Sanctuary Tails

The Ghosts in Our Machine

Jo-Anne McArthur and Orlando

By Susie

I often meet artists who are passionate about animal causes, and I love introducing them to the animals who call Farm Sanctuary home. Over the last year or so, we’ve been especially fortunate to get to know filmmaker Liz Marshall, and I want to share her upcoming project, THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE, with you. Ghosts, as we often call it, is a documentary that follows the work of photographer and animal advocate Jo-Anne (Jo) McArthur, and it features some Farm Sanctuary residents. Here’s what Liz had to say when I asked about her work and Jo’s:

Susie: What is THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE?

Liz: Well, with the exception of our cats and dogs and a few wild and stray species within our day-to-day living environments, we primarily encounter animals as food, clothing, research, and entertainment.  We don’t fully realize how and where our lives intersect with animals, and that makes these animals “ghosts” in our modern world. THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE is a feature-length film that illuminates the lives of these “ghosts” — individual animals, hidden from our view, living within or rescued from the consumer-driven machine.

Through the heart and photographic lens of animal rights protagonist Jo-Anne McArthur, we become intimately familiar with a small cast of animal characters. These individuals represent just a few of the countless animals we too often unknowingly affect in devastating ways. We hear from a spectrum of voices about the cognitive and emotional complexity of animals and about globalized animal industries — scientists, doctors, and industry representatives also contribute to the story.

Filmmaker Liz Marshall with Fanny

Susie: How did you and Jo decide to work together on this project?

Liz: Working with Jo is a natural fit since we are both longtime documentarians committed to social justice.  Jo’s photographic body of work, We Animals, initially inspired me, and then I quickly realized it would make an interesting story to feature Jo-Anne as the main human subject of a film.

I approached Jo in early 2009 about the possibility of collaborating on a feature documentary, but it wasn't until later in 2010 that things fell into place. In this project, Jo’s lens is an intimate, honest portal into the lives of these “ghosts,” and she is at a critical juncture in her own activist–photographer career. While Jo's work is celebrated within the worldwide animal rights community, it’s a treasure not known to a wider audience.  The animals’ stories involve struggle, and Jo’s does too.

Part of the story follows Jo as she works with her photo agency in New York City to pitch her work to mainstream publications. Her work is happening at a time when issues pertaining to animal rights are in the public eye — there is a groundswell of consumer interest in health and compassion. But, while we’re seeing these issues gain a foothold in popular culture, the animal rights movement, itself, is often misunderstood and marginalized. People still do not want to “see” how their consumer behavior affects billions of animals. The film reflects this wave of consciousness and conflict and is also part of it.

Fanny, Cocoa, Meg, Sammy and Frankie

Susie: How did your connection with Farm Sanctuary come about?

Liz: We (Ghosts Media) are so excited about our growing relationship with Farm Sanctuary. My introduction to the sanctuary was a very magical, unforgettable visit in 2004. It naturally inspired one of the stories featured in the film: the rescue and rehabilitation of Fanny and Sonny.

This story highlights the realities of the dairy and veal industries and the very special work that Farm Sanctuary does. Jo is a close friend of Farm Sanctuary — as she says in the film, "It is my home away from home." It’s thanks to Jo that we’ve had such access to the sanctuaries and the animals.

Blitzen and the crew

Susie: What do people most need to know about farm animals and our food system?

Liz: I love Bruce Friedrich's [Farm Sanctuary Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives] ongoing Facebook messaging — he posts an image of a farm animal and says “Someone, not Something.” This about sums it up for me. The animals we use for food, research, clothing, and entertainment are individuals who possess emotions and intelligence; they are not inanimate objects. Like many social movements, animal rights can feel like an upward battle, but it is helping to expand compassion in our world. Slowly but surely, these “ghosts” will become known in the consciences of many, many consumers.

New York Shelter resident Tweed greets the camera crew from The Ghosts in Our Machine.

THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE is currently in production, with an anticipated release in 2013. To learn more and join the discussion, visit:

http://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/

http://www.facebook.com/TheGhostsInOurMachine

Going to California

By Tara

Tara Oresick, formerly the manager of our New York Shelter, recently became the director of our Northern California Shelter. 

My journey to Farm Sanctuary’s Northern California Shelter began more than three years ago and almost three thousand miles away. In September 2008, I visited Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter in Watkins Glen. I was already a vegetarian and had begun to learn more about the egg and dairy industries. Meeting the shelter’s animals sealed the deal for me: I became a vegan. What really did it was encountering the elderly cattle in the shelter’s special needs herd. I had always been so opposed to veal and had never eaten beef in my life, but suddenly I was faced with a visceral illustration of the connection between those products and the dairy I was still consuming. Here I was meeting 20-year-old Holstein cows, who in the industry would have been deemed “spent” and killed for ground beef by the time they were three or four years old. And those years would have been full of the misery of confinement, the exhaustion of constant milk production, and the grief of bearing calves only for them to be immediately taken away. I was also meeting magnificent adult Holstein steers, who in the industry would have been killed as babies for veal.

