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There is a lot going on in the vegan world community towards making the maxim, “The World is Vegan If You Want It,” a reality. In several different parts of the world, vegans have started vegan abolitionist groups and meetups. This show is going to highlight a few of them and hopefully encourage you,wherever you are, to consider starting a vegan movement in your own hometown.

Intro

Auckland Abolitionist Vegans Association

We are going to take a quick spin around the globe to visit some of the spots where abolitionist vegan groups are sprouting up.  Our starting point is New Zealand, where there is the Auckland Abolitionist Vegan Association, started by Elizabeth Collins of NZVeganPodcast fame, and abolitionist activist William Paul.  They already have the bones of a website started; you can find them at http://www.aabva.org.  Elizabeth and William have already been doing stall work, tabling and leafletting on the streets of Auckland for some time.  As their group increases in size, expect great things to come from both of these dedicated vegans:

I am very briefly going to say that myself and William Paul have decided to start the Auckland Aboltionist Vegan Association. We are being very up front about being an abolitionist group, putting it in the name, and we are hoping to get people to help us do vegan outreach.  Right now we are just beginning. We do have a website up, there is really nothing on it but it will be the website address, aabva.org, and we have business cards that we are going to give, and the cards say   on them, “Creative Nonviolent Vegan Advocacy,” because that is exactly what we are planning to do. We are going to have some resources out there, we are going to create a nutritional pamphlet because most of the resources we have are from America and thought they are very helpful, and I do plan on taking a lot of the facts and figures from them, we want to adjust it to a New Zealand audience. So, we will replace pounds with kilos because we don’t use pounds over here; and there are some foods that are recommended that don’t really pertain to NZ. We don’t have a lot of vegan ready-made food. There are certain things that are not easy to get here, they are unbelievably expensive here, like organic maple syrup and agave nectar, those things are so expensive in New Zealand. We do hope to get some grassroots activities going, attend more events, hold events of our own, cookouts and bakesales, all the things that groups all over the world are doing, so that’s us, the Auckland Abolitonist Vegan Association. We will keep everyone posted once we have more things happening. Thanks for doing your podcast and for allowing me to be on it and thanks for everything you are doing.

Thanks so much for participating, Elizabeth. And what a wonderful way to start off, there in beautiful New Zealand, where these two dedicated abolitionists are really making some sparks fly, generating some energy, for the New Year! Next point: Canada, I think we need to sail away……

Sail Away by Randy Newman

Montreal Animal Rights Group

Travel over to Canada, and you will find that Chris Poupart and a group of dedicated abolitionists have started a group called Montreal Animal Rights Group.  This group is just getting off the ground and already shows quite a few local people interested in joining the work ahead.  Chris recently designed from abolitionist message tees that are printed in both English and French, helping to make all of us abolitionist vegans more visibile in our various communities. I just received mine! The front has the big green V with a leaf on one side, and the back says, “I am vegan: Ask me why!” I know I better have an answer ready. Thanks so much Chris for creating abolitionist vegan message tees. More on Chris later in this podcast.

Truckin’ by The Grateful Dead

Phoenix Area Abolitionist Vegans

Next, we are going to truck on down to the U.S. of A. Then travel down to Phoenix, Arizona in the southwestern U.S.  The Phoenix Area Abolitionist Vegans, a group started by well-known Brockway Hall blogger Ken Hopes, seems to be alive and thriving. Like most of the above groups, The Abolitionist Approach website is linked in order to increase understanding about the issue of abolitionism.  Quotes from Gary Francione are also found on many of these mentioned sites. Arizona is a very conservative state, and it is wonderful that Ken and his group have become a progressive voice in the area. Thanks for all you do, Ken, and best wishes to your group.

Now, we are going to truck on over to Texas!

