Pixie Garcia founded her refuge more than 15 years ago, helping animals from across the Braidwood area. Photo: Jerabat Springs Animal Refuge.
Baby goat Flash isn’t far from Pixie Garcia these days. After all, Pixie needs to feed him every couple of hours.
He was orphaned and found by local hunters, who contacted Pixie.
She took Flash in, and after a bath (and a combing) to get rid of ticks, she said he was now growing well.
He’s one of the newer faces at Jerabat Springs Animal Refuge, which was founded by Pixie after she and her husband moved to the area a little over 15 years ago.
They live on a 58-hectare (145-acre) property near Braidwood, where Pixie has nursed dozens of animals back to health, with some living out their days on the property and others finding new homes.
“It’s a lengthy process. You have to give each animal different lengths of time to be able to adjust and be able to be homed,” she told Region.
Pixie and her husband moved to Capital Country with their two children for work after being offered a job.
“After a year, we bought this place out here – I guess we sort of fell in love with it,” she said.
“When you buy land in the country, people say, ‘Oh, you’ve got to get cows and you’ve got to get sheep’ … they’re very expensive animals when you don’t want to eat them.
“I did pass on the cows and the sheep and designed the place around rescues.”
There are no days off at the refuge, which the long-time animal lover balances alongside her other jobs at local restaurants.
“Every other day is feeding and cleaning anyway … I have one day off a week, and [that’s when] I do the deep clean of the animals,” she said.
“I did four jobs to start with, and I was working seven days a week at one stage, just so I could afford to buy things for the animals.”
Pixie cares for all animals but specialises in birds, with her property boasting a 19-metre-long aviary.
Over time, it’s housed ducks, chickens, native Australian birds (such as galahs, cockatoos and crimson rosellas) and a “random” dove.
“Most of them are injured or something’s wrong and they can’t be released,” Pixie said.
“I’ve built this aviary as a sanctuary for them so they can live their lives out rather than being euthanised.”
Larger animals (think lambs and dogs) are held in a 30-metre enclosure, while work on a purpose-built cattery for feline friends is expected to start within the next month.
“We took down a lot of fencing and gateways so that the animals could roam a bit more freely over the land,” Pixie said.
She said more than 200 cats and kittens had found ”fur-ever” homes, as had about 100 dogs.
Jerabat Springs is also home to three horses.
Pixie said the past years had been rewarding.
“I’ve looked after a wedge-tailed eagle and taken him for X-rays; I’ve nurtured baby kangaroos and wallabies.
“I just find them amazing. I have a passion for looking after animals … they show you that they appreciate it. There’s an unconditional love with animals.”
Jerabat Springs Animal Refuge is near Braidwood. It can be contacted by calling 0400 960 681.
