2017 RESCUE STORIES ASHA SANCTUARY Minnah's (Mee-nah / kindness) rescue is a bittersweet story of love and heartbreaking loss. I received a call in late November on our emergency line that a baby pig was in a very desperate situation and needed a home. There was a local fire department that was raffling off live animals to the general public, and an innocent baby pig was caught in this unspeakable cruelty. The winner of this baby pig boasted to friends that he wanted to bring her to a party where she would have been subjected to ridicule and abuse. He was then planning to release her in the town. A very kind man took action to help the baby pig by persuading the winner to release her to him. He brought the baby pig home and built a safe pen for her. The next morning, I drove 7 hours to bring Minnah to safety at Asha. I chose to name her "Minnah" because the name means "kindness," and that was exactly how this compassionate man acted. Since Minnah was only a baby, I brought her inside my home. Minnah quickly fell in love with my 12 year old, rescued mastiff, Odin. She followed Odin around everywhere and would start up conversations with him. Minnah felt happy and secure being near him. Tragically, Odin died suddenly a little over a week after her rescue. Although I live with another rescued dog, Minnah shows very little interest in him. The love Minnah felt for Odin shows the emotional and complex lives of pigs. She is no different than a three year old child. Odin was an incredible friend to both me and Minnah. He will be sadly missed forever, but especially through this Christmas season. Najaah (Naa-jah / success) narrowly escaped slaughter at a small farm where she was being treated like "something" and not the beautiful "someone" she is. Incredibly, she managed to find a hide away in an animal lover's backyard. These kind people gave her food and water, and Najaah chose to stay there through the summer and early fall. When late fall approached, there was concern she would need a warm and dry shelter to survive the winter. Her caretakers contacted me and told of her story. I was so amazed by this turkey's courage to beat the odds, and I did not hesitate to take her in. I chose to name her "Najaah" because her story is one of triumph. She may be a wild turkey, but she is anything from "wild." Najaah is one of our most gentle birds at the sanctuary. Turkeys are highly intelligent birds, and Najaah's story certainly demonstrates this. Najaah showed wisdom in knowing she was in grave danger at that farm, making the decision to escape and finding refuge among kind humans. We are so happy she made it. Moses (drawn out and delivered) was taken away from his mother at birth and chained where he could barely move. He was kept in a barren barn with no sunlight or straw. Moses laid helplessly on a cold, concrete floor. When I left Moses briefly to sort out hospital paperwork, he cried out for me. I hurried to get back to him, and once I was able to hold him again, his eyes filled with tears as they rolled down his face. Today, Moses is thriving thanks to the loving care and compassion of our very generous and loving community. As his immune system is still building, he will continue to be guarded until one year old. I chose to name him "Moses" because he was truly rescued from a horrible life of bondage and suffering where he would have been killed just for being a male calf. Moses will serve as the ambassador for the ones I had no other choice, but to leave behind and the millions of baby calves violently killed around the world every year. God bless Moses. Kyomi (named after a dedicated volunteer) lived her very young life with a "family" that raised organic chickens for eggs. When she could no longer produce the amount of eggs her "family" demanded, they no longer wanted Kyomi and her friends. The "family" posted on social media that Kyomi and her friends were going to auction where they would be horrifically treated and killed, unless someone else "wanted" them. A compassionate couple saw the post and immediately contacted the "family" asking if they could please take the chickens to a sanctuary. This couple also posted about the birds' desperate situation in a private facebook group and tagged me. I immediately responded that we would give Kyomi and her friends a home at Asha. The couple drove many miles to get the chickens to safety at our sanctuary. Kyomi means a lot to all of us at Asha, and we think of her as "someone," and not "something" to be discarded as trash. She and her friends now truly live among a very loyal family of humans (and feathered friends!) where they will always feel safe and loved. Todd (sweet and lovable) was just a baby when he and his sister, Rebekah, were sent to auction to be sold to the highest bidder as a "feeder" pigs. These innocent baby pigs are only 6 to 8 weeks when they are horrifically killed for consumers that very unnecessarily demand "tender meat." A local woman