Dallas portion of Truckin’ by The Grateful Dead

Animal Rights and Rescue of North Texas: A Vegan Abolitionist Group

Traveling east across the U.S., this time to North Texas, in the middle of the heartland of the United States.  A new group, the Animal Rights and Rescue of North Texas, is due to have their kick off meeting in January in the Arlington, Texas area, just South of Dallas and Fort Worth in the MidCities area.  The stated purpose of the group is to maintain a group of rescue-ready individuals to assist animals in the event of any man-made or natural occurrences, to do vegan outreach, establish humane education, support local shelters and sanctuaries, and be a voice for vegan abolitionism in the North Texas area.  Like in the Invercargill area, this is an area rife with animal exploiters, from rodeos to hunting ranches, from slaughterhouses to cattle ranches. This is a yahoo meetup group, so the group will have their support and system, but also have those expenses occurring.  The upcoming new Vegans Directory sponsored the group for our first six months; we will see if there is enough interest to support the $12/month fee for the duration. Our first planning meeting in January will also be showing the new film, Bold Native, it’s a dramatized account of direct action animal rescue and even includes

those working on welfare regulations, the problems with vindictiveness, and the injustice inherent in the AETA — it should be a good jumping off point for conversation.  The film includes some actual footage from undercover videos including a vivisection lab. It shows the callous and cruel way the monkeys are treated with permanent plastic collars that can be inserted into restraints so the animal is held captive as they use them for experiments.  A group of macaques was recently freed from those plastic collars here in Texas, down in San Antonio, at the Primarily Primates sanctuary. While the Texas area does have a lot of horrific things going on for animals, there are also groups here trying to improve on the status quo – an abolitionist group is one way to see if we can grow any interest. Right now there are only two abolitionists that I know of in the group and a few vegans, but with education within the group, that is sure to change. That is why it is so important, even if there is just one of you, to start a group and see what might develop.

Time to sail away again….

Sail Away by Christopher Cross

Invercargill Vegan Society

Heading back to our starting point, New Zealand, a mecca for animal exploiters, lives the Birdman of Invercargill. Jordan Wyatt, peacefully caring for a few rescued chickens and sharing their beauty and personalities with the rest of us, recently started the Invercargill Vegan Society.  With a total membership of one, Jordan has allowed a few of his fans to become honorary members. I am one of his biggest fans – well, truth tell, I am only about 1.524  meters tall, or five feet, but I am very big in enthusiasm for Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals, the Jaywontdart podcast, and his CWNA blog.  Jordan is a great example of what one isolated vegan can accomplish. I first met him via Twitter, where he had asked for feedback about a letter he wrote to his local newspaper. He is often on local NZ forums, challenging thinking and quite often, given the high percentage of animal-related businesses in the area, catching unfair flack for his abolitionism. All he needs now is one more abolitionist to assist him in getting the word out locally. Jordan has already had IVS business cards all printed out, so he is ready to join the global abolitionist vegan network. If you live near Invercargill, contact Jordan for information about joining his abolitionist vegan work. You can find out his contact information at http://coexistingwithnonhumananimals.blogspot.com. Or give him a Tweet  @jaywontdart.

Everybody Has a Seed to Sow, The African Children’s Choir

Get Ready for Future Ex-Omnivores!

Let your heart of hearts take you down that road, everybody’s got a seed to sow. Don’t hold yours in your hand; wherever you are, drop that seed, plant it, watch it grow. Become part of an even more exciting new synchronicity that is growing.  The foundation for a worldwide vegan federation is in the planning stages, with bylaws already underway.  La Coopérative pour la Développement Végane, or The Cooperative for Vegan Development is in the early stages. The purpose of the federation will be to link all these various abolitionist groups into an umbrella organization to share resources, utilize information for internal education, and plan federation events. This is yet another reason to develop an abolitionist group in your area. It may be just you for awhile; it may be just you for an entire year. But sooner or later, another abolitionist or interested party may join you, and then the numbers and momentum are sure to increase. If not, at least you will be part of the global network of vegan abolitionist groups. Right now, we just need to get things ready, so as the word spreads, we can assist all the future ex-omnivores with their vegan transformations.  In fact, right now, there is an abolitionist waiting for a group to start in Boston Massachussetts, another one in Hialeah, Florida…. and another one – well, maybe right where You live. What are YOU waiting for? It’s a Vegan World If You Want It, and so do I; we can’t keep waiting for the world to change – we have to Make It Happen!

Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer

http://www.aabva.org/

http://meetup.com/Animal-Rights-and-Rescue-of-North-Texas

http://coexistingwithnonhumananimals.blogspot.com/

http://nzveganpodcast.blogspot.com

www.TheWorldisVegan.com

Primarily Primates Macaque Rescue video

Seeds to Sow, lyrics by Michael Smith:

Chorus: (in Lugandan)
Kimu nkimaanyi
Buli muntu alina ensiigo
Omutima gwo gukulung ‘aamye
Buli muntu alina ensiigo

Some people sing it to express
While others hear another call
Some people speak with subtleness
Some don’t rely on words at all
But let me tell you ’bout…

One thing I know
Everybody’s got a seed to sow
let your heart of hearts
Take you down the road
Everybody’s got a seed to sow

(Connie Talbot – Over the Rainbow)

Not much is known about his early life, but chances are he was taken from his mother’s breast long before it was time. He was separated from his entire family, from all his brothers and sisters, before they even had time to grow out of infancy.  His mother was most likely not too available, her job as a sow keeping her in a confined pen, unable to even turn around and only able to move a few inches up or back. Many piglets are taken away as early as only ten days old and are then stuffed into overcrowded stalls to be fattened–there is no such thing as childhood for a farm pig. About 15% don’t even survive long enough to make it to the fattening pen due to the conditions of their lives. Tails are docked and castrations are often done right after birth, without anesthetic, adding insult to injury. A pig learns early in life that he has no power over the forces of his life, that life is painful, cruel, and filled with loss. Since this pig was property of someone, or so they mistakenly believed, he was held to that status by the end of a rope. How he ended up tied and tethered at the leg is unknown, but someone thought to cut him loose one day and took him to the animal shelter.  By then, the rope that anchored him had dug into his flesh so deeply that it was down to the bone.

The story of this pig quickly spread throughout the US and Canada. Due to the urgent nature of the pig’s needs, the pig community quickly came together. He was located in a shelter in Texas, so a local Texas sanctuary was contacted and the wheels started to roll. The sanctuary owner was deployed to get the pig and was astounded at what she saw. Her heart hurt for this big boy. Transporting this big guy in 116º temperatures of summer in Texas with no water available even at gas stations, it took awhile to find a business open that would give permission to water him down. He was almost comatose when they were able to continue on and arrived at the sanctuary’s vet. The following day the ligature was surgically removed and he was neutered. After a few days, he was ready to move to his forever home at the sanctuary. It was only a couple of days later when it became obvious the leg was in trouble.

When he was rescued, he was in bad shape, what with that damaged leg and all those years of suffering and abuse. The vet didn’t give him much hope of saving it, but he was worth the try. He was a good pig, stalwart, and he really wanted to live.  He made it through the surgery and went to the pig sanctuary where they heard of his story and couldn’t wait to meet him.  His story was all over Facebook, with many pig people and animal people following his every turn.

They named him Trooper, because everyone was impressed by his tenacity and his personal struggle for life. And he was a handsome pig, strong, with good pig lines, a Hampshire pig, black with that typical white band around his chest. He lived up to his name with his every step. When the leg grew cold and hurt, but he kept trying to stand. He would take a few steps and fall, take a few steps and teeter. As bad the the tethering had been, it had been regular and constant. Lately, all the stressors had been brand new and required much of Trooper to take them all in.  He was a gentle pig and must have had a heart, because he was so quietly courageous and so willing to forgive. He never gave up, he kept trying to recover and gain use of that leg.  He kept getting up, no matter what life threw at him; he never gave up. And all of us were willing him not to give, to keep trying one more time.

(Don’t Give Up by Josh Grogan)

The first post I saw on Facebook about Trooper was one posted by Terry DeGaw, the sanctuary owner that had agreed to take him in:

Not sure who all was willing to help the pig at Animal Control in Collin County Texas. He is a 400# Hampshire that was tethered with a rope around his leg. The rope has grown into his flesh and will have to be surgically removed as well as being neutered. I am on my way to pick him up and take him to my vet. This little piggy won’t be going to market…but just by the hair on his chinny chin chin.

Then came this Facebook entry about Trooper’s surgery:

Trooper’s damaged leg

There was hope he would regain some use of the leg, but the leg did not respond, with the lower leg becoming floppy, as if there were no bone in it. The vet was called, and she cut the tendon holding it all together, and the hoof fell off. Amputation was the only answer, so the vet scheduled him for the procedure. The surgery was to be done in the early afternoon.

Terry posted:

Trooper didn’t make it through recovery. I held so much hope and am so devastated I can’t stop crying. I so wanted to give him the life he deserved. I will never forget that gentle giant. His brief moment in time with
me will be everlasting. I know I will never be the same. Thanks to all that supported him…he was such a good pig. RIP Trooper..you tried so hard. I’m sorry I couldn’t have done more.

Then this:

I so wanted him to have some love and comfort in his life. He had never known there was anything like that in this world. He was invisible and cast aside.

I heard someone who worked in a slaughterhouse say that often pigs will nuzzle the slaughterhouse workers on their way to slaughter, as if they were trying to be seen, to get someone to recognize them, to see their panic and fear in their final moments, but sadly, no one does.

(You Don’t See Me – Keane)

Trooper in recovery

For those following Trooper, the abused Hampshire pig, he didn’t make it out of recovery. His foot pretty much fell off last night and was dangling by a small tendon. He underwent surgery for an amputation today. He arrested and couldn’t be revived. He had a rough time, and I am going to make sure it wasn’t be in vain.

That’s part of the reason for this podcast, I didn’t want the loss of Trooper to be in vain, either, and it hit Terry really, really hard. But being Terry….she had another pig she has to rush off to rescue with little time to grieve. Her new pig was found in a dark closet with horrible, dark and dingy conditions, leaving her looking like she came from a concentration camp.  Here was Terry’s entry about her:

Iggy was rescued today; don’t know where to start. This photo was taken in a dark closet which was her home; I wasn’t even sure if I had her in view. I really can’t do anymore regarding this for now, I need to go get some snurdles. Will say she is strong and determined. Will take camera.

There is a photo of a pig that is so neglected that it is horrifying, with her bones sticking through her flesh. I just can’t imagine people treating animals like this yet I know they do. I’ve written enough reports on animal hoarding and the foreclosures where animals have been found locked inside with no food or water that I don’t doubt the veracity. But when you see the living animals, when you see the conditions, when you smell the environment as Terry does, it is pretty horrifying to see the depths to which we humans can fall.

Abandoned pig “Nivea” rescued from dark closet

For Terry, it all started with rescuing some cats and bunnies, and then being asked to take on a litter of piglets that were doomed if Terry didn’t take them. So Terry said okay, but didn’t know much about raising piglets at that time. She was soon to learn. Now many dozens of pigs  later, many moves later, many years later, Terry has over 100 animals in her care at any given time. Just like with Trooper, she barely has time to grieve the loss of one before there is another one that needs her.  She has saved hundreds of animals over the years, but the hardest part of her doing this mostly on her own funds is the veterinary bills. She has started a Memorial Fund in honor of Trooper so she can yes to as many animals as possible so they don’t get euthanized and get a chance to know a little TLC before their time on Earth is over.

Poor Trooper never made it because he was just too damaged by then, so worn out by so many years of abuse and neglect. Getting know him just a little, I was sad he was unable to live for awhile at the sanctuary, where he would have received all the love and adoration he had never experienced in his life. But then I think of all the billions and billions of animals killed for food or sport or entertainment who are never known or seen, who never even know a single moment of kindness, the invisible pigs, the ones who are thought to be “meat’ from the moment of their conception, their pigness never acknowledged, never allowed to be part of a pig pack, to root in the dirt, to feel the breeze on their backs. There are billions and billions of animals deserving of life and this is just one pig, but it is one pig that can be a voice for all those other pigs and animals, all those pigs like Trooper who are really good pigs, if the truth be told. All those pigs who deserve their lives, who want their lives, and should have their lives.

