cultivating understanding and a more compassionate world one sanctuary at a time
What could be better than hanging out at a farm sanctuary with rescued animals? Not much! Situated in the hills of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary, founded by Dr. William (Bill) Crain, and Dr. Ellen Crain is home to over 100 rescued farm […]
Last week I took a trip from the Hudson Valley to Jp Farm Animal Sanctuary in Litchfield, Connecticut to visit Lynn and Oscar, Britt, and Yvonne, and the beautiful Scottish Highland cows who are now living safely and happily ever after at the Sanctuary. Going […]
Hope Spot Hatteras is a sanctuary for marine life. Blog post and podcast coming soon.
Lauren tells the story of how HHHH Farm Rescue was started, and her first rescue, Celtic (a horse), and purchasing her own farm when she turned 25. She discusses her second rescue and the latest rescue (Beau) another horse. They recently rescued Veda (meaning life) […]
In this episode Todd Friedman tells the story of how Arthur’s Acres was started and talks about the animals he has rescued. We discuss the dark side of animal agriculture, about different alternatives and options to meat products and the impact animal agriculture has […]
Jennie and Jason Hays, the founders of Oliver and Friends Farm Sanctuary, in Luther Oklahoma talk about the work they do and the animals they rescue. This animal sanctuary is run solely by volunteers. Jennie and Jason work at other jobs to support themselves and the sanctuary, and they have volunteers who work with them and also have other jobs. It’s a labor of love for sure.
Jennie tells us about the first animal they rescued, a pig named Clarice who was an ex- FFA pig and talks about the detrimental effect that programs like FFA and 4-H have on children and their families. These programs are designed to teach children where their food comes from, (which is a good thing) and how to take care of animals, but the end result, after they have loved and cared for the animals is that they are slaughtered for food. This is particularly hard for the young children who have raised and become attached to these animals.
Jennie talks about their beloved Oliver, a sweet camel who the sanctuary is named after and the plight of camels and how they are exploited.
In this episode we discuss “compassion fatigue” and ways to stay healthy when you are rescuing and caring for animals full time.
We discuss different issues with animals in animal agriculture and some of the rescues they have from beef and dairy farmers, as well as the importance of communicating respectfully and professionally with farmers and ranchers. Jennie talks about the love the farmers have for the animals, even though for us it is hard to understand how they do what they do.
Jennie tells us how to volunteer, visit, and support the sanctuary. They have volunteer days and also private tours with hands on time with the animals to get up close and personal with them.
If you would like to learn more about this amazing sanctuary and support the work they are doing please visit their website, or better yet, go visit in person!!
Alyson Charles, also known as Rockstar Shaman talks about trusted ways we can directly support the Indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest. She has worked and studied with Amazonian Master Shaman and Chief of the Ashaninka Tribe, Benki Piyako. He won U.N. award for his […]
For this episode I visit Oscar and Lynn, the founders of JP Farm Sanctuary, to talk with them, and Oscar’s sister Britt about life on the farm and the wonderful work they are doing. We are in the living room of the gorgeous house they […]
In this episode, I sit down with my friend Daniel Turbert at Safe Haven Farm Animal Sanctuary in the Hudson Valley in New York (at a picnic table outside!) and it get’s a little windy at times! (“Listen to the Wind Blow” by Fleetwood Mac could be the theme song for this episode), but it’s worth listening to, regardless of the background noise – (nature’s sound effects), trust me.
Daniel and I talk about his award winning film “Cows Come Home” and the attention it is getting on the film circuit. This film won the Social Impact Award at the Anaheim Film Festival as well as other awards, and has been featured at multiple film festivals around the country. He shares details about his experience visiting this inspiring cow sanctuary in Talbot, Tennessee and the inspirational story of Randie and Rick Gentry turning a multi-generational cattle farm into a sanctuary. This film brings us HOPE.