could not bear to see Todd and his sister harmed, and she desperately negotiated for their release. She got both of them to safety by providing the pigs warmth and safety at her home. Unfortunately, her property did not meet zoning requirements, and she was told to immediately find the two a home or they would be ceased. She contacted me in desperation and asked if Asha could help. Fortunately, we had the room, and I told her to please bring the pigs to me. Today, Todd and his sister enjoy playing in the snow, nestling in warm straw and getting their bellies rubbed by our volunteers and visitors. Todd is a very laid back boy and is totally okay with letting his sister be in charge. He enjoys eating special treats like yams, squash, and greens. Todd will live out his entire life with his sister, where the two will always experience kindness and love at our sanctuary. Rebekah (named after the character in Genesis who had a very "independent" personality) was just a baby when she and her brother, Todd, were sent to auction to be sold to the highest bidder as "feeder" pigs. These innocent baby pigs are only 6 to 8 weeks when they are horrifically killed for consumers that demand "tender meat." A local woman could not bear to see Rebekah and her brother harmed, and she desperately negotiated for their release. She got both of them to safety by providing the pigs warmth and safety at her home. Unfortunately, her property did not meet zoning requirements, and she was told to immediately find the two a home or they would be ceased. She contacted me in desperation and asked if Asha could help. Fortunately, we had the room, and I told her to please bring the pigs to me. Today, Rebekah and her brother enjoy sleeping closely together, waking up to play in the preserved, wooded forest and lots of belly rubs by our volunteers and visitors. She enjoys eating special treats like apples, pumpkins and greens. Rebekah will live out her entire life with her brother, and she will always experience kindness and love at our sanctuary. Mary is as pure as snow and gentle as a lamb. I named her after the purest character in the bible, the Virgin Mary. Her life was spared by a local woman who could not bear to see Mary and her brother, Gabriel, torn apart and sold to the highest bidder in an extremely cruel auction. She desperately made a plea for not only Mary's release, but for her brother as well. This woman was able to reunite the siblings and get them to safety at her home. Unfortunately, her property did not meet zoning requirements, and she was told to immediately find the two a home or they would be ceased. She contacted me in desperation and asked if Asha could help. We were able to make the room, and I told her to please bring the two sheep to me. Today, Mary lives up to her name in being the most pure, gentle and sweetest farmed animal at Asha. Both she and her brother were "adopted" by Cindy, a former dairy cow that lives at Asha. This beautiful family eat, sleep and love to spend time together. Mary and her brother will never be harmed again or experience the pain of being torn a part. The siblings and their new mother, Cindy, are a true family that will stay together forever. Gabriel (messenger) came to us as a very frightened sheep who would not allow anyone to come close. I named him after the character in the bible, Gabriel the Archangel, who had a very important message to bring to the world. His life was spared by a local woman who could not bear to see Gabriel and his sister, Mary, torn apart and sold to the highest bidder in an extremely cruel auction. She desperately made a plea for not only Gabriel's release, but for his sister as well. This woman was able to reunite the siblings and get them both safe at her home. Unfortunately, her property did not meet zoning requirements, and she was told to immediately find the two a home or they would be ceased. She contacted me in desperation and asked if Asha could help. We were able to make the room, and I told her to please bring the two sheep to me. Ten months later, Gabriel reveals his message to the world. Sheep are not the shy and unsocial beings we may think they are. Tragically, living like a "thing" that is disrespected and tossed around like trash, leaves these very gentle beings afraid of humans. After ten months of patience, love and kindness at Asha, Gabriel now allows us to touch and caress him. Gabriel's message to the world is "please be kind and compassionate to me, and you will experience true love." Gabriel and his sister were "adopted" by Cindy, a former dairy cow that lives at Asha. This beautiful family eat, sleep and love to spend time together. They will never be harmed again or experience the pain of being torn a part. The siblings and their new mother, Cindy, are a true family that will stay together forever. Liz and Laura (named after our dedicated volunteers) and sixteen of their feathered friends lived at an organic farm where they