When one of the sanctuary’s animals departs this life, they go to a place called Rainbow Bridge – Terry has a memorial page for departed friends on her website, too. To all the animals who have shown us a tremendous capacity for forgiveness in the face of all the horrible things we have done to them, who have honored us with trusting in the face of so much abuse, who have found a reason to get up and try again after being knocked down so many times, who have demonstrated those qualities of the Boar in Chinese culture – tremendous fortitude and great strength and that loyalty and love that is true Boarishness – to all those animals, I give tribute and thought today. Rest in peace at Rainbow Bridge, Trooper, you were truly a good pig.

(Over the Rainbow, 2)

(Travel interlude)

Music from this podcast is Connie Talbot’s Over the Rainbow, Josh Groban’s Don’t Give up and Keane’s You Don’t See Me.

I would like to draw your attention to the blog of someone who has been a long-time vegan of over 3 decades, Butterflies Katz. Her blog recently had some great articles about creative vegan education that gave me so many ideas I would need to clone myself it implement them all. You can find her blog at thevegantruth.blogspot.com. There will be a link on the Veganacious blog as well as photos of Trooper and Sweet Pea, too.

Veganism: A Truth Whose Time Has Come (Butterflies Katz)

Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary (Terry DeGaw) [You may contribute to Trooper's Memorial Fund to help save more animals by going to Donate button on the left]

Videos of Trooper trying to walk and new little pig rooting in the dirt for the first time – Terry DeGaw on Facebook

We let animals know that we do not care about them 56 billion times a year, when we use their bodies for food. We show we don’t care every time we put an animal down in a shelter, or crush them under our boots, or use them for entertainment. Any time there is a disaster, whether manmade like 9/11 or natural such as the floods in Pakistan and the Earthquakes in Haiti, one thing is certain:  there will be devastation and death for animals, both human and nonhuman.  But for the nonhuman animals, there is also often a lack of consideration, planning, or provisions. In a world that views these beings as “things,” they become mere possessions to save for another day’s use, or abandoned altogether. We show them we don’t care.

One of the first disasters we experienced was a flooding of the Russian River. We lived right on the river; our home looked like a houseboat when the river rose, and allowed lots of riverbottom for the kids to explore during the summer months. This was a seasonal occurrence, and we all knew when the water rose above a certain step on the stairs going down to the river, it was time to boogie. The only animals that lived with us were a semi-feral cat we had befriended and a wild squirrel that felt the tree growing out of our deck was his private property. He and our cat were always at it, with him screeching and throwing nuts at Slinx, and Slinx twitching his tail and growling at the squirrel.  I didn’t know the boys were leaving cashews on the porch railing for the squirrel; no wonder he never seemed to leave that tree.

Russian River Rising and the Ojai Fire

One winter’s day, the river began rising, getting precariously close to that step that spelled danger.  We were prepared for the worst, but for us, we were spared. We began watching as a parade of belongings and living beings were being swept past our window in the rapidly moving river.  We saw people’s trash cans, their lawn chairs, tree limbs, dogs, and even a deer. We felt dreadfully impotent watching those animals speed by so quickly. There was no way to help them; we lived near a curve in the river and hoped they could climb out at that point. The deer seemed particulary distressed and I wondered even if he made it out alive, would he know how to find his clan if he was swept too close to town?  We never heard any more and hopefully assumed he made it out. But it was a real wakeup call that when nature comes calling, she often knocks awfully loudly on the animals’ door.

Later, when the boys were adolescents, we were living in a small town that experienced a dreadful fire.  It was engulfing our town and we watched in horror as different parts of the land around the town would go up in flames.  Each boy was told to take one laundry basket and one cat if we had to evacuate; I would take whatever else we might need. I used to run in the early morning hours and often ran for many miles outside of town, but when I ran during the fire, I would see many small wild creatures, so close into town that it was shocking, animals I never saw before — squirrels, possums, other creatures looking for water or shelter. There was usually no one else up and about at that early hour and the animals didn’t scurry when they saw me, the way they normally would. They must have been exhausted and in shock. It was only when the fire was over and we drove over the thousands of acres of burnt national forest that we realized how desperate the situation was for the animals. Remember that famous photo of two deer in the middle of a stream, surrounded by flames? It was like being thrust into a surreal landscape, but the destruction and heat were all too real.

