Well-loved human rights and animal welfare advocate Bede Carmody, who ran A Poultry Place in Murrumbateman, has been remembered as a wonderful person.
The 53-year-old died on October 12. The Canberra Times reported that he died of natural causes, unexpectedly but peacefully, at the end apparently reading a book and drinking a glass of wine, surrounded by his animals.
His sudden death shocked fellow animal welfare activists.
Friend and fellow activist, Lara Drew, started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to rehome the many animals at his sanctuary and provide support for their ongoing care.
The campaign has raised over $20,000 at time of writing.
Lara said Bede’s death was a shock.
“It was absolutely devastating for me and the community,” she said. “So many people knew him, it was a real shock to everyone because it was so unexpected.”
Originally from Sydney, Bede opened his animal sanctuary, A Poultry Place on a bare block of land in Murrumbateman in January 2001.
18 months later the block was transformed with more than 500 native trees to create a no-kill shelter and permanent home for unwanted domestic poultry. Which Bede believed were the most exploited group of animals killed for food.
He also kept sheep, a goat and several cats.
All the animals have been rehomed – to Little Oak Sanctuary in Manar, Edgars Mission in Victoria and Whisker Woods Sanctuary in Williams- dale. Friends have taken his cats.
“He was very warm and friendly, but equally sensitive and empathetic,” Lara said.
“Generally, very warm-natured and a lot of people connected with him from all walks of life, because of how warm and welcoming he was to everyone in the community.”
Lara met Bede ten years ago while she was at university completing a community education project, which they worked on together raising awareness about the exploitation of turkeys in Australia.
“He really changed my life in so many ways and opened up my world,” she said. “His sanctuary and the work that he did had an impact on me and was key to where I am today.”
Co-founder of Little Oak Sanctuary Kate Luke had known Bede the past ten years while collaborating on several animal welfare projects together.
Kate said A Poultry Place, which had been operating for 20 years, was the longest running sanctuary in the region with thousands of animals passing through its doors.
“He helped so many animals and definitely was really instrumental in raising awareness of the issues that poultry face in food production,” she said. “He was just a really passionate advocate and did so much for birds.”
“Bede was doing it for the actual passion and belief in the causes that he was fighting for.”
Aside from this work with animals he was also a passionate human rights activist and worked at Amnesty International.
“He was just a wonderful human being,” Kate said. “He was really behind the scenes, in the trenches, so to speak, just doing all that hard work and not out there seeking recognition.”
Little Oak Sanctuary mainly took on Bede’s larger animals like his sheep and goat as well as some hens, roosters and turkeys. Kate said the animals are all going well.
The animals have completed their quarantine for new arrivals and vet check-ups.
“I’ve now integrated [the animals] with the rest of our poultry and they’re doing really well.”
“It’s some small way that we can actually help our friend Bede and help continue the work that he’s built over the last 20 years.”
Kate said there are a lot of expenses involved with taking on extra animals suddenly. With about 150 animals at A Poultry Place the costs of routine vet care, food, etc add up.
“It’s certainly taken a bit of pressure off everyone who took those animals in such unfortunate circumstances,” she said.
Lara, who organised the fundraising page under the Animal Defenders Office umbrella, said she wanted to create the page within an official organisation despite not being directly involved with the group.
“All the funds will go directly to all the animal sanctuaries that have taken on Bede’s animals.”
“My main concern at the time was that we needed to raise funds for the ongoing care of the animals,” she said. “Although the sanctuaries that the animals went to are funded, we wanted to come together as a community and provide that immediate support that they needed.”
Lara said many people in the community asked what they could do to support Bede’s legacy and his animals.
“We thought this fundraiser would be the best way forward where people could provide that support.”
Lara said Bede’s death will leave a hole in the world.
“We’re just going to try and honour him as best as we can in the work that we continue to do,” she said.
“Hopefully we can set up some things to try and continue raising awareness of the birds that he was so passionate an advocate for.”
By Brianna O’Rourke
