Sanctuary Tails

Staying Busy

by Leanne

 

At the farm there is always a lot to do, and too little time to do it. Staff and volunteers work tirelessly to keep the nearly 400 rescued animals at the California Shelter fed, comfortable and healthy. But no time is busier than now when there are preparations taking place for Visitor Season and the hot summer months.

The shelter opens to visitors this weekend, and in a few weeks animal advocates from all over will join together for our annual Country Hoe Down event. Not only does the shelter need sprucing up with weeding, painting and other miscellaneous fix-it jobs, but the animals are in need of a little grooming too. The cattle and goats are brushed (which they absolutely love) to help them shed their protective winter coats and the sheep are very gently sheared to remove their warm wool coats. It is quite a sight to see our large herd of rescued sheep from Santa Cruz Island running around their pasture almost "naked" - with their pink skin showing through their shorter coats. And it is always a surprise to see which of the sheep are actually quite petite beneath all their thick wool.

Additional projects on the shelter include preparing for the warm weather summer brings, along with the threat of wildfires in the West. When it is more than 100 degrees outside, the small animals prefer to stay in their cooler and shaded barns – the chickens choose to dust bathe on their dirt floors, and sometimes even their food bowls, while the rabbits push away the straw to be in contact with the cool earth. The pigs, who we cover up with protective sunscreen every day, continue to venture out to their pond in the wee hours of the morning, but after breakfast, they make a thick straw bed and stretch out in front of one of the misters. The staff and interns keep a continuous eye on everyone, especially our older animals, to ensure they are safe and comfortable.

The warm, dry weather also brings threat of wildfires; however, every precaution is taken to protect the farm, including training all staff and interns on the proper use of the fire extinguishers stored in each barn, along with how to move animals into safe areas if necessary. In addition to mowing around all of the barns, a wide dirt fire break is created around the entire property. The cattle, however, think the break is made for them to roll around in – they love the dust!

Although the summer months are busy and tough, everyone quickly adapts to the change in season and enjoys the flocks of visitors who dole out their undivided attention to our animal residents. And before we know it, it’s time to prepare for the rain and our Thanksgiving Celebration FOR the Turkeys event.

Shearing Rescued Sheep

by Susie

Each year, I am asked why we shear the sheep at Farm Sanctuary when the practice involves so much cruelty worldwide. This is a very good question and I thought I would respond here.

In the wild, sheep naturally shed their wool and do not require the intervention of humans to shear them. There are a few wild breeds left in North America and they have more hair (like a dog) than wool. Those who were domesticated long ago, however, were selectively bred through the years by humans seeking higher wool yields. Sadly, the resultant excess skin and wool only benefits producers who profit at the great expense of the sheep.

One example of how wool excess harms sheep can be seen with the Merino breed. In Australia, where the majority of the world’s wool is produced, more than 100 million sheep (mostly Merinos) are raised for fiber. One of the biggest problems that comes up with increased wool yield for Merinos is the accompanying wrinkles found on their bodies. These wrinkles collect urine and retain moisture, creating the perfect conditions for flies to lay eggs and putting the sheep at risk for fly strike (a potentially deadly condition where fly eggs hatch into flesh-eating maggots).

Fly strike can be prevented with minimal individualized care on the farm, but for many producers in Australia the quick fix for extra wrinkles is brutally cutting off large pieces of skin from the animals’ tails and backsides without any anesthetic. The animals normally undergo this painful procedure, called mulesing, when they are very young – in addition to ear tagging, tail docking and castration. Add to mulesing the fact that shearers, working at an average of two minutes per animal, often cut and injure terrified animals, and that most of the sheep typically end up being slaughtered, and the lives of these wool-bearers look even bleaker. It is for these and other reasons that we advocate for compassionate alternatives to products of such cruelty.

Here at Farm Sanctuary we have many breeds of sheep, including Merino crosses, Scottish Black Faces, Romanovs, and Suffolks. Each has different types of wool, and some grow much longer and thicker than others. We perform extensive health checks on our sheep every month, so even when the wool is thick, we feel for lumps and bumps, weight loss and any other indicators that an animal is having a health issue that needs to be addressed. An annual part of this regular healthcare routine is shearing, which we do for many reasons.

Without shearing, sheep can get urine scald, wool keds (parasites that look like ticks), maggots, and lice. The wool also becomes heavy, especially when it gets wet, and is very uncomfortable since it fills with dirt, hay seeds and other debris. In the summer, sheep can easily overheat – even more so when they have wool, so we remove it to keep them safe and comfortable during the hot months. We also shear wool around the rump and belly (if necessary) on the males throughout the winter so that urine does not get trapped and burn the skin. By shaving rumps, we avoid build up of fecal matter on sheep with health issues as well, such as our elderly flock members, who often have trouble processing food as they age and therefore have loose stool.

