How are you an activist?

Did you catch the story about the woman who jumped into a bullring to comfort a dying animal? Here’s a look into the psychology that drives young men to run in front of bulls, and how this woman’s actions protest more than animal cruelty. 

By the numbers, nonhuman animals are the most oppressed beings on the planet. Their exploitation is planned and systematic. Their fate is determined by those who deem them less valuable because they are different from us. Stand up for the vulnerable. Be an ally to other animals.

Do you want to show the public how 95% of hens in the egg industry live? We’re looking for someone in the Bay Area or Sacramento area to expand the Brave the Cage campaign! Apply today!

What was your most memorable animal moment of 2014?

All this week Animal Place will keep you posted with our best moments! Keep your eyes peeled!

Justice For Panda!

Breaking news! The man responsible for setting Panda on fire has been sentenced to jail and ordered to seek treatment! The man accused doused Panda in kerosene and lit him on fire. Luckily Panda was rescued and now lives at Animal Place where he’s fully recovered, making friends, and adored by staff, volunteers, and other folks checking out the sanctuary.

While most cruelty towards farmed animals goes unnoticed and is considered standard practice within the animal agriculture business, Panda’s lucky. He’s had amazing support from those fighting on his behalf for justice to be served!

http://www.newtimesslo.com/breaking-news/11711/paso-man-sentenced-in-animal-cruelty-case/

Know that you want to help animals, but not really sure what to do about it? Check out the first part of Our Hen House’s “100 Ways to Change the World For Animals.”

This month we celebrated our 25th anniversary of Animal Place. Check out this interview with co-founder and executive director, Kim Sturla, where she explains how it all began.

What inspired you to start Animal Place and what were you doing before?

My inspiration came from a deep sadness of how farmed animals are treated, the lack of laws protecting them, the lack of awareness about their plight, and how few people were speaking on their behalf. Plus, I knew  there is something every person can do to help – simply stop eating them!

Before I co-founded Animal Place, I was running Peninsula Humane Society and living in Pacifica. The start up funds to embark on starting a sanctuary came from me  selling my home. I also changed jobs to afford me the  flexibility of working from home at the sanctuary. The “sanctuary” was 60-acres of undeveloped land in Vacaville, CA… no electricity, no phone, no home. . . just a ramshackled old trailer.

When you began, did you ever think Animal Place would grow to be what it is today? What were you originally hoping for?

My original intent was simply to provide sanctuary for farmed animals who had nowhere else to go. We were saving animals from our local shelter, local cruelty cases, and from research labs. We did not begin with a master plan. I think that is how it is with most non-profit organizations: you blindly and enthusiastically jump into the water with both feet. The key to success is just being flexible enough to evolve.

Did you have experience with animal care? How did you learn? Did you hire caregivers?

The experience both of us cofounders brought to Animal Place was substantial. My background was in humane society management and program development. And the other cofounder, Dr. Ned Buyukmihci was a veterinary professor at UC-Davis It was just the two of us for the first ten years, and after that we hired our first employee who was a pre-veterinary student..

What options were there for rescued farmed animals in the early 1990s?

There really weren’t many options. That's why we adopted our first sanctuary resident, Zelda, from the Peninsula Humane Society. Our humane society adoption staff had worked tirelessly to find her a loving home, but the only interested adopters wanted to barbque her in six months.

How did you learn to care for individuals who have been bred for early death?

Animals bred for food production certainly have their own unique medical issues. For us, it was a lot of trial and error. Another sanctuary had started a few years before and we did a lot of networking. We often consulted large animal veterinarians from UC Davis.

What kept you going through difficult times early on?

There was never a time when I thought, "I can't go on." What kept me motivated was my very unrelenting commitment to saving animals. I stayed aware and focused on the importance of the work we were doing. I'd occasionally check in with myself to make sure that life was what I wanted, but always came back with the same thing. And here we are 25 years later.

What advice would you give others wanting to start their own farmed animal sanctuary?

I'd advise anyone hoping to start their own sanctuary to spend  time at other sanctuaries. Then, develop a business plan. And recognize that you likely will have to fund all the initial costs. Mostly, know that this will be a life-long commitment and see it as such.

