DANIELLE Press didn\u2019t set out to turn her eighty-acre property into an animal rescue farm but she now rehomes up to one hundred animals every year.<\/p>\n
Ms Press originally bought the property overlooking Lake Eppalock seven years ago as a retreat where she could get away from city life and relax.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe previous owner left his herd of cattle on the property when I took over,\u201d she said, \u201cbut I knew nothing about cows.<\/p>\n
\u201cI organised for them to be sent off to market but fate intervened. I noticed one cow acting strangely and asked a man helping me build fences to take a look.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did and suggested I go back down the paddock with him. I arrived just in time to see a calf being born.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was it; they weren\u2019t going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soon after, a friend with some alpacas needing a home contacted her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a sucker, and they came to live here, too,\u201d said Ms Press.<\/p>\n
A miniature pig living in the city who outgrew his miniature status came next.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis name is Loki and I named the property after him,\u201d Ms Press said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore animals arrived and were becoming increasingly more expensive to feed and care for. A friend suggested I run the farm as a registered charity so I could better help them and others.<\/p>\n
\u201cSix weeks later Loki\u2019s Lodge was given charitable status.\u201d<\/p>\n
Helping Ms Press to run the property is her nephew Sean who was looking for a change in direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cSean does most of the hard work while I do the administration,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also have volunteers who come in to help and McIntyre\u2019s Veterinary Surgery in Kyneton have been wonderful.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore and more people are moving off the land and can\u2019t take their animals. We take them in, care for them and find new homes with loving owners.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the present time we have donkeys, horses, sheep, cattle, poultry, alpacas and pigs, and we get calls every week wanting us to rehome more.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery donation is appreciated. They all go towards helping the animals and are tax deductable.\u201d<\/p>\n