A cobbler in Wiltshire has given a 27-year-old camel a “new lease of life” by making shoes for him. Stuart Moss, who runs Mossy’s Shoe Repairs in Salisbury, received a phone call earlier this year asking him to make shoes for Timujin, one of Lady Chichester’s camels. Timujin had suffered a stretched tendon in one of his hind legs, causing him pain and difficulty walking.
Mr Moss said he initially thought the request was a prank, but after talking to Lady Chichester he realised it was a serious matter. He visited Timujin at Little Durnford Manor, where the camel is kept along with other animals such as alpacas, goats, and horses. Mr Moss said it was a “harrowing” experience to see a normally stoic animal in such pain.
To make the shoes, Mr Moss took an imprint of Timujin’s feet using kinetic sand, which he later filled with plaster to create moulds. He and his colleague, Michelle, then made the shoes using leather, memory foam, and rubber soles. Once the shoes were on, Timujin reportedly began walking more comfortably and confidently.
Mr Moss visited Timujin a few weeks after fitting him with the shoes and found the camel strutting around “proud as punch” with the other camels. The experience of helping an animal in need was new for Mr Moss, who said he had never been asked to make shoes for a camel before and doubted he ever would again. Nonetheless, he said the experience had been tremendously rewarding.
Animal experts advise against keeping camels in climates that are not suitable for them. Camels are desert animals and are built to withstand high temperatures and scarce water resources. However, Timujin lives in Wiltshire, where the climate is much cooler and wetter than the camel’s natural habitat. Lady Chichester did not comment on why she keeps camels in a non-native climate
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
