This is the story of Vee. Vee is an alpine goat who was neglected almost to the point of death in her owner's back yard this winter. She was starving, and frozen to the ground, unable to even get herself up. Vee had been sitting in her own urine and feces for so long that she had developed sores on her legs, stomach and chest. Her fur started to rot off as well. When we got Vee to the Tara Farm Rescue she couldn't stand, and her legs were locked into a folded position. Her body temperature was below normal, she was completely emaciated, and had almost no circulation in her legs.

Vee's first few days and nights were measured in minutes and hours. We weren't sure she would survive, and that help had come too late for her. What makes this story so amazing is that Vee was bottle fed as a baby and therefore had developed a special bond with people. She learned to trust them. We, at Tara Farm, were heartbroken to realize that that trust had been ignored. Vee was taken to the vet for a full assessment, and the vet felt she should be euthanized. The vet felt Vee was too far gone. But BonnieJeanne Gorden wasn't in agreement. She felt Vee had been through so much, but she still had the will to live. So treatment began.

Vee's biggest problem was in her right hind hoof. Evidence suggested it had gotten twisted in a rope, causing loss of circulation. Ultimately the hoof died and fell off, exposing the bone. Vee also developed sores and ulcers on her stomach and chest, losing all of her hair in those locations exposing red, raw skin. In addition to everything else, we had to address Vee's weight, or lack thereof.

Vee was given a laundry list of medications and ointments. The medications started working, Vee got stronger. Her puppy dog personality came back. Her expression brightened. We set up a little space in our heated tack room for Vee to live and get healthy. Vee greeted all the visitors and guests of Tara Farm. She loved the attention. Vee showed us she did indeed want to live.

Ultimately, due to infection, a portion of Vee's right hind leg had to be amputated. Vee is recovering and learning how to cope with a shorter leg while we try to locate a prosthetic for her. In the meantime, Eddie's Wheels from Shelburne, MA built a cart for Vee to use to help build her strength and recover. See Vee in action by clicking on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzHgMa6b5Pw

As you can imagine, Vee's medical bills have been astronomical. If you would like to help us help Vee, please consider making a donation. We are in the process of adding a paypal link to our website. In the meantime, donations can be mailed to Tara Farm, 670 Babcock Hill Road, Coventry, CT 06238. Please consider making a tax deductible donation.