Ark angels

We’ve driven past the gates a hundred times. High wooden gates flanked by tall hedges near our summer cottage. But we’ve never been inside. So when we heard some months ago that this particular animal rescue centre was looking for sponsors to help keep its head above water, we felt a bit guilty. And we were therefore extra happy to see a notice on Facebook asking for all hands on deck to help get the place shipshape for the new season. We fished out some old clothes and arrived bubbling with excitement. I hadn’t considered that we must look like tramps. I hadn’t dreamt we would be the only ones. But apparently my message had been overlooked in the flood of emails and chores to be done. The notice on the website asking for volunteers should really have been deleted due to a technicality – it would have cost DKK 1500 per nose to insure each helper.

Undaunted

Determined not to let this dampen our spirits, we smiled brightly at the kind lady who explained the problem, seized two rakes and spent the next three hours mucking out. Not the cute little ponies. Not the adorable otters.

Not the zebra. Nor even the iguana. No, we were understandably not allowed into the park itself. And as Jake has broken his arm twice and his toe once in the past year, that was OK. No Jake and I spent three hours mucking out the hedges on either side of the driveway.

Just desserts

We were pretty wrecked afterwards but the sweet little monkeys in the enclosure nearby kept our spirits up by waving and cheering us on. Luckily the weather was nice too and so were the ice creams and cola we got for helping. We also got free tickets for when the park was open, the zookeepers were not so busy and visitors were insured. 

We'll be posting more photos over the next few weeks...so stay tuned.