A wave of community support has given Flag Animal Farm a lifeline after a social media post raised the alarm about its potential closure.

The widely shared post, which did not originate from farm owner, Genevieve Chisholm, warned that the beloved North Coast attraction was in danger of shutting down without urgent help.

The response, Chisholm said, was overwhelming.

“We’re okay now, but that post literally changed my life,” she said. “We struggled from January to March, and I didn’t sleep for three nights after the post went up – I was so overwhelmed by the community’s compassion.”

After the festive season, the farm faced drastically reduced visitor numbers, forcing Chisholm to consider budget cuts just to keep operations running.

“Some weekends we only had a few cars when we used to be packed. We could not survive on that,” said Chisholm.

“The horses alone cost R40 000 a month. I struggled to pay my temporary staff because there was no work.”

Aside from its unique tourism offering, Flag Animal Farm plays a crucial role in animal care and wildlife conservation, not only on the North Coast but throughout KZN.

“We had to stop taking rescues because we couldn’t afford to house or feed them and that broke my heart. I cannot thank whoever made that post enough. Art Solar came in and installed free solar for the farm to help cut costs and keep our reptiles warm as we go into winter. People probably think it was me, but I did not have anything to do with it.”

She said the animal farm was only a few months away from possibly closure.

“Times are tough, and the threat of closure is real. If you love local places, support them.”

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