When we shear the sheep, we do so in the spring according to the temperature outside and the size, age and health of each animal. Since it takes about three days to get everyone done, we shear the elderly and very young sheep last, as they usually have little body fat and chill easily. We watch all of the sheep carefully after they are shorn and can provide jackets if there is an unexpected cold spell and they get chilled; so far, however, this has not been necessary.

We have a wonderful man come out and shear our sheep and he takes great care to ensure that they are not overly-stressed during the process. He is extremely careful not to cut them and really takes his time with each of our sheep to keep them safe and at ease. We also always have caregivers working with the shearer to ensure the process goes off without a hitch. When they are first shorn, the sheep leap out of the barn and the younger ones frolic and bounce around the fields. They look a little funny without their thick coats, but they are obviously more comfortable.

Lastly, people often ask us what we do with the wool. We do not use any eggs or wool from the sanctuary animals for human purposes. We do not sell or donate wool, because the sheep did not produce it for us, and to use it for any financial or other human gain would be contrary to our mission. Instead we take the wool to the top of a pasture hill and spread it around so that small animals can use it for bedding, nests, etc… It is amazing how quickly it is picked up!

Farm Animals in Cyberspace

by Leanne

While nothing can replicate the unique experience of coming out to one of our farms and kissing a cow, rubbing a pig’s belly, and chatting with a chicken, our new Virtual Experience is a pretty cool way to get a glimpse into sanctuary life. With inspiring rescue stories, beautiful animal photos, cute videos, and lots of dreamy country landscapes to explore, the sanctuary portion of the Experience really does the heart good.

On the other side of the coin, the Experience also takes you to the places where rescued farm animals usually come from: factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. These places make the heart ache; yet, the detailed environments filled with information and footage from years of our own undercover investigations will likely leave you even more inspired to end the extreme forms of suffering found within them.

The Virtual Experience has great potential as an educational tool for raising awareness about the plight of farm animals and showing the stark contrast between how they live free and how they live on factory farms. I urge you to check it out for yourself and share it with others, too. After all, a compassionate world begins with you!

Jack and Fiona Take Center Stage

by Susie

 

Having a rescued baby animal around the shelter makes all of us feel like children again, as their energy and joy at being alive inspires us to run, spin and skip - just like we did when we were kids. Now you can feel the excitement too by watching this new video, starring two of our newest superstar babies, Fiona and Jack. Enjoy!! 

All Grown Up!

by Leanne

 

A little more than a year ago, we welcomed Harrison and Loretta to the California Shelter. When they arrived, Harrison was only one week old and small enough that we picked him up to unload him from the trailer in which he travelled to the sanctuary. As a tiny calf, he always remained close to his mother, hiding behind her when he was scared. Loretta, in turn, dutifully protected her son and kept him feeling safe and secure.

At 14 months old, Harrison is much more independent than he was when he first arrived. Now in the main cattle herd, he happily grazes alongside steers more than twice his size, and, at times, moves far away from his mom. This doesn’t bother Loretta at all since she trusts the other cattle to keep a watchful eye on him. Despite his newfound independence, at the end of the day, Harrison still finds his mom so he can snuggle with her, or hide his head under her abdomen if he needs comfort from time to time.

Though he is nearly as big as Loretta now too, Harrison has maintained his endearing wrinkles and large ears. His shy, inquisitive nature also remains – he will happily sniff any hand that is offered to him, but keeps his distance by stretching his neck as far out as possible. Like most animals on the farm, the way to his heart is with treats, particularly apples. He engulfs your entire hand to get the small morsel, using his large tongue to give you a nice kiss of thanks in return. When we bring the treats, we always need to bring enough for two though because, Cupid, Harrison’s best friend, is never far away.

We are very lucky that a humane officer spoke up a year ago to save Harrison from certain death and realized that his survival depended on Loretta. He has changed so much in the past year, and we look forward to seeing what the next 10 years will bring.

Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear?

by Susie

  

Why do birds suddenly appear every time Easter’s near? There definitely is a pattern here – one that, even though more and more people are learning about the problems associated with purchasing chicks, ducklings and bunnies as holiday gifts, continues year after year. Around this time, just days after the holiday, we always get swamped with calls and e-mails to take in these unwanted babies, who are quickly maturing and no longer as "cute" in the eyes of those who bought them as the novelty wears off and the reality of having a growing farm animal to care for sets in.

Two years ago, we took in 49 dyed chicks from a pet store in New York City. Since it is illegal to keep roosters within the city’s limits, and because the store was violating a city law banning the sale of dyed chicks, these lucky bundles of colored fluff were confiscated by the ASPCA and came to live at our New York Shelter at just days old.

