole lives ahead of them. I was determined to win the bid and give them a better future. At the auction I learnt that they had originally been captured in the Northern Territory and taken to a slaughterhouse. A Victorian property owner had them transported to his home to ride. Shortly after he fell ill and the property was sold at auction, including Milkshake and Catapult.

When I arrived at the auction, I saw Milkshake and Catapult in their pen. Milkshake was outgoing and greeted everyone who approached her with camel kisses touching her nose to theirs. Catapult, on the other hand, was much more reserved and quite anxious. I later learnt that he suffered from trauma due to being mishandled in his capture, making him very timid and fearful. But what struck me the most was how inseparable the two camels were. They were affectionate and seemed to draw strength and comfort from each other's presence. I knew then that I couldn't separate them, they had to stay together.

Winning the bid and getting them home was the easy part. I learnt quite quickly that Milkshake dealt with her fear of past abuse in a different way to gentle Catapult. She is a warrior queen and began asserting herself as herd leader, as many young camel would in a new and scary situation. They are large animals and not without risks, so I approached a camel trainer for advice. As divine timing would have it, I found out they were about to hold a three-day camel training session. In this session I helped train a wild camel from the desert named Honey at a Camel Sanctuary and learnt so much about camels. Later the same camel trainer came back to Galahad’s Sanctuary and helped me train Milkshake and Catapult to halter, lead and to hoosh. Catapult had been so traumatised from his capture that he would stay far away. If you went near him, he could try and kick you in absolute fear. We spent a long time trying to stroke his face and desensitise him to touch so that he could learn to trust humans again. He was so stressed he would literally have diarrhoea, wail and vomit from us just stroking his face gently. Several years on you can touch him and he loves kisses too. Milkshake has also had her own journey to feel more loved, secure and trusting.

But my journey with camels didn't end there. A year later, I received a call from a camel dairy farm that was shutting down. They had a camel named Harley Quinn who needed sanctuary. They knew of my love for camels and reached out to me. I couldn't say no. After the camel dairy farm shut down 240 camels went to auction. Harley was very small, did not produce much milk, and they were worried that she would not fare well at auction.

As I learnt more about camels, I was amazed by their intelligence and sensitivity. They are deeply misunderstood creatures, and I am determined to change that. I started educating people about camels and their plight. Harley Quinn, Milkshake, and Catapult have become ambassadors for their species and show the world the true nature of camels. They are loving, gentle, and intelligent creatures who deserve our kindness and compassion.

As I watch them play and roam freely during the day, I know I made the right decision. I had saved three lives and made a difference in their world, and that was all that mattered. I am now planning to rescue and rehome more camels.

Thank you and bless you for any support.

Lynne

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