Sanctuary Tails

Linda + Tricia = BBFF

by Susie

 

Linda, who has lived with us since 2006, arrived at our New York Shelter with twisted back legs and feet and a stiff gait, caused by a broken pelvis which had never been treated when she was a calf. After many diagnostic tests, surgeons at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals determined that no procedure could reverse the damage to Linda’s body, and that any trauma to her hips or back could cause further harm and even full paralysis. Because of this, Linda’s doctors recommended that she live with our sheep rather than the cattle who (due to the fact that they are as large as or larger than Linda) could easily injure her by accident. Thankfully, Linda lived very happily among sheep and goats, though it was clear that she still desired to mix with the cattle who daily mooed back and forth with her from a few barns away. Linda’s wish more recently came true, however, with the arrival of a special cow named Tricia.

A few months ago, we received a call from a former dairy farmer desperately seeking help for a special needs animal. She explained that when she left the cooperative dairy she was a part of, she took a blind cow who she had raised from a calf and moved her to another farm, hoping to keep her safe from harm. But the farmer who agreed to take the cow in continued to breed her, and after she gave birth to a son (a byproduct of no use to the dairy industry), he decided that she was not worth the extra work it took to care for her and planned to send her to slaughter. After convincing the farmer to spare Tricia if she could find another home quickly, the woman begged us to take the cow in and we agreed, knowing that we could provide the special care and environment she would need.

When Tricia arrived at our New York Shelter, she not only turned out to be the tiniest cow we had ever seen, but was also so distraught that she spent her first day here mooing loudly and circling her pen. When we could not console Tricia after her first 24-hours at the sanctuary, I called the woman who had asked for our help to see if she had seen Tricia act like this before. Tragically, she revealed to me then that Tricia’s calf had only recently been taken to slaughter, and the poor cow’s distress suddenly made all the sense in the world: Tricia was clearly still mourning the loss of her son.

Because Tricia was so heartbroken, we quickly vaccinated and wormed her and made sure that she was healthy; then, we introduced her to Linda as soon as we could. After all, the two seemed like they would be a perfect match since Tricia was so small and would pose no danger to Linda. When the two met, Tricia was beside herself with joy and spent hours licking Linda over and over again. At first, Linda was a little bit apprehensive since she had never lived with other cows, but within a few hours, she was licking Tricia right back.

 

Now the pair are inseparable and Tricia spends her days laying in the straw, licking her pal until she is practically soaking wet. She no longer cries out or moves in circles – the only exception being if she is separated from Linda for even a moment (in which case Linda will now cry out too). Looking at them together, it is clear that these sensitive and sweet animals needed each other to be completely fulfilled — and it’s as if Tricia came here not only so that her own life could be saved, but also so that she could give Linda a second chance for true happiness too. They are a perfect example of the power of love and cow kisses, and we just know that they’ll be Best Bovine Friends Forever.

Duck's Best Friend

by Leanne

Like humans, farm animals thrive on the companionship of good friends and enjoy having someone by their side while they are dust bathing, wallowing in a mud hole, or even taking an afternoon snooze. But some of the strongest friendships I’ve seen at the California Shelter are those between our male ducks. Most of these animals were rescued separately, so they did not form their strong bonds while experiencing the cruelties of the world together. Rather, they met at Farm Sanctuary, where they purposefully sought each other out, seeing in one another a kindred spirit and forming an impenetrable bond. One of these loyal ducks is Dutch: a devoted companion to several birds through the years.

 
Dutch and Rain, swimming side by side. 

Dutch arrived at Farm Sanctuary in 1999 – a few years after his first best friend Rain. Their friendship began when they moved to our retirement area for ducks and geese, as both had arthritis and needed to live in a calmer environment. Their bond quickly strengthened as they swam next to each other in their private pond and cuddled in the straw at night. When Dutch left the hutch in the morning, he always waited patiently for Rain to exit before he moved on; there was nothing that one did without the other. Even when Rain later developed cancer and had to make frequent trips to the vet, Dutch always waited eagerly for Rain to return, happily quacking "hello" at the first sight of his friend. The pair remained inseparable for years until Rain’s health declined and Dutch had to say a final goodbye to his constant friend.

After Rain’s death, Dutch continued with his daily routine of swimming in the pond and sunning in the grass with the older geese, but he missed his friend terribly until Simon entered his world several months later and filled him with joy once again. When he arrived at the shelter, Simon was suffering from a joint infection and poor feather condition, but as his health improved, he began to enjoy taking daily swims. It was during these swims that Dutch befriended Simon and the two began floating on the water side by side. Like he did with Rain, Dutch happily slowed down for Simon – waiting for his friend in the morning and night so they could walk back and forth from the pond to the hutch together, never missing a moment of each other’s company until Simon passed away in December, leaving Dutch on his own once again. Though heartbreakingly short, the time that these boys shared as friends was truly special and cherished by both until the end.