were cramped together in a closed shed. They each had no more room than a sheet of paper. They were denied their most basic freedom to spread their wings and dust bathe. After two years, the chickens could no longer produce the same amount of eggs demanded from the organic farm. They were tragically tossed into small crates, where they could not even move, and sent off to a very cruel auction. A local woman intervened and negotiated for their release. She brought the chickens to her home and released them to freedom. Unfortunately, her property was not zoned for agriculture and was told the chickens would be ceased. This woman contacted me and told me about the situation they were in. She pleaded in desperation for me to please take the birds. I told her to bring Liz, Laura and all their friends to me. Today, these innocent chickens have a forever life at Asha. They enjoy spending time with their friends and special treats like grapes, apples and corn cobs. Ruth (friend, companion) was found confined, starved and living in her own waste when the Niagara County SPCA began rescue efforts to save her and another pig, named Naomi. During the rescue, she was thought to be aggressive, and it was not looking good that she would be placed at a sanctuary. The NCSPCA contacted me and asked if Asha could take Naomi, who was a very approachable and friendly pig. Although we did not have a pig barn yet, I said we could have one built in a matter of weeks and take her in. I also asked about Ruth coming with her. I was told that Naomi and Ruth were kept apart and the two did not know each other. Because it was thought that Ruth may be aggressive toward Naomi, I was discouraged on taking her. I continued the conversation and suggested that we build a barn with two dens and separate entrances. Should they not be compatible, they would have their own private areas. The SPCA agreed to my proposal and found the pigs a temporary home until the barn was built. They were placed in pens next to each other. Upon arrival at Asha, Ruth did not leave Naomi's side. Naomi exuded a strong and confident personality, while Ruth was more of a worrier and followed Naomi everywhere she went as she investigated Asha. Ruth, not being familiar with a high tensile fence, touched it with her nose. The fence is designed to give a small shock to keep the farmed animals safe inside the pasture. And that it did! Ruth remembered this experience so when Naomi headed toward the fence, she immediately got in front and steered her away. (I've touched the fence myself many times to make sure it's on and although it is unpleasant, I survived to tell the tale!). That evening when I went into the barn to say goodnight to the pigs, I expected that each one would be in their own pen. Instead I found both of them nestled close to each other. Naomi was sleeping peacefully with no worries, while Ruth looked up at me with a cautious and vigilant eye. I named the pigs Ruth and Naomi after the characters in The Book of Ruth. Naomi was Ruth's mother-in-law, and she was a very strong and confident woman. Ruth on the other hand was young and naive. Naomi's husband died, and eventually Ruth's did as well. Left with no men to take care of both women, Naomi insisted that Ruth find a husband. Instead, Ruth who worried about Naomi's well being, insisted on taking care of her. Just like Ruth the pig, she refused to leave her side. Tragically only a few weeks later, Naomi fell very ill. I called for emergency transport, and both I and the transporter drove Naomi to Nemo Farm Animal Hospital, three hours away from Asha. Naomi was brought into emergency surgery. I received the call shortly after that three large tumors the size of basket balls filled her abdomen and surrounded her organs. The surgeon told me there was nothing more they could do, and we needed to let her die peacefully. One of the hardest and most painful decisions I ever had to make as a sanctuary director was to let Naomi go. But, it was not nearly as hard as it was for Ruth who just lost her best friend forever. Shortly after Naomi's death, we rescued two more pigs, and they helped to provide Ruth much needed companionship. Still, Ruth does not sleep with these pigs and chooses to sleep by herself. You see, just like Meenah who formed a loving relationship with Odin, Ruth formed one with Naomi. Pigs are very complex and emotional individuals. As I said before, they are no different than a three year old child. Today, Ruth is our most sweetest and gentle pig. Love surely conquers all. In Memory of Naomi CONTACT:Tracy Murphy, founder and president Asha Sanctuary MEET THE RESCUED FARMED ANIMALS: @ashasanctuary.com GET PAID $5 TO MEET A COW: @meetacow.com FOLLOW ALBERT THE SUPER COW: @facebook.com/albertthesupercow @ashasanctuary.com/alberts-super-kitchen @facebook.com/groups/albertthesupercow7dayvegpledge CONNECT WITH VEGANS IN WNY: @wnyveganconnect.org
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