Baby Lamb Suffered Neglect After Birth. Now She's Thriving Thanks to Some Very Special Caretakers (Exclusive)

Edgar’s Mission, where Porsche lives, is a not-for-profit sanctuary in Australia for formerly farmed animals

• Pam Ahern founded Edgar’s Mission — a not-for-profit sanctuary for formerly farmed animals — in 2003

• In July, she first encountered Porsche, a lamb missing her lower limbs

• Porsche's story has gone viral, amassing more than 3.2 million views and 3,000 comments

When Pam Ahern first encountered Porsche, a lamb missing her lower limbs, the little one was just 10 days old.

Porsche arrived at Edgar’s Mission — a not-for-profit sanctuary for formerly farmed animals — in Victoria, Australia, on July 8 after being neglected by the farmer who bred her. The team at Edgar’s Mission quickly set to work healing the wounds and sores on her stumps, which had developed from walking on bare soil. From their first meeting, Ahern recognized Porsche's remarkable resilience. Inspired by her strength and beauty, she decided to name her Porsche. "Like the car, she’s small but incredibly powerful," Ahern explains.

"It’s exceedingly rare for lambs to be born without hooves," Ahern, 62, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "In all our years at Edgar’s Mission, we’ve only seen one other case — Charity, who is now a healthy adult sheep here. However, Porsche’s condition is more extreme, as she’s missing nearly everything below her knees."

"My heart ached seeing her struggle, but it was clear she had the will to overcome," she continues. "It was an extraordinary challenge, but one we could meet with love, care, and a bit of ingenuity."

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Edgar’s Mission, founded in 2003, was inspired by a serendipitous encounter involving a photo shoot with Hollywood actor and animal rights advocate James Cromwell and a piglet. This piglet, later known as Edgar Alan Pig, transformed Ahern's life. Already vegan, her experience with Edgar solidified her resolve to create a place where people could connect with farmed animals on a personal level.

Nestled in the Macedon Ranges, Edgar’s Mission has a simple yet profound mission: to spread kindness and encourage people to expand their circle of compassion to include all animals. Through storytelling and sanctuary tours, staff provides opportunities for people to meet animals like Edgar and Porsche, who have so much personality and love to share.

"Porsche is a lamb whose spirit embodies everything we stand for at Edgar’s Mission," Ahern says. "She’s incredibly sweet and affectionate, and despite her disability, her determination shines through. Watching her inspires people because she refuses to let her challenges define her. She’s a little bundle of joy with an indomitable will to live and love."

Since arriving at Edgar’s Mission, Porsche has received dedicated care from the sanctuary’s 10-member animal care team. Ahern mentions that volunteers spend time daily with their special needs animals, including Porsche. They’ve also shared her journey on TikTok, where her story has gone viral, amassing more than 3.2 million views and 3,000 comments.

"We couldn’t keep Porsche’s joy to ourselves! Everyone loves a feel-good story, and Porsche’s resilience is truly special," Ahern says. "We were overjoyed to see how much her story resonated globally. The comments from people around the world are touching and a testament to how one plucky little lamb can inspire kindness and change."

She adds, "We hope that through her story, people will recognize that animals like Porsche are individuals with rich emotional lives, deserving of compassion and care."

Porsche’s day begins around 6:30 a.m. with breakfast in bed alongside her best friend, Beatrix Potter. Her meal consists of oaten chaff, a sprinkle of lucerne chaff and a dash of sheep pellets, all served in her cozy straw bedding.

After breakfast, her makeshift booties — kitchen sponges wrapped in bandaging — are put on. Then it’s off to her grassy day pen to soak up the sunshine with Beatrix. Throughout the day, she enjoys hay snacks and, in the evening, returns to the barn for some tea and rest, with lights out around 9 p.m.

"Porsche is remarkably non-judgmental and enjoys the company of everyone — human and non-human alike," Ahern says. "Her warmth and acceptance serve as a reminder of the simplicity and purity of animals' social interactions. If only we could all be a bit more like her!"

"Her prognosis is positive," Ahern adds. "We’re working with a prosthetics company in the U.S. to create custom booties for her, which she’ll need several sets of as she grows. Our hope is to fit her with prosthetic booties so she can be off and racing, living her best life here at the sanctuary."