 
Simon and Dutch, lounging by the pond.

Fortunately, sweet Dutch has proven to be quite a trooper and I am pleased to report that he has not abandoned his kindly ways, but continues to make new friends. Today Dutch’s companions include Boris, another duck with whom he was rescued, and Harry. Although Boris and Harry have been longtime friends, Dutch is beginning to win them over with his charm – kind of like a little brother who is hoping to hang out with the older, cooler crowd. But when Harry and Boris do finally accept him as part of their inner circle, I have no doubt that they will have a friend for life, as Dutch is a loyal, accepting companion with a heart that remains open despite the great losses in his past.

An Everlasting Bond

by Leanne

Because farm animals are routinely exploited by a profit-minded industry that does not value bonds between animal mothers and their children (and thinks nothing of severing these important ties in the interest of producing meat, milk and eggs), rescuing families before they are torn apart is a rare occurrence in our work. Fortunately, this past year, we welcomed several parent/child pairs to our California Shelter — including Loretta and Harrison and Tanya and Raposal, whose bonds are as strong today as they were when they first arrived. But when I think of family, the bond between Molly and her daughter Morgan really comes to the fore of my mind, as it has truly withstood the test of time.

Molly and Morgan were rescued together more than seven years ago from a farm where dogs continually broke in and attacked the animals who lived there. Both goats suffered severe injuries to their ears and bodies at the time that required daily treatments to heal. Besides the fact that Molly’s ripped ear bears the permanent scar of her attack, after meeting the goats today, you'd never know that they had such a rough beginning.

Molly is the unspoken leader of our sheep and goat herd. But unlike many of the male goats who flaunt their power, Molly likes to rule with a silent hoof. She scarcely bows her head to any goat who tries to take over her favorite spot or block the path to a choice pile of hay, respectively sending the potential usurper on his way. Molly maintains her role as head of the herd when humans enter the mix too – playfully butting us like she would another goat. Due to her age and poor teeth condition, she receives special feeds to keep her healthy, and she never fails to ensure that she is given the attention she deserves. At feeding time, in fact, she waits at the pasture gate, staring us down as we prepare her food and making sure that the order is correct: namely, that she’s served first! (And, of course, we are always happy to oblige our special girl.)

Despite the fact that she is Molly’s daughter, Morgan is quite the opposite of her mother. She happily runs outside each morning with the rest of the herd to graze on the green grass, leaving her mom behind to receive her daily senior meal. Being the shy one, Morgan is happy to let her mom have the limelight, but in quieter moments she will sneak up to us for a well-deserved back scratch too. She easily makes friends with the other sheep and goats in the herd, relaxing with the older animals and playing with the energetic younger ones. Morgan is a very sweet and humble goat who can mix and mingle harmoniously and graciously with any crowd.

Molly and Morgan’s contrasting personalities have no effect, however, on their strong bond with one another, because even after so many years together, they still always sleep snuggly next to each other in the barn while Morgan snores noisily – obviously comfortable and content enough by her mother’s side to really let go. The absolute picture of familial love and affection, these special girls accept each other unconditionally, relishing in their similarities as flesh and blood, as well as embracing their endearing differences.

Piglets at Play

by Susie

The never-before-released video below featuring our very own Sprinkles and Tim playing in the mud is too cute and funny not to share. These sweet pigs have since grown into two very big boys, but the joyful spirit they exuded as tiny piglets is still alive and well today. Last winter, Sprinkles came to us as a nervous, skinny little piglet. After a rough start to life on a factory farm, he was terrified of the world for good reason. Found on a smaller farm in upstate New York, Tim was the runt of his litter and suffered from an injured foot and a large hernia. If he hadn’t been rescued, he would have died slowly from neglect.

Alone, these little pigs were timid and sad. And though they warmed up to us with a little time, they each still longed for the company of another pig. Lucky for them, we had the exact medicine they needed to pull through and introduced the two as soon as we could. Bonded within moments, Sprinkles and Tim received one of the greatest gifts any animal could ask for — friendship to last a lifetime. As you’ll soon see in the video, the two were unstoppable from the time they met. Still every bit as confident and happy as young adults, Sprinkles and Tim remain the best of friends.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

by Leanne

This past month, the California Shelter got bombarded with torrential rain, creating muddy conditions and fast-running streams in places where water normally doesn’t flow. Frequent visitors to the Orland sanctuary, where temperatures can spike to 110-degrees or more in the summer, know what a vital resource the water is for us since half the year is so dry. There’s no doubt that we need the rain, but I’ll be happy to see it go – especially after the next time we have to dry soaked supplies or pull a tractor out of the mud.

