Farm Sanctuary

Norman reminds us every day that cows are someone, not something.

Look at Pippa go! We rescued Pippa from a farm that raises lambs for meat two years ago. Farm representatives reported that Pippa failed to thrive, seemed partially blind, and had an injured hind leg. Despite her rough condition, Pippa went weeks without care. The staff explained that, as a fully operational farm, they didn’t have the time or money to invest in her treatment. Sadly, this is common in animal agriculture, where they value profit over care. Pippa’s injury turned out to be a joint infection, and veterinarians decided amputation was the best course of action. Pippa responded well to surgery, and her mood and mobility both improved. Because we provide our rescue animals with individualized care, Pippa received a cart to help her navigate her new home with ease. We loved the moment when she realized just how fast she could go!

On World Plant Milk Day, it’s important to recognize the impact of our daily food choices on our health and the health and welfare of animals. In the USA alone, we rely on over 9 million cows to produce milk for consumption—but the catch is that this relationship is one-sided. Confined and mistreated, these cows are viewed as nothing more than dairy machines. They aren’t provided the enriching lives full of love and care they deserve, and mothers don’t even get to raise their babies. It’s time to recognize the actual cost of our food choices and consider more ethical and sustainable options. Choose plant-based. Your health, the animals, and the environment will thank you!

Partners in crime Taylor and Reiman escaped one of New York City’s shockingly legal live markets (where people can select animals to be slaughtered on site) six years ago. Together, they cruised along the subway tracks in Brooklyn. The news spread quickly, with plenty of punny headlines about “two ‘baaaad’ goats” on the loose. Thankfully, the MTA turned off the rail power for safety, and our friends at @nycacc helped with their rescue. We can’t imagine what horrors Taylor and Reiman faced before they escaped and how frightening it must’ve been to be in unfamiliar territory, but we couldn’t be happier that these BFFs finally got on the right track. Now, they spend their days happily grazing, racing down hills, and playfully headbutting each other, living the fun-filled and carefree life they deserve. Photo 1: MTA NYC

Music is healing for animals, too. When not living in fear, cows are curious, contemplative, and meditative beings, so it’s no surprise Hayes was so interested in our visitors when they stopped to play music for him!

Savic came to Farm Sanctuary two years ago when his guardian, Dan, a former beef farmer, had a change of heart. He realized he could no longer continue beef production after he began to see his cows as intelligent, sentient individuals. Today, Savic is still understandably fearful around humans, but we love him all the same. He’s integrated well into his herd, and it brings us endless joy that this handsome guy (just look at his horns!) was given a second chance with us.

Sheep like Ash can pick up emotional cues in humans and commonly flock around guests who display openness and warmth and return those emotions in kind. 💚

Jerome is lucky to be alive. As a male born on a dairy farm, Jerome’s fate seemed unavoidable. Many people are unaware that males are often sold for veal or beef production because they can’t produce milk. The farm planned to sell Jerome for slaughter, but when a worker grew attached to the calf, she couldn’t imagine any harm coming his way. Jerome arrived at Farm Sanctuary at the perfect time. Just a few weeks earlier, we rescued another calf named Cashew and his mom, Liz, who are also survivors of the dairy industry. Mother cows will often adopt calves in need, and when Liz met Jerome, she chose to raise him as one of her own. The three formed a tiny herd—Jerome finally had found a family. Today, Jerome is a loyal and devoted herd member, especially to his brother, Cashew. Jerome love to spend his days running freely through our pastures—which is only possible because his rescuer saw him as someone—not something.

When we first met Bellamy, she was just a calf. Found lying in a ditch, she was covered with deep, maggot-infested wounds, fighting for her life.⁣ A local animal control agency called us earlier that day to alert us to the calf in need. Bellamy had been on the run for days, so we rushed to the scene and worked quickly to load her into our trailer and transport her to the veterinary hospital. Although Bellamy was weak, thin, and very sick, she responded well to treatment and pulled through enough to come home to our New York sanctuary. She was nervous and shy when she arrived, but everything changed when she met her new herd—she finally found a family. We’ll never know where Bellamy came from, but based on her breed, she most likely would be used for beef. All farm animals want to feel loved and cared for, so we make sure Bellamy has the best day every day. She knows how special she is to us. 💚

Five winters ago, Leigh tumbled from a transport truck heading from a dairy farm to a veal processing plant. This traumatizing accident wound end up saving his life and bringing him to Farm Sanctuary: