Nursing animals in need
How former nurse Sue Pike went from looking after humans to giving constant, often round-the-clock care to unwanted, neglected and infirm animals
Working 9-5 isn’t something Sue Pike’s all that familiar with. Instead you’ll often find her working through the night, snatching sleep where she can, while she spends most of those wee small hours feeding, nursing or simply holding a watchful vigil over one of the patients under her care. It’s a lifestyle Sue’s all too familiar with, having spent many years as a nurse. But whereas once the charges she looked after were human, today they’re an eclectic mix of horses, goats, sheep and whatever else happens to come through her door.
Having spent her childhood surrounded by animals, Sue always knew she had a special bond with all creatures great and small. And when she was eventually able to buy some land, it wasn’t long until she was asked by the RSPCA if she could look after a poorly horse they couldn’t find a home for. Word quickly spread and more vulnerable animals soon arrived at Sue’s door, prompting her to leave nursing behind and set up a charity – Sue Pike Equine and Animal Rescue, known as SPEAR, in Warwickshire.
Dedicated to helping any large animal in need, Sue takes in a number of rescues referred to her by the police, the RSPCA and other animal charities which are already stretched to capacity.
“When we’re told about an animal, we never quite know what’s going to arrive at our door,” says Sue. “But once they arrive it’s all hands-on deck to stabilise the animal, give it immediate care and get it to the vets.” As many animals arrive with serious injuries or illness, as a result of neglect or bad treatment, sometimes hours of vet care are needed, all of which Sue’s charity will fund, regardless of the cost.
Then once they’re out of the woods it’s back to Sue’s stables to begin what is often the hardest part – the long road to recovery.
In this case, Sue’s nursing background certainly comes in handy. “Often, though, the best medicine for animals is
‘Often the mest medicine for animals is kindness and eventually you’ll hopefully gain their trust’
kindness,” Sue says. “You have to read and understand the animal and eventually you’ll hopefully gain their trust.”
Once the animal is happy and healthy, they’ll either be rehomed with a new loving owner or if that’s not suitable, they’ll get a home for life with Sue. And some of the stories of recovery and rehoming are so wonderful, they bring Sue to tears.
Take Jasper, the horse who arrived at SPEAR unable to stand up, after his owner was prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering. Having to be carried into the stable, everyone feared the worst. But for six weeks, Sue and her team of volunteers spent every day and night caring for him, turning him over every two hours to avoid sores. At long last he was able to take his wobbly first few steps. His front legs initially were not straightening as they should, but Sue continued trying to rehabilitate him and eventually they got stronger.
It was then that a local show pony producer came to look round Sue’s stables and immediately fell in love with little Jasper. While Sue was just happy he was alive, this show pony expert spotted something exceptional in him. Discovering that now he’d got his legs in working order he loved to jump, this lady later adopted Jasper and he spent years as a champion show pony.
Today, at the age of 18, Jasper’s enjoying a well-deserved retirement grazing in fields and sleeping whenever he fancies. But he still sometimes pops in to see Sue for the charity fundraisers she organises.
“It’s stories like Jasper’s that are why I do the job that I do. That lady could see Jasper’s potential and what he went on to achieve was nothing short of a miracle,” says Sue with tears in her eyes.
At the moment, Sue has around 38 mouths to feed with lots of horses and a handful of goats and pigs relying on her. Every large animal she looks after costs around £2,000 to care for, possibly more if there’s a big vet bill to be paid, but Sue insists she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I do this simply because it needs doing,” says Sue. “I’m very lucky to live where I do, but I’ve always been determined to put it to good use to be a safe place for animals. I just like that I can be useful.”
■ If you’d like to help, please send a cheque payable to ‘SPEAR’ to: Cotswold House, Norton Lindsey, Warwick CV35 8JL. To find out more or to donate online, visit spearcharity.org.uk