As for the animals, the rain gets mixed reviews. Out of all of our residents, the ducks and geese definitely enjoy the rain the most. Whether it’s drizzling or steadily pouring, they happily swim and bathe in their ever-rising ponds. Even on the windiest days you can observe them swimming determinedly against the waves to reach their favorite spots.

The cattle and sheep, protected by their winter coats and wool, also brave the wet weather to graze outside. Even the elderly sheep display their youthful spirit by playfully jumping over the streams that unexpectedly start to run through their pasture. The goats, however, are quite the opposite and prefer to stay inside, waiting for their food to be brought in to them by caregivers. In fact, goats, as a rule, hate to get wet.

Like the goats, the donkeys and rabbits prefer to stay in their warm, dry barns until the rain ceases. The chickens, turkeys and pigs may venture out occasionally, but their fun really comes when the rain stops and they can dig through the soft earth for tasty morsels.

Regardless of where each of us stands on the subject of rain, the greatest reward for all species, of course, is when the lush green grass sprouts from the earth, the trees begin to bud and bloom, and the warm sun emerges to give us the most glorious months at the farm. Ah … how we love the spring!

Lessons from a Lucky Lady

by Susie

Sweet Lucky Lady, one of the many animals we have rescued from New York City through the years (including Maxine, Goodwin and Autumn), arrived at Farm Sanctuary in 2007 with a deeply-rooted fear of humans. Like many farm animals saved from the city’s live animal markets – places where animals are sold to customers for a few dollars apiece and slaughtered on site – she backed into corners or took refuge among flock mates to get away from people, even those who were bringing her feed. But after being torn from her mother’s side; hauled off to the city where she was yelled at, poked, prodded, and stuck in a pen with other terrorized animals; and pursued through the Bronx after she narrowly escaped slaughter, who could blame her for being scared?

Even so, it seems that time can sometimes heal all wounds, and after more than a year spent getting acquainted with people from a distance, Lucky Lady is not quite so shy anymore. In fact, following caregivers around while they are distributing medications and stealing a quick nose-to-nose nuzzle with her pals is now a daily routine for Lucky. And, where once you needed a telephoto lens to take her photo, you can see from the extreme close-up below that she is always right there to strike a pose when you pull out a camera now. The change has been remarkable, and it is clear when you look at Lucky that she is finally at ease and feels very secure in her new life.

 

Like most animals who come to Farm Sanctuary, Lucky Lady seems to realize that she is loved and has nothing more to fear. When animals like her can let go and trust again it makes you stop and think about how often we humans choose not to forgive or open ourselves up again to those who commit even minor infractions against us, which are nothing in comparison to what animals like Lucky experience every day. Seeing this incredible sheep’s intense fear replaced with acceptance and love gives me hope that we all have the capacity to heal and forgive if only we can open our hearts to the good in the world.

California Shelter Nights

by Leanne

Along with the daytime staff members who take care of our resident animals, the California Shelter has two live-in caregivers available for overnight animal monitoring and emergencies. The responsibility has many perks: roosters instead of alarm clocks to wake you up in the morning, pigs grunting at your backdoor for tasty table scraps, cattle using the fences surrounding your yard as scratching posts, and spectacular sunsets. The hard part, of course, is crawling out of your cozy, warm bed in the middle of the night to brave the darkness and chilly air. But as soon as you see the animals you woke up to care for, this temporary discomfort dissolves and you focus on the important task at hand.

The most pleasant late-night heath checks usually involve caring for newly-rescued newborns or very young animals. Over the past several years, we have welcomed a number of orphaned babies (like Cupid and Whitaker) to the shelter – each one requiring late-night bottle feedings, physical therapy or other types of health monitoring to see them safely through their first weeks of life. Your sleepiness instantly vanishes when these little ones greet you at night – their tails eagerly wagging while they drink from their bottle or indulge in a good snuggle. Playing such an integral role in their survival allows you to make a deep connection with the babies that lasts even as they age.

