Kathy Gallimore was born in England and lived in Westerham, Kent, until she moved to New Zealand as a young girl. She still has strong links with family and friends in England and returns to her country of birth every two years. Kathy's life-long love of animals has prompted her to write Erica's Story in memory of all the animals who are rescued by or surrendered to the RSPCA. Kathy has been a volunteer for the RSPCA in Auckland, New Zealand, and is a member of "Outreach", a programme run by St Johns and the RSPCA which promotes animal visits to hospitals, rest homes and hospices.
Erica, mother of two, arrived at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) when she was about ten months old. Her kittens were very small, probably two or three weeks of age. This is Erica's story, told in her own words, which illustrates her courage and determination to survive against all the odds so often faced by society's lost and abandoned animals.
Snowflake the lamb had just been born and her little legs wobbled as she tried to get to her feet and cuddle up to her mum’s thick woollen coat. All around there were other lambs running and jumping in the lush green grass. Spring had arrived and all seemed well with the world.
Just across the fence other new lives were just beginning. Newborn calves were following their mums around, trying to catch up for another drink of milk. Finally, Bella reached her target and drank until her little tummy was full.
Looking on, chained up to a fence, was Tilly, a young goat whose entire life was to be devoted to keeping the grass cropped alongside a busy road. Tilly had been taken away from her herd when she was barely a year old. She had no company and only saw someone when she was moved further along the fence to eat more grass. She was very lonely and got very frightened when large vehicles sped past, leaving a rush of wind and dust behind them.
In a distant disused barn across the fields far away was a little donkey, all alone and hungry. She didn’t have a name and her hooves had grown very long from being trapped in a small space with no one to look after her. She had grown very thin as she only had a small supply of dirty hay to eat. She had been forgotten when all the other animals on the farm had been moved away.
This is the story of four unlikely friends who find themselves living the life of their dreams.
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