The Sentient Project was started by Daniel in 2017. His activism, photography, film making, and various outreach projects strive to share compassionate perspectives and to promote greater awareness for both human and animal rights . He speaks of his work traveling to different sanctuaries around the world to photograph and to share the emotions and soulful lives of animals.
We discuss Daniel’s recent visit to South America, to Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary, and how she is making an impact through her programs and outreach as the only sanctuary in Columbia. Daniel’s photographs from that trip can be seen in a recent article in Pacific Root’s Magazine, as well as his facebook page, and website.
Daniel talks about Arthur’s Acres and his friend Todd Friedman (the pig man)…. who rescues, loves, and cares for pigs at his sanctuary in upstate New York.
Daniel talks openly and honestly about the work he has done as an activist and the rescues he’s been involved in, including the many animals rescued during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in North Carolina. His emotional story that still sits with him today of rescued pigs, who he and friends spent the night with, but then had to be released back to the farmer who had left them to drown, was heartbreaking. We discuss different forms of activism and the many ways to be an advocate for animals.
What’s next? Daniel discusses his plans for another trip to South America, his involvement with food relief programs, bringing plant based healthy food, art, yoga and meditation to communities that need help, as well as going to Brazil and back to Columbia to work with, live with, and study indigenous groups, and how they use and exploit animals in the rain forest.
Featured image taken by Jonathan Brant
https://www.thesentientproject.org
https://julianasanimalsanctuary.org
https://www.arthursacresanimalsanctuary.org
https://safehavenfarmsanctuary.org
https://perspectiveveg.wordpress.com
Episode 3 Jonathan Brant – from Maybee, Michigan 20 year old animal rights activist, artist, musician, writer. Jonathan is in starting his third year at Eastern Michigan University and is studying to become a teacher. Jonathan volunteers and interns at farm animal sanctuaries and works […]
In this episode Bonnie Monteleone, co-founder of Plastic Ocean Project shares the story of how Hope Spot Hatteras was put on the map. Through her own research and the research of UNCW students they were able to map where an abundance of diverse sea life […]
SANCTUARY TOUR – THE PODCAST EPISODE 1
In this episode I sit down at the picnic table by the goat pasture with Dr. Bill and Dr. Ellen Crain, the founders of Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary. We discuss Dr. Bill Crain’s work and his book The Emotional Lives of Animals & Children – Insights from a Farm Sanctuary , the work Bill and Ellen do at the sanctuary, the first animals they rescued and the trials and learning curves of starting a sanctuary. Bill discusses the psychology of animal behavior, and how that contributes to the study of humans, as well as the different emotions that animals have.
Ellen talks about the goats and their first rescue, the compassion of people who help animals, and tells the story of Boomer and Mattie when they had to go to Tufts for vet care.
They talk about the importance of connections made between children and animals during tours at the sanctuary, the story of the homeless man who bought chickens from a live meat market to save them from slaughter, and about their upcoming move to a larger farm down the road from where they are now, which they spent their savings on. They are excited to be able to rescue more animals and to share this work with visitors.
Bill talks about his activism and civil disobedience to speak out and stand up for the bears who are being killed in New Jersey, and he an Ellen discuss their work to help the deer in New York and how they stand up for sharks in the fishing industry.
Joy Gomez, manager of Safe Haven Sanctuary takes a break from her chores to sit down with me to discuss her work at the sanctuary, and her story and transition to veganism. She talks about the animals they care for and how some of the animals are treated in animal agriculture. We are sitting outside beside the chicken pasture watching them enjoy life, and listening to roosters crowing. In the distance I see the sheep and the goats grazing. It’s a beautiful setting, one that I hope you can visualize as you listen to the podcast.
This entire interview was recorded outside at the sanctuary, so naturally there are sounds from the animals and birds, and the occasional truck passing by.
To learn more about and to support the work being done at Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary, please visit their website: safehavenfarmsanctuary.org and follow them on Instagram – Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary
To purchase Dr. Bill Crain’s book go to: https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Lives-Animals-Children-Sanctuary/dp/1618520822