Other nighttime checks require the monitoring of sick animals to ensure that they are comfortable and administer them any medications they need to help them recover. Seeing the gradual improvements in your patients’ conditions with each check brings you a sense of relief and accomplishment; sadly, however, this is not always the case. While very sick animals with poor prognoses can sometimes make a surprising recovery, some of our dear friends are far too ill to save. After the countless hours you spent with these animals, making sure their every need was met day or night, these deaths are especially hard to cope with and fill you with an overwhelming sense of disappointment and grief.

Still, in our work caring for the animals we love so deeply and make it our mission to save and protect, comfort can always be found by looking at the hundreds of healthy, happy animals on the shelter who are thriving in our care – and that keeps you getting out of bed no matter what time of day or night – even if it is 3 a.m.

More Reasons to Take Heart

by Susie

 

Working with farm animals who have been lifted out of cruel situations, and receiving calls and e-mails about many others in distress, we at Farm Sanctuary encounter some of the worst abuses imaginable on a daily basis. Then, there are stories like this one that make the news every day, revealing just how little value agribusiness places on the lives of the animals we’re trying to protect. Dealing with the sadness that often comes along with advocating for these exploited animals, compassionate people can become overwhelmed. Because it so important that we not lose heart, however, we must also remember in times of despair that we are making a difference and there are farm animals in this nation (more than 700 outside my window right now) who are safe, happy and loved. I thought that sharing a story of hope with you today would give you comfort and keep you fighting the good fight, as farm animals will always need us in their corner.

Found living in feces piled up to their knees at a dairy farm in Schaghticoke, New York, 22 severely-emaciated and dehydrated cows (and one tiny calf) were seized just in time by humane officers and sent to live at our New York Shelter in 1997. Since then, four of the cows have passed away (some due to injuries they sustained prior to their rescue) and others have been adopted out into loving homes through our Farm Animal Adoption Network. But the remaining survivors are still here with us almost 12 years later, loving life and enjoying every moment of their golden years. Seeing how far these precious animals have come, and knowing how much each individual values her life and loved ones, never fails to inspire me. I’d like to introduce you to five more reasons to take heart below:

What you can’t tell from looking at the picture of Iris at the top of this blog post is that she is one of many dairy cows who have had their tails callously cut off (docked) by industry workers. This procedure is not only extremely painful at the time the mutilation occurs, but is also often life threatening, as the open wound from the cut allows bacteria to enter the body through the spinal cord, especially in the filthy conditions dairy cows are usually forced to live in. Later, the loss of their tails prevents cows from swatting flies away from their faces, which can be very miserable. In spite of all the abuse Iris has suffered, she stands tall and is the current leader of all the females in our cattle herd. At more than 15 years old, she is a fiery gal with a lot of heart and is an inspiration to everyone who meets her.

 

Gretta is a beautiful Guernsey cow who had obviously been in production for quite some time before she was rescued. She was the thinnest and weakest of the Schaghticoke girls and also struggled with horrible eye infections. Gretta receives the best care possible here at our New York Shelter and, although she has never allowed unfamiliar humans to get close to her, she trusts her caregivers and loves her herd mates – especially the cows with whom she was rescued. She is now between 16-18 years old.

 
Mrs. Foreman (front) and Opie (back).

Mrs. Foreman was also extremely thin at the time of her rescue and has continued to have leg issues due to her rough start. Since dairy cattle are often forced to lay down inside cold, damp barns with hard concrete floors, they can get open sores on their hocks and, eventually, osteomyelitis (infection of the bone). This condition can be fatal, and even when it is surgically treated, cows who once suffered from it are often more prone to arthritis as they age. Though Mrs. Foreman now has arthritis, she is treated daily and enjoys the snacks that come along with her pain medication. At more than 15 years old, she loves people and is known for being an avid and affectionate "hand licker."

Molly was one of the youngest girls we rescued from this cruelty case in 1997 and was likely only in production for a few years prior to her rescue. She is one of the healthiest of the girls and still behaves like a young calf, especially in the spring. Now around 15 years old, she is still known for her carefree attitude and great skill in kicking up her heels as she runs through her pastures.

 
Theresa leads the herd. 

Theresa arrived at Farm Sanctuary with cancer in her left eye. Because the cancer had been left untreated prior to her rescue, her eye was severely-damaged. In order to keep the cancer from spreading further, we had to make the difficult decision to have her eye surgically removed. However, she has never let the loss get her down, and even with all the hardships she has faced, she is one of the kindest and loving ladies from this rescue. Like the other girls, Theresa is in her middle to late teens.

These ladies are just a few of the incredible animals at both our California and New York Shelters who inspire our work every day. On behalf of them, I thank you for all you do for farm animals across the nation, and hope you can visit and meet those your efforts are saving soon!