Among the 49 birds there turned out to be 48 roosters and only one hen. All of them are layer breeds who were probably sexed quickly at the hatchery where they were born before being shipped to the Brooklyn store. The hatchery’s hens were likely reserved for egg production, whereas the males (who are useless to the egg industry and often discarded) would be more ideal for sending to pet stores to sell as holiday gifts. The hen in our rescued group was probably missed or sexed incorrectly by a hurried factory worker – not an uncommon mistake at hatcheries.

This tactic of getting rid of unwanted males by shipping them off to pet stores for unsuspecting customers to buy, of course, adds to the problem of what happens to these animals after they are sold. Each year as it is, hundreds of unwanted chickens are turned over to shelters, dumped in the wild to fend for themselves, or taken to farms where their lives are cut short. But sadly, because many of these Easter chicks are also male, even those who would have had homes if they were hens end up homeless. Families who think they are getting cute colored chicks who will grow into hens they do plan on keeping, often do not want or are not allowed to have roosters.

This year, with more than 100 roosters already in our care, we are attempting to place abandoned chicks in loving homes, after alerting adopters to the fact that they are most likely males. The once multi-colored chicks will remain with us, teaching more and more people every year that purchasing chicks and other baby farm animals just compounds the suffering many of these animals endure. Fortunately, we do have the power to create change, and in addition to sharing rescue stories like these with others and opening their eyes to the truth behind the novelty, we can all do our part to "peep up" for the animals around the holidays too, hopefully one day breaking the pattern of exploitation once and for all.

Welcome to the Farm, Ricardo!

by Leanne

We recently welcomed a new resident to the California Shelter: Ricardo the rooster. He is what is known as a "fancy" chicken and is one of the most unique-looking roosters at the farm. Not only is he a Bantam (a miniature rooster), but he is also a Frizzle – a type of chicken with crazy curly feathers. Ricardo had been living at a dog and cat shelter for the past two years, where he was kept in a rabbit cage with several other roosters who were all surrendered by a guardian who could no longer care for them. When we were asked to give him refuge, we happily agreed to take the tiny rooster in.

At Farm Sanctuary, all incoming animals go through a strict routine when they arrive in order to ensure not only their health and wellbeing, but also that of the other resident animals. So, after exploring his new stall and taste-testing his new scratch mix and feed pellets, Ricardo received a full health exam, which included checking his eyes and nostrils for discharge, his mouth for sores, and his body for any lumps or other abnormalities. The basic outline for exams is the same for each species on the farm, but there are certain health problems each may develop that we have to keep a careful eye out for. One of the biggest problems new roosters and other poultry may bring to the farm is lice and mites, which can be found crawling on the birds’ skin. The degree of infestation determines if the treatment consists of a quick dusting with an anti-parasite powder or a bath and injectable medication. Since lice and mites are very hearty and difficult to get rid of once they spread among other animals, it is very important to ensure that all incoming chickens are clean before introducing them into the resident flocks. Lucky for us, and for him, Ricardo passed his first health exam with flying colors!

Along with the health exam, all necessary vaccines are administered to protect the animals from diseases. We also do a fecal check on incoming animals to see if they have any internal parasite problems that need to be treated. The jury is still out on Ricardo’s check, but we’re hoping he passes this test too. Because his fecal tests are not in yet, Ricardo currently lives in one of the hospital stalls next to Wendy, a recently-rescued sheep, and her lambs, Ady and Colvin. I’m sure that this new mom would rejoice in sleeping in, but since Ricardo has arrived, he gives her an early wake up call every morning – along with serenading all of the people in the shelter hospital and offices throughout the day. Soon enough, however, Ricardo will be meeting his new hen and rooster friends, who we are sure he’ll win over quickly with his sweet nature and charm.

The Hidden Lives of Chickens?

by Susie

I have a love/hate relationship with the types of behavioral experiments that are done on chickens, sheep and other farm animals. To one extent, they prove to the public that yes, these animals are intelligent, which anyone who has ever had one of these amazing creatures in their lives would already know. After all, the public is more apt to protect an animal who is seen as smart or full of emotion.

On the other hand, how many people read these types of articles over a fried egg sandwich or while eating bacon for breakfast and say "wow, I had no idea that farm animals are intelligent" or chalk it up to "instinct" rather than intelligence, which allows for many to rationalize their breakfast. And, what happens to those chicks, sheep and pigs once they have proven that they are indeed capable of rational thought? Unfortunately, they often end up right back in the food supply.