Hurricane Katrina

It has now been five years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, with New Orleans suffering the worst damage due to the levees breaking. I have watched dozens of hours of film about the disaster, and there seems little doubt that the people in power failed to respond in a timely manner. It seems inexcusable. (Lewis Black clip about New Orleans after Katrina) But when it comes to the animals, it is even worse, with people being told to abandon their animals with the promise they could return in a day or two, a promise that was soon broken.  Remember the heartbreaking vision of a little boy clinging to his small white dog, Snowball? He did not want to let go of his dog; he knew a dangerous storm was coming. He was told to put the dog down and get on the bus, and he cried so hard he vomited.  That one little boy seemed more in touch with reality than all the adults surrounding him.  He left his dog, through no fault of his own, to suffer the disaster of the storm and its aftermath, alone, abandoned and distressed. And he seemed to know it was not right to abandon that helpless little dog to the streets and the storm.

One wonders what little Snowball must have experienced when that bus drove away, alone of the streets. Did he try to get back to the home he had known? Did he wander the streets, looking for food and water?  The storm arrived several hours later; was he killed by the flying debris? Did he drown in the rising waters from the breached levees? One thing is certain; Snowball was left in desperate circumstances when he became an inconvenience for the human caretakers that “owned” him. Sorry, Snowball, no room on the bus for you.

Some people stayed with their animals throughout the storm. Many left their animals with food and water, being told they could return in a day or two at most.  But when the levees broke, people and rescue services were denied access to New Orleans.  By the time rescue workers were allowed in, they found animals all over the city and tried to leave food and water where they could, but once again, the animals were left alone. Alone in homes that were devasted, without electricity, without anyone to comfort or care for them. If must have seemed like hell had descended on earth.

After the initial few days, a rescue center was set up and any animals still alive were taken to the center. Many hard-working people tried to help the animals and set up websites to match missing owners and missing animals. Many animals suffered horrendous deaths of starvation, drowning, dehydration, and disease.  A documentary called MINE tells the tales of people who tried to find their animals after the storm.  According to some of the rescue workers, many of the Katrina animals were not spayed or neutered, and many tested positive for heartworm. Some were found locked in garages or tied to stakes; many showed scars from dogfighting. For some, Katrina meant rescue from a horrible life; for others, it spelled doom and stress. Many people tried for years to get their animal family members back; some new families refused to relinquish them; a few were reunited. In some cases, the new families maintained visitation with the original families and in at least one case, the new families got their dog back when the original family member died.

Somethings were learned during Katrina – here is how things have improved for Gustav survivors. (Clip from IFAW podcast about Gustav)

Pakistan, Haiti and the Tsunami

The floods in Pakistan have devastated the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and many animals along with them.  For many of these people, animals represent a food source, and thus are a low priority when there is not enough food. They are dragged along as they flee, but many have such spare frames it does not appear they could possibly last for very long in such gaunt conditions.

Right after the Haiti earthquake, one of the vegan forums I was frequenting found people searching for an organization that would help the affected animals.  There were groups like HSUS that were working to save the livestock, but only so they could be killed another day.  The stray dogs had a very slim chance of survival with people starving and in the streets, too.

When the Tsunami hit the shores of the Indian Ocean on December 26th, 2004, a different animal story emerged. This disaster resulted in more human tragedy than nonhuman, at least for the land animals. (clip on the animals in the Tsunami) There is still much we do not yet know about animals; many of us still do not know they have feelings and are social beings.

I wonder about that little boy, the one who cried himself sick over Snowball. Did he learn to stuff his feelings and not care so much for other beings? Did he get another puppy and forget about Snowball? Or did losing Snowball haunt him? I wonder if he will become vegan one day, a quiet protest against an unfeeling society.  I hope he didn’t learn to adapt to all the sleeping people around him. I hope he has stayed awake and alive and kept in touch with his natural feelings for other beings.

Speciesism and Moral Confusion – Love Them or Want Them?