The one-two punch of that trip was this: I recognized these animals as individuals with their own, wonderful personalities, and I also had to confront the fact that, as much as I said I loved animals and thought my diet was aligned with my beliefs, by continuing to eat eggs and dairy, I was supporting something I was completely against. It was realizing that, for every animal at Farm Sanctuary, there were so many more who would never be seen as anything more than commodities. I knew I couldn’t contribute to that exploitation anymore.

And more than that, I knew I wanted to provide comfort to farm animals with my own hands.  By the end of the year, I had quit my teaching job in Rochester, NY, (where I had grown up and earned my Masters in Inclusive Education) and began an internship at the New York Shelter. The work was hard, but I loved it. This was the job for me. When my internship ended, I became a caregiver. About two years later, I became the shelter manager.

When the opportunity to direct the Northern California Shelter arose, I took it. As sad as I was to leave the New York Shelter and the animals and people who had taught me so much, I was also excited to embark on the next leg of my journey. As I settle into a new home, a new climate, a new position, and new responsibilities, I’m grounded by what remains the same: I’m still helping animals with my own hands, every day. Yep, this is the job for me.

Rescued Calves Recovering Nicely - An Update on Tinsel and Holly

By Susie

It was a cold winter’s day in late December when we rescued Holly and Tinsel from a stockyard auction. Because they were too sick to stand, they were left for dead on the auction house floor, yet they still had a will to live. Luckily, Farm Sanctuary’s Emergency Rescue Team was there to step in to provide them with urgent care, although we knew their recovery could be a difficult one. Despite the bustle of the holidays, our members responded when we reached out for help. Your generosity made this lifesaving rescue and rehabilitation possible.

Because Holly was too weak to stand, her brown fur became matted with feces as she was trampled by frightened calves in the crowded pen. Astoundingly, it quickly became clear that Holly’s most urgent ailment was severe dehydration, demonstrating how even her most basic needs were ignored before her rescue.

Tinsel was much sicker and needed emergency IV fluids. Since both calves torn from their mothers far too soon, they were deprived of the vital nutrients to develop a healthy immune system and required blood transfusions at Cornell University’s Animal Hospital. Both were also treated for severe pneumonia and a variety of other ailments that are unfortunately too common for the neglected calves of the dairy industry.

Today, both of these calves are growing stronger.

We are delighted to see them explore and enjoy life now. As a result of all they endured and the time they spent together regaining their health, they have become best friends. Tinsel adores Holly and looks to her for comfort and guidance in new situations. Holly is more outgoing. While she loves spending time with Tinsel and her other animal friends, she also greets her human visitors with curiosity and affection.

At Farm Sanctuary, Tinsel and Holly are ambassadors for all calves born into the dairy industry. Every visitor to our New York sanctuary who meets them and every person who reads their story can understand why we rescued them and why they matter. Every time a gallon of cow’s milk is purchased, it is because a baby like Tinsel or Holly had been taken from his or her mother.

Because of the support from our members, Tinsel and Holly were rescued from a slow, agonizing death and now they are free to dash across snowy pastures, their eyes gleaming. Their recovery shows us that the same care and consideration we give to cats and dogs can save farm animals too.

Thank you for saving these calves, giving them sanctuary and sharing their story. With your support, we are working toward a more compassionate world for all farm animals.

Update on Sonny and Fanny with a special video trailer

By Susie

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the 256 members who joined Farm Sanctuary’s Monthly Pledge Program in response to our recent rescues — more than 100 over our original goal! Your generosity and dedication to rescued farm animals have allowed us to provide Fanny and Sonny with the care they need to enjoy the rest of their days at Farm Sanctuary. Both of our bovine friends are on the mend and adjusting to their new lives with new friends.

After being forced to over-produce milk for years in the dairy industry, spending most of her time standing on concrete floors covered in manure, Fanny is enjoying the simple luxuries of thick bedding and grassy pastures. Though Fanny will always have arthritis, a ghost of her previous life, she is eager to start fresh with her new herd. Fanny was separated from the other cattle while caregivers assessed and treated her but would call out hourly to her future herd mates over the fence. Last week Fanny’s desire for companionship was fulfilled when she joined our “special needs” herd, and she could not have been more excited, jumping and running through her new pasture.