The way animals are currently raised in confinement systems, they are denied any natural behaviors, which makes seeing their individual personalities, or their intelligence, nearly impossible on factory farms. Even on "free range," "organic" or other types of production farms where these animals are raised, little attention is paid to the things they do each day that show just how smart they actually are.

At our shelters we are lucky to be able to see each of these animals for who they really are and celebrate their individuality. Spending time with our resident chickens, we have learned that they have a very complex language that they use to communicate with each other - making different calls for even the most seemingly minor daily activities. Discovering a special treat to eat in the yard has the finder of this treat calling loudly to his or her flock mates to come and share. After laying an egg another totally different sound is uttered and the sounds made when new chickens meet is yet another. I have heard that there are 22 vocal sounds that people can recognize. I wonder how many we don’t?

In this latest study on chicks understanding basic arithmetic the researchers find that "Chicks always try to stay close to objects they are reared with - just as they stay close to and follow their mother as soon as they hatch." If only this were the reality for billions of chicks born in this country. Unfortunately, most chicks are born at hatcheries and orphaned from birth. They never have the opportunity to follow their mother and find refuge under her wings. When one looks at these studies with a full understanding of how much we deny these animals in "modern agriculture" it’s simply heartbreaking. These behavioral studies do not address that fact, and that’s why it’s important for animal advocates to make this connection for people so they can put down those fried egg sandwiches and see how our choices directly result in the way animals are treated. If people were willing to face that connection and extend their circle of compassion, imagine the change we would see!

Farewell to Cedric

by Leanne

 

Nearly all guests who visit the sanctuary make strong connections with the animals and walk away with a favorite who they wish to visit again in the future – whether it be Lily pig, who jumped from a slaughter bound truck to find her freedom; Dawn cow, who was rescued as a downed calf and later became the matriarch of our cattle herd; or Bleu sheep, who was neglected at birth but saved by a kind couple who brought him to Farm Sanctuary to recover. But the individual who always made an impact on those who met him was Cedric – a fiercely loyal rooster with a heart of gold.

Cedric was rescued as an adult from Bidwell Park in Chico, California in 2002. When he first arrived at the sanctuary, he lived at the main chicken barn, where he later became friends with Elton, another rooster who was rescued a year later. The two were never far apart – Cedric leading the way with Elton close behind – actively protecting their hen friends and barn with an impressive array of ninja-like moves that always kept us on our toes when we entered their yard. Over time, they also befriended Gobbell, a beautiful black and white turkey, who was more than happy to help them watch over their domain with his proud strut and boisterous gobble.

 
Here's Elton, balancing on a fence post.

Elton and Gobbell, led by Cedric, captured the attention of countless visitors who were always very impressed with the boys’ concern for the wellbeing of their flock. People watched with delight as the birds high-stepped and strutted around the parimeter of their yard, dutifully notifying the hens about tasty morsels in the dirt and watching over them as they ate. And, of course, people were also thrilled by their more mischievous antics, which often involved practicing their best karate moves on those who entered their yard. They were truly quite a sight to see and their spark, especially Cedric’s, dazzled us all.

For several years, the three friends carried on this way, but as Cedric and Gobbell entered into their golden years, they made the move to one of the hutches near our hospital, where they could adopt a more relaxing lifestyle. Affectionately known as our "Grumpy Old Men," the aging boys definitely appreciated their new restful environment, relishing in lazy days spent dust- and sunbathing in their spacious yard. Even though he slowed down, Cedric’s strong desire to protect his flock didn’t cease and he eagerly met any visitor to the yard to show him or her that he was there to watch over the hens, his best friend Gobbell and his beloved home.

 
Our handsome Gobbell (with Cedric behind him).

Sadly, at the end of last year Cedric began having mobility problems, and after undergoing veterinary diagnostics, was started on treatments to help him be able to walk again with more ease. While receiving his daily care, Gobbell protectively watched over Cedric, ensuring that his friend was always safe. Despite our efforts to bring him back to health, however, Cedric’s problems continued to progress and just this month, we finally had to say goodbye to our special friend of nearly seven years. Staying by Cedric’s side until the very end, Gobbell was hit the hardest of all by this great loss, and wouldn’t leave the hutch for days as he mourned the passing of his longtime friend.

Thankfully, Gobbell has begun to heal with time and is now back to his old routine, strutting around his yard and calling out to passersby, continuing on Cedric’s legacy as protector of the flock. Though the undeniable spark Cedric added to life at the farm is sorely missed by all in his absence, we will never forget his incredible spirit and all he taught us about the value of loyalty, love and lifelong friendship. For that reason, he will always be with us – the image of him flying through the air for one last leg kick never far from the minds of those who had the pleasure of watching him live his life to the fullest.

 
Cedric watching over his lady frends.