The speciesism and moral confusion that run rampant among human beings is apparent in the film (MINE) about Katrina animals. Some of the original families claimed that their dog was a family member, but the new families often felt the same way. Due to the long period of time before Katrina victims were able to stablize and return, many of the animals had already adapted to their new families and homes. At times, ownership becomes apparent in the dialogue: He is mine! He is MY PROPERTY! If they were truly family members, then why were they left behind when the rest of the family evacuated?

Hurricane Katrina happened in part because we destroyed the wetlands that would normally protect the coast and failed to create substantial levees to protect New Orleans.  The fire that we experienced in the Ojai Valley was man made, yet all the manpower went to protectiong property, not animal habitat and lives.  Even the BP oil disaster is evidence that mankind sees disaster though his own narrow lens. The ocean is already so toxic and contaminated that it could well be a giant dead zone within this century.

Not letting Snowball in the bus is just a metaphor for mankind keeping the animals outside the moral community.  We are not separate; we are all life with a capital “L.”  When we recognize our collective belonging, we will make way for the animals.  Sadly, Snowball’s time in hell happens repeatedly, day in and day out, for billions and billions and billions of animals.
~~~~~~

Abolition of Speciesism

They Don’t Care by Munga

They Don’t Really Care About US by Michael Jackson

They Don’t Really Care About Us by Karaoke Star Explosion

Lewis Black - New Orleans (Live at Carnegie Hall)

Dr. Jennifer C. – Talking Animals

IFAW – Rescue After Gustav

Creation podcast – The Tsunami and the Animals

For our November trip to Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary, a couple of new critters had come and a couple had gone on to their final resting place. Our task was to build a chicken coop for the birds, so they can be kept safe at night from the predators that come around after dark.  The design was simple, with a walkway for Terry, the director of the sanctuary, to gain access to feed the birds and check on them. They will be free to run and peck around the property during the day, and will be safely inside their coop after hours.  According to the latest census, Serenity Springs now has: 90 pigs, 11 cats, 6 horses, 3 mini horses, 4 donkeys, 7 dogs, 1 goat and 2 steer.  Oh, and one human, Terry DeGaw, who keeps the whole thing operational.  She maintains an “open door” policy, so feel free to stop by for a visit.

One of the new residents is a cute but somewhat shy little gray and white pig; adorable, but still a little people-leary.  And a new dog arrived, too, a part border collie with the whitest white and blackest black shiny coat, Josie Mae. She couldn’t get enough attention and was content to follow the visitors around the property as they worked. Like many of the dumped or abandoned animals Terry rescues, she was in bad shape when she was discovered, but you would never know it to see her today, with her healthy, happy demeanor.

A new program has been started to help with fundraising for the sanctuary. Anyone in Texas who has a Kroger card can take a printed barcode in when they next shop, and once scanned by the checker, a percentage of all purchases go to the sanctuary at no cost to the card holder.  When you are supporting over 100 animals, it all helps. Imagine the vet bills alone! Please download and print the bar code, take it to Kroger is you shop there, and help the sanctuary out at the same time.

Going back to the sanctuary and getting more and more familiar with the animals makes it harder to leave every time.  The fall weather was lovely, and all the leaves were every hue from gold to green to red and orange.  The pigs were starting to nestle down in their hay; the cats were hiding in their little plastic bins (each has a hole and each is filled with blankets, so the cats can stay warm inside).  When I approached, one after another little nose suddenly appeared, curious to see who was visiting them.  I went with our Meetup director Briggitte Dix to feed the pigs and horses some veggies she brought from home – mostly home grown and organic.  Brigitte went back to give all the animals their Christmas presents. Happy Holidays, Serenity Springs!

Meetup director working at the sanctuary

