Farm Sanctuaries
Meeting rescues from the farm . Will make you want to stop the harm
One of the reasons we find it so easy to support the use
and abuse of cows, chickens, pigs and many other farm
animals is the complete (and not accidental) disconnection
we as a society have made from them.
Most of us are against violence towards cats and dogs and
find it shocking when a handful of countries around the world
consider them fair game for the dinner table. That's because
our exposure and connection to cats and dogs makes it clear
that they can think and feel and seek happiness and pleasure.
But by actively distancing ourselves from the animals we eat
it becomes all too easy to forget about their suffering, and so
as we pay people to hurt and kill them we can push to the back
of our minds the fact that there's no difference (in terms of
their ability to suffer) between the 'food' animals we kill and
the companion animals so many of us love and care for.
This is where farm sanctuaries come in. They are truly special
places that can help us bridge the moral gap we've created.
They are places where farm animals of all different species
can finally be understood as the individuals they really are.
Sadly, sanctuaries can only give refuge to a tiny fraction of
the billions of animals abused and killed for meat, eggs, dairy
and other products each year, but these lucky few become
ambassadors for their species, helping us remake connections we were all too eager to lose in the name of a clear conscience.
I strongly recommend following as many sanctuaries as possible
on social media where you'll find endless stories of hope, kindness
and inspiration as well as seeing these misunderstood creatures
as the unique individual characters and gentle souls they are.
If you're lucky enough to live close to a sanctuary many offer
trips, tours and volunteer opportunities. Some even offer b&b
style accommodation in picturesque surroundings - the
perfect place to rest, relax, rethink and recharge.
Getting involved, however little, in the lives of sanctuary animals
will hopefully inspire you to show them the same kindness and
respect already shown to other animals we value on criteria
other than the taste of their flesh and secretions or the
monetary value of their dismembered body parts.
You'll find an ongoing list of global vegan animal sanctuaries
here and a list of many of the best farm sanctuaries (in
the English speaking world) can be found below along with
videos including a great series by Farm Sanctuary
showing exactly how they care for the animals.
Running a Farm Sanctuary
|
Susie Coston:
The Animals of Farm Sanctuary |
Fiona Oakes:
For the Animals |
Reel Life at Farm Sanctuary
|
Episode One:
Pasture Rotation |
Episode Two:
Chicken Nutrition |
Episode Three:
Turkey Talk |
|
Episode Four:
Hay Feeds |
Episode Five:
Love on the Farm |
Episode Six:
Good Morning |
|
Episode Seven:
The First Sign of Spring |
Episode Eight:
The Mother and Calf Bond |
Episode Nine:
Life After Farming |
List of Sanctuaries
"The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them,
but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity."
- George Bernard Shaw
but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity."
- George Bernard Shaw