Our beautiful little Sonny still struggles with a weak immune system caused by the severe neglect he suffered before his rescue, but after emergency surgery and weeks of TLC, he is adjusting well to his new home. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Sonny’s sweet personality; he just loves neck rubs and will lean in and make sure you are getting just the right spot while peeking up at you through his long lashes. Sonny is also beginning to explore the new world that is his pasture, eating grass and, running and kicking up his heels with joy. It warms our hearts to watch Sonny improve and grow.

Stories like Fanny’s and Sonny’s give faces to the billions of animals suffering in the food industry annually. That’s why we are so excited to introduce you to a new trailer for an upcoming feature film called The Ghosts In Our Machine. It features the rescue story of Fanny and Sonny and will continue to document their progress over the next year, getting to know them as individuals. We are thrilled to be a part of this great work.

Check out the preview featuring Sonny and Fanny below!

Our New Darling, Clementine

 

by Susie

Many farm animals are victims of simple neglect, as is the case for Clementine, a recently arrived hen at our New York Shelter. Clementine was taken into a bar and left there as a prank, without concern for what would happen to her. Some patrons spent the evening trying to find her home, but with no luck. Eventually, she was taken in by a wildlife rehabber, who then thankfully brought her to us, where she can receive the care and attention she deserves. 

Clementine was a little thin when she was brought to us, but otherwise in good condition. And, since she is chatty and sweet, and prone to curiously and playfully pecking at people who come into her barn stall, many of the staff here have already become very fond of her. When she isn’t hanging out in her nest, she is often found serenely perched on top of her water bowl, which is a really cute sight to see!

In her short time here, Clementine has also made a close friend in Clarence rooster. He too was a victim of neglect, but with far worse consequences. Left with no shelter in below-zero conditions, Clarence lost all the tips of his comb and two toes to frostbite. But now he is doing well in his stall next to Clementine. The two chat throughout the day, and when they are both deemed healthy enough to enter the main population, they will likely live together and spend full, happy lives by one another’s sides.

Meet Petunia Piglet, Our Newest Valentine

 

By Susie

With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is certainly on a lot of people’s minds … and those of us working here at Farm Sanctuary are no exception. In fact, surrounded by hundreds of affectionate rescued farm animals who have lots of it to share, we’d be hard pressed not to have our hearts melt a little each day. But perhaps nothing conjures the “warm and fuzzies” any time of year quite like a rescue story, so it is with great delight that I introduce you to our newest little sweetheart, baby Petunia.

Born on a farm in upstate New York, Petunia was the runt of her litter. For most piglets bred for production, this is a death sentence, as hardly any farmer wants or is able to take the time to bottle-feed a piglet who isn’t thriving day and night. As a result, many are left to languish or are often killed in brutal ways. But in Petunia’s case, she was donated to a veterinary teaching hospital so that students there could perform a practice surgery on the umbilical hernia with which she was born.

Sadly, animals used as teaching tools don’t fare much better than runts: they too are often disposed of or killed after enduring invasive procedures and the stresses of surgery preparation – as was to be the fate of Johnny and friends – residents at our California Shelter who faced slaughter after being used for hernia surgeries, but were saved at the final hour by a compassionate student who called us for help.

Fortunately, a call for help came for Petunia too. After receiving the piglet, doctors at the hospital reached out to us to see if we would be willing to give the tiny piglet a home, and we couldn’t pass up on the chance to take her in. She did need a surgery right away, however, to repair the hernia, which for her was riskier because she was so small. And, our worst fears realized, the situation proved to be very touch and go as her heart stopped during the procedure. Luckily, she was quickly revived and pulled through despite the fact she had also aspirated fluid into her lungs, causing pneumonia. But Petunia proved to be very strong and beat the odds to survive.

 

When Petunia arrived at our New York Shelter a few days later, she only weighed about 4-pounds and could literally fit into one hand. But what she lacks in size, she sure makes up for with her incredible spirit – nothing, and I mean nothing, can keep this dynamic piglet down! Settled inside a comfy pen with a heat lamp, blankets and pillows right near our caregiver offices in the shelter hospital so we could keep a close eye on her and attend to her many bottle feedings ‘round the clock, this cheerful baby  immediately began  stealing the hearts of everyone who dropped by to snuggle and play with her. While she is not out of the woods yet, and has since had a repeat trip back to the hospital for further treatments and assessment for more surgery, we are hopeful that she will fully recover soon. 

 
Little Petunia snuggling with her plush raccoon.
              
There is nothing quite like the unconditional and carefree love that little Petunia, and all babies like her, have to share with anyone who is receptive to receiving it. To think that this sweet girl who takes such pleasure in all the simple joys of life almost didn’t have the chance to shine so brightly is heartbreaking … but by saving each one we can, and telling their stories, we are showing the world, little by little, that there is another way – just like the veterinarians did the day they decided to save Petunia’s life rather than let her slip away. So, on behalf of Petunia and everyone else here at Farm Sanctuary, we want to thank all of you out there who are sharing your compassion and love with farm animals every day, and wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day!
 