On twenty-five wooded acres in Forestburg, Texas is an animal rescue and sanctuary called Serenity Springs.  Forestburg is steeped in old west history; but there are lots of untold stories right in the sanctuary. Our vegan meetup goes out periodically to try to render some assistance, so I had perused their website prior to my first trip out to see the animals. Despite the website photos,  I was ill-prepared for all the animals (well over one hundred) and their amazing guardian, Terry DeGaw. Terry has been at this game of tending her flock for nearly twenty years now. She is a compassionate woman whose kindness has allowed many animals to survive and flourish in a peaceful setting when others tossed them aside. Many of the animals had been abused and neglected, or nearly slaughtered, prior to coming to Serenity Springs, so Terry truly offers them a second chance. It also means her days are long and hard, but you will never hear her complain. There are dozens of water troughs and bellies that need to be filled, and animals that need grooming, nursing, loving, spoiling.  Terry does it all.

Buddy abandoned

Behind the beautiful serene setting and the happy and healthy animals, lies tragedy and suffering.  This is a photo of Buddy, a beautiful little miniature horse that was left by the side of the road with no way to care for himself.  But once in the care of Terry, he quickly filled out and today is a sweet and feisty young gelding.  Some of the animals came to Serenity Springs because their people got tired of them, or had to move, or felt they could no longer afford their care.  For Terry, this is a lifetime commitment.  The only day off she has had in the past nearly twenty years was to take two days off for surgery.  She does not do just the bare minimum, either. When we joined her in feeding the animals, it was not a fast process, because Terry chats with each one and checks anything that seems amiss.  To sponsor Buddy or one of the other animals, go here.

Buddy today

Gyro

Terry DeGaw

The Sanctuary is a 503c non-profit organization, but Terry is not receiving much help.  She does offer sponsorship for the animals and a few do have sponsors. The sponsors send a monthly check to provide for their animal and often send treats to make that animal’s life extra special. When I arrived and approached the Keystone Klan, a group of farm pigs, they started nibbling on my shoes and chatting at me; I think they were scolding me for not bringing them the oatmeal cookies their sponsor usually provides. Next time I will know better than to come empty-handed!  Terry has a large family to feed, and the recession has not helped out much since, like most non-profits, donations are down. There are always vet bills as you might imagine, and the feed bills, and then the bills the rest of us have to pay just to keep a roof over our heads. Terry has to deal with those as well.  To make ends meet, she takes on another job in the evenings, at the local hospice organization. Comforting others til the very end of a very long day is typical of Terry.

Along with numerous farm and pot-belly pigs, there are cats, dogs (including a three-legged dog that can run and keep up with the others), a peacock, several chickens and roosters, cows, horses (including a blind horse), two miniature horses, donkeys, goats, and a variety of fowl that live at the sanctuary.  Some of the horses are in large paddocks, others roam around the property, always staying near other animals or humans.  After grooming the horses and delivering hay to animals staying on a nearby property, it was feeding time. This is a long process, because there are so many animals to feed.  Terry knows each and every one by name and will proudly tell you their personal history, no different than any proud parent.

Potbellies

Keystone Klan

Calypso

Chacka and Kia

Jazzy Joe

Pig barn

Bogart

The sanctuary is aptly named, for there is a sense of peacefulness that permeates the area. There is so much Tender Loving Care that you can tell just by walking about that the animals are loved. The pigs have igloos, barns, and shelters along with water troughs, feed troughs, and swimming pools.  There is an area looks like a pig spa where several pigs seemed to enjoy splashing about. One little character was walking around with his igloo on top, doing a good impression of a turtle. There are lots of trees and shade from the sun in each paddock and pen. It is very clean and well kept, despite the lack of help.  The dogs roam about freely and the cats own the back porch, where they have multi-level housing.  Some of the cats are not very sociable, so Terry just gives them their space.  All of them, though, as with all of the animals, were so lovable and deserving of their lives.  I think the only animal on the property that is not getting enough attention and care is Terry herself.  Let’s change that if we can!

Ways to help

Even if it is not possible to sponsor an animal, please consider giving what you can.  A $10 donation from several people will really help with vet and feed bills.

Click here to donate via Capital One:

To vote for Serenity Springs to receive part of a $25,000 grant, please go here.

To donate to the sanctuary using PayPal, go here.

For more information about donating or volunteering, contact Terry DeGaw:

email her at  serenitysprings@wisewb.com or call (940) 964-2318

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