DOVER, Fla. – A Dover livestock and exotic animal rescue is turning away most intakes for the first time due to rising costs of food and vet bills.
The 18-acre Buckingham Farm Animal Rescue is home to a variety of sometimes sick, injured, and disabled animals.
“We have our 30-year-old gelding. We have a mini-horse, we’ve got five alpacas, we’ve got five adult emus, we’ve got seven juvenile emus…six lemurs,” shared the rescue’s owner, Evelyn Newcomb.
They also care for pigs, an array of bird species, goats, and more.
Newcomb said the animals mean everything to her.
“I work all day. From the time I get up till at night,” she said. “It’s seven days a week and I don’t get a vacation.”
But lately, even that much dedication hasn’t been enough. A couple of months ago, Newcomb turned animals away for the first time.
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“I …