No Life Too Small: Love and loss at the world's first animal hospice

Description

As seen on Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch! No Life Too Small is the joyful and inspiring story of the world's first animal hospice, celebrating the power and beauty of nature, the strength of the human and animal spirit, and the importance of love, friendship and community. It will leave you with a tear in your eye, a smile on your face and a renewed belief in human kindness. A few years ago Alexis Fleming was bedridden with a chronic illness. Things became so bad that she wanted to end her life many times during this period - but her beloved dog, Maggie, kept her going, especially when doctors gave her just six weeks to live. Incredibly, Alexis fought her way back to health with Maggie by her side, only for Maggie to die of lung cancer two years later on a vet's operating table. Alexis was devastated that Maggie had died without her and decided to start an animal hospice in her name in the hope that she could ensure other animals nearing the end of their life would not have to die alone. Six months later, the Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice was launched. Alexis has turned a dilapidated farm in rural Scotland into a haven for animals to live out their last days in comfort and at peace. With the help of the local community, despite many challenges, the hospice came to life. Meanwhile , Alexis' own health was deteriorating again and she needed life-threatening surgery. Alexis came through the operation and the road to her recovery was paved with companionship from the animals in her care, particularly Bran, a dog who had been dumped with terminal cancer and given six weeks. He recovered alongside Alexis and went on to live for two more years. Dogs, however old and mangy, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, cockerels and even turkeys : The Maggie Fleming Hospice is a place where all manner of terminally-ill, abandoned animals come to live out their last days in comfort and are treated with love. Looking after dying animals has taught Alexis what really matters in life - kindness, compassion and love.

Alexis Fleming, 38, grew up in Kilmarnock and studied geography at Strathclyde University. She has worked as an animal rights campaigner and in 2013 she started a charity called Pounds for Poundies to help rescue unclaimed dogs from being put down which raised 10K in its first week. She's a committed vegan and, as well as the hospice, she also runs the Karass Sanctuary where she cares for neglected and terminally ill farm animals, many of which have been saved from the slaughterhouse. Alexis's story has been covered by ITV, the BBC and has featured in The Sun and the Guardian. A short documentary called Crannog about the hospice premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and has been shown around the world. It was recently shortlisted for 'outstanding non-fiction short film' and was up for an award in New York in February 2020. Last year Alexis was featured in BBC Three's 'Amazing Humans' series and a clip of her went viral.