Three lambs 'destined for the dinner plate' get adopted as pets after their mother rejected them

The trio of newborns was facing the possibility of a sad death after their animal mother rejected them.

The four-week-old babies weren't allowed to feed from her and were starting to decline.

However, a kind-hearted woman has decided to adopt them as pets and let them enjoy their lives to the fullest.

Kay Dawson heard about the issue on the grapevine and leapt to help.

The 59-year-old didn't think twice in adopting the three lambs and they now live at the Farm Shop in Snitterfield.

"The lambs would've died if we hadn't taken them in," Kay said.

“It is horrible to say but they would've probably ended up on a plate.

"Ruby was a bit weak when we got her, she was the runt of the litter. She's still small but she's doing well.

"The lambs are four weeks old, they came to us from a local farmer who couldn't feed them as he had a few sheep who couldn't feed themselves.

"They needed bottle feeding and his daughter was struggling so we took them on.

"We don't rescue animals as such but we have also given home to two highland cows who are twins and would have been slaughtered as you can't mate twins.

"We keep all of these animals and children can come and see them and we let them help feed the lambs now. They are the shop’s pets.

"We feed the three of them with powdered milk and warm water and they're getting stronger."

She says the farmer looking after the lambs was really sad to see the newborns go.

However, they realised it was going to be too difficult to bottle feed the rejected trio all at the same time and look after the other animals.

So, they agreed to let Kay take them to her property and now they get to live as pets rather than livestock.

She added that they have now become a bit of a tourist attraction.

"It's lovely to get people like young children to feed them when they visit us," she said.