Despite being fed a special diet and medications to prevent the formation of stones , Clyde underwent more than one surgery to have the calculi removed . On Christmas Eve 2018 , Clyde passed away as a result of complications stemming from a procedure .
Louise , a Rhode Island Red rooster , is probably one of our most well-known animals . Chickens in North America are raised for either their eggs or their meat . Females are considered more valuable because they can be used for egg laying until they are no longer viable then sent to slaughter .
Louise was misidentified when he was a few days old and was sent to a pullet farm where young hens are raised until they are old enough to become laying hens . Within a couple of weeks , he was picked out of the chicks because he had an injured foot . The industry doesn ’ t have much patience for injured poultry , but Louise was rescued and came to our farm sanctuary .
As he grew , we became suspicious that Louise was not a hen as he began to give tiny little “ cocka-doodle-doo ” s . By the time his full plumage and crest came in , he was blasting full rooster trumpets every morning for us to enjoy . Louise now has his own wheelchair , two hens for roommates , and is one of our most popular therapy animals . He also acts as a representative for LGBQT + events in our community .
Our sanctuary has three cows , all from the same farm . Gracie is a big mama Hereford weighing roughly five hundred kilograms . She is mostly blind but gets around pretty well . We asked for a calf to come along with her so that she wouldn ’ t be alone , and the farmer offered to sell us Peanut who had been orphaned by her mother . When Gracie arrived by truck , we were advised that she was pregnant , an unexpected addition due in about six months . Sure enough , Clover arrived headfirst , healthy , and happy the following spring .
Our farm relies almost entirely on volunteers like me to care for the animals , maintain the structures , and work alongside the children .
Much of my work at the farm involves a shovel and a wheelbarrow , but I enjoy every minute I get to spend with the animals . They each have their own unique personalities , and they love human interaction and attention . Whether the animals are working with children or with first responders , they give of themselves every time .
Always an animal lover , Jane Thrall spends her spare time helping abandoned farm animals live their best lives . Here she is pictured with Henrietta , one of three chickens at the farm sanctuary where she volunteers .
news & views WINTER 2020 | 47