Special Update on Calves Saved from Stockyard

Thanks to Farm Sanctuary members and supporters who rushed to the aid of three calves we recently rescued from a New York stockyard by generously contributing to our Emergency Rescue Fund, Alexander, Lawrence and Blitzen are now on the road to recovery. Watch the video above and read their story for a full update on these inspiring and incredibly cute little babies!

Animal Photo of the Week: Noel

 

After pulling over a car that cut him off on the road, a patrol officer with the Morgan Hill, California Police Department heard what he thought was the sound of a baby crying coming from the trunk. Shockingly, upon looking inside, he found a small black and white goat who had been hog-tied, but was still alive and struggling for freedom. A little later, he discovered that the goat had been there for two days without any food and water, let alone adequate air to breathe, and called on local Animal Control for help. From there, the little goat, now named Noel, found refuge at our California Shelter. Read more about this sweet boy’s rescue and recovery at Farm Sanctuary.

Their Only Hope: Stockyard Rescue Underscores Urgent Need for Change

 
 

By Susie

In all my years caring for rescued farm animals who have been subjected to the most severe neglect and abuse, nothing has ever prepared me for bearing witness to the dismal scenes unfolding at stockyard auctions across the U.S. At these terrible weigh stations for animals being sold by one party and purchased by another – some heading into a life of production, others to slaughter – there isn’t any compassion to be found, and suffering abounds to a staggering and immeasurable degree.

In fact, it is in these places that the realization of how farm animals are viewed by the industry – as lifeless commodities rather than feeling individuals – really sinks in. Here, there is no discrimination: Labeled with numbers and pushed and prodded into chaotic auction rings for bidding, terrified and confused animals of all ages and conditions – from tiny babies to aging adults – are all typically treated in the same callous manner until the sale is over and they go on to meet some equally miserable end.

Since Farm Sanctuary started nearly 25 years ago, we have been rescuing animals from these environments, nursing them to health, and giving them new, better lives – starting with Hilda, the now famous sheep who was lifted from a stockyard dead pile in 1986. Just last month, we rescued Riley – a very sickly and partially blind piglet – from such a place, and, most recently, I found three newborn male dairy calves on the brink of death at a large sale being held in the bitter winter cold.

On the day I discovered the calves, I watched truck after truck filled with these baby animals drive up to the auction yard. The newborns, some not even a day old yet, were visibly frenzied and could be heard bawling for their mothers. But while all I wanted to do was comfort them, their terror was only met with frustration from the workers who forcefully unloaded and moved them into holding pens by hitting them with canes.

The scene turned even grislier when I came across the poor babies who were obviously very ill. I found one – a little guy who couldn’t even stand – collapsed and left freezing in the 20 degree weather near a loading dock. The other two I would rescue that day were shoved into the auction ring when the sale began. One was so sick and weak that his legs kept buckling beneath him as workers prodded him to get him on his feet. The other, weighing only 37 pounds, was so small that the bidders made a joke of him – calling him “trash.” Treated with the same indifference as all the others, these little ones were only mocked in their distress and ultimately deemed as being worthless when they failed to sell for even $1. 

Stepping in to claim these three sweet babies when no one else would, I rushed them to safety and ensured that they immediately began receiving the emergency medical treatment they so desperately needed to have any chance of survival. If I hadn’t shown up, there is no question that these boys would have wound up in a garbage dump or the grip of a renderer, their suffering simply ignored.

 
One of the calves receiving care at the hospital.

As I write this entry, which I know is as painful to read as it was to witness the abuse firsthand, I still do not know what the fate of these three babies will be. Right now, we are asking for emergency year-end donations to help with the critical care of these fragile calves and support all of our work to protect animals like them from harm. If you can help, I ask that you please make a contribution today and forward the babies’ story on to others to consider doing the same. Together, we can pierce the darkness these animals endure every day and shine a light on their plight so it might be changed in time with each person we enlighten and each life we save. We are their only hope.

NBA Champ John Salley Visits the California Shelter

We recently welcomed a very special visitor to our California Shelter: NBA champion and wellness guru John Salley! As the grand marshal of our Walk for Farm Animals earlier this year and the host of our West Coast Celebration FOR the Turkeys, John has been a true hero for farm animals. In this new video, John talks a whole lot of turkey with Bonnie-Jill Laflin, sports broadcaster and first and only female scout for the L.A. Lakers, and hangs out with some of our rescued feathered friends. Enjoy!