What are you hoping for the future of Animal Place?

I hope that it continues to grow, save as many lives as possible, and change many hearts and minds. I also hope that we never compromise our core mission of promoting veganism.

What are some amazing animal bonds that you've witnessed?

To me, that's like asking if I have ever witnessed any amazing human bonds – I witnessed the wonderful bonding all the time.

Many stand out --  Joe,  a Jersey steer, who would regularly nuzzle and groom Lulu the Pig.

Norm, the goat, who would wait for his elderly goat companion Nancy, to catch up with the herd.

Two wonderful pigs - Aloha and Bruce -- would sleep together every single night usually under the stars and not in the barn with rest of the pigs.

Mary and Notorious boy – old debeaked hen and rooster who were inseparable. They slept perched together -- often with Notorious boy’s wing draped over Mary’s shoulder.

Any favorite rescue stories that moved you?

All large rescues are powerful. In 2005 we saved 2000+ hens from feces-encrusted cages. In 2013 we liberated 3000 hens and then charted a cargo plane to fly 1100 to east coast sanctuaries. During hurricane Katrina, I scooped up hundreds of frail little bodies scattered over destroyed farms. We save 2100 chickens in three nights on Mississippi farms.

I remember  as if it were yesterday, jumping over a fence and trespassing onto an abandoned farm only to document and photograph dying sheep and goats. That was where I saved Sebastian - a sickly week old goat. He was one of the few who made it out of there alive.

When I first saw Bruce, the pig, while investigating a local cruelty case, he was just a skeleton living in mud and muck. Cruelty charges were filed and within 48 hours we received custody and I coaxed him into our stock trailer with a bucket of fruit and pastries.

Last thoughts?

My memories would be far fewer if it was not for our wonderful supporters. I extend my deep appreciation to them for being a part of the awesome work we accomplish together.

And for folks wanting to give Animal Place that one special birthday present in celebration of our 25th . .  try a vegan diet! That is just about the best gift the animals could ask for!

Fridays From the Field with Caregiver Celeste, "Three of our newest residents: Magpie, Georgina Grace, and Rudy all like to sleep as close as can be in a snuggly piglet pile!"

"We love having volunteers of all ages at Rescue Ranch. Here is Rescue Ranch Manager Jan showing volunteer Hadija our Animal Care Room and some of our special needs hens."

Check out animal care manager Ciara Fiack on the Food and Farm Show as she talks about Mr. G and Jellybean's story: 

Live in Southern California? Please go support our film Turlock the Documentary at the Studio City Film Festival on June 8th in the 3:15-5:15 block.

More info here: http://www.studiocityfilmfestival.com/#!2014-schedule/cmy

Fridays From the Field with Animal Care Manager Ciara, " This is Claire and Owen tucked in close and cuddled up for bed. Claire and Owen have become quite close. Once Claire was even stuck in a position laying down and she could not get up. Owen wouldn’t leave her and used his grunts and snorts to let us know his friend was in trouble. We were able to help Claire up and Owen and her immediately touched noses a sign of affection from one pig to another :)"

Rescue Ranch Snapshot with Caregiver Darren, "Miss Jelly Bean taking a dust bath, while Mr. G watches from afar."

#ThrowbackThursday is Stanley upon arrival. He had the cutest angry face! In December of 2012, Stanley became separated from his mom during a powerful winter storm. Shivering and afraid, he collapsed in the middle of a busy road where a highway patrol officer rescued him. He's much bigger now and a sweet, friendly bovine. He turns two in December!

We said goodbye to one of our beloved hens, Big Red, recently. The negative effects of gout caught up to her and she had to be euthanized.  Big Red was confiscated from a cruelty case involving a small egg farm neglecting the hens in their care. Like many hens exploited for egg production, Big Red produced far too many eggs than normal.  Big Red lived to be 7 years old and was much loved.

Have you purchased your tickets for our Music in the Meadow 25th Anniversary Celebration (aka the social event of the year) yet?! Only three weeks left -- buy now! https://www.facebook.com/events/684524698271183/