Sanctuary Tales: A Second Chance at Peace
War is ravaging your country. Unbelievably, you manage to survive the conflict, and a compassionate couple welcomes you into their home, treats you, feeds you, and offers you a bed to sleep in. At first, you are afraid and confused, not sure how long you have until the bombs start exploding again. Nevertheless, as time goes by, you realize that maybe the war is over, and perhaps you should start getting used to your new home. That’s when you notice that you aren’t alone. Those same people rescued dozens of others; so similar yet so different from you. They come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes. Some are quiet, others loud. Some are shy, others very annoying. And yet, somehow, you have to carve your place among all of them.
Photo: Edgar’s Mission
Although non-human animals can seem (and be) quite different from us humans, we share the abilities to love, hate, be scared, feel pain, think ahead, solve problems, and feel safe and comfortable with a wide range of species - but I do hope you do not take after the parrotfish and surround yourself in a mucus cocoon before going to sleep each night (although it would probably help you to keep predators and parasites away). Unfortunately, even though we share so much with other species, we still put innocent and sentient non-human animals through painful practices (such as unanesthetized mutilations in the meat industry) and devastating situations (such as mother and calf separation in the dairy industry) that we would not wish upon our worst enemies. Keep in mind that 99% of meat in the United States comes from factory farmed animals who went through these legal, standard procedures, and in the UK, 85 percent of animals are now raised on factory farms. From the animals’ perspectives, we are quite literally waging war against them with no opportunity for resistance or escape.
The lucky individuals who manage to break free from lives of imprisonment on farms often end up in what we now know as farm sanctuaries. These places rescue farmed animals and provide them with shelter, food, and medical assistance until they pass away from natural causes. If you are an animal at a sanctuary, you have definitely won your lifelong lottery ticket!
Photo: Freedom Farm
However, not everything is a piece of (vegan) cake, especially not during the first couple of weeks. As suggested by the war metaphor in the first paragraph, now the lottery winners have a Herculean challenge ahead of them: how do I fit in? The answer is specific to each individual, and some animals have personalities that will aid them along the way. But what about the shy individuals, or those who have suffered through a traumatic past? Will they make it through? And how can we help them?
With these questions in mind, I (Cloe, a Surge Activism volunteer) decided to interview some sanctuaries around the world, and gather some unique stories about their residents’ lifestyles, customs, and quirks. Thirteen sanctuaries in four different continents answered my pledge and shared some of their most extraordinary anecdotes with me.
We are looking at a group of sanctuaries that, put together, care for 2,700+ permanent residents of around 23 different species, rescue 3,660+ animals per year, have 140+ years of experience, and span 1,178 acres of land!
Although my original idea was to write a single blog, the mind-blowing answers I received from these thirteen outstanding sanctuaries made it hard to fit everything in one article. So (drumrolls)... I proudly present (more drumrollsss)... the Surge Sanctuary’s first entry on the Sanctuary Tales series! (A round of applause, please!)
Do you want to know the unfathomable struggles of the adoptive brothers Koda, the baby duck, and Kenai, the baby chicken? Or the plights of the young goat Cricket after the passing of his loyal companion Jiminy? Perhaps you are more interested in the intricacies of the unorthodox friendship between the cow, Mark, and Wendy, the sheep-who-thinks-she-is-a-cow? Regardless of what kinds of stories interest you the most, we have a variety of them to share, so watch out for our next blog entries!
Photo: Uplands PEAK sanctuary
After surviving the war - i.e. the food or fashion industry they were being exploited by - and finding their new homes, these individuals deserve to have their stories told. As for the many magnificent farm sanctuaries out there, they are worthy of all the help they can get, and the Surge Sanctuary Blog will not only be sharing the wonderful, truly life-changing work they do, but also let you know how you can support them!
More fun sanctuary stories are coming soon, so stay tuned!!!
Cloe Sousa is a global citizen and vegan activist whose mission is to help create a world kinder for all earthlings, where justice prevails over selfishness. She’s the founder of the Vegan Activism Instagram community and the author of A Guide to Veganism: What the World (& You) Need to Know. Cloe is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Conservation at the University of British Columbia.