Farm Sanctuary

One look into Valentine's deep brown eyes will show you that cows are emotionally sensitive beings who deserve our love and respect. 💚

At 25 years old, Honey is our oldest living rescue in Watkins Glen! Many people are surprised to learn that cows can live for 20+ years. In the dairy industry, when cows like Honey reach the ages of 5-7, they generally stop making enough milk for profit, so they’re sent to slaughter instead of living out their lives. Farms don’t want to care for animals whose care costs outweigh their potential profit. Before we rescued Honey, she was used for dairy production and, sadly, had likely lost many babies to slaughter. Though nothing can repair the hole left in a mother's heart after the loss of her children, Honey found comfort in Lux, another cow who was rescued from the same farm. He became her adoptive son. Lux joined Honey at sanctuary, and the two still spend much of their time together! If given the chance, cows and their babies will stay together forever. For cows like Honey, please reconsider when you choose dairy.

Farm animals like Jeanne and Margaretta are here with us—not for us.💕

Remembering Julia. 💚 Julia was used as a breeding sow on a factory farm and suffered unimaginable abuse before we rescued her. If we hadn’t reached Julia in time, her 16 piglets would've grown up without their mother and faced slaughter within the first six months of their life. Thankfully, Julia gave birth to her babies safely in our care and had the opportunity to raise them on her own. Pigs like Julia are fiercely devoted mothers and will do whatever it takes to protect their loved ones, and we’re grateful this family was together. In 2018, Julia passed away after six wonderful years at sanctuary. She lived a life of love, but most importantly, she lived with her babies by her side. We miss her dearly, but we know her story of resilience and hope still inspires many.

Transportation is an overlooked but deeply troubling aspect of industrial agriculture. Each year, billions of animals are transported under harrowing conditions that fail to meet even minimal standards of care. Thankfully, legislation has been introduced to help ease the suffering farm animals endure in transit. Farm Sanctuary is grateful to join the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in their efforts to support this critical legislation. You can help by taking action today: https://bit.ly/3WWcZ8A

Norman reminds us every day that cows are someone, not something.

Look at Pippa go! We rescued Pippa from a farm that raises lambs for meat two years ago. Farm representatives reported that Pippa failed to thrive, seemed partially blind, and had an injured hind leg. Despite her rough condition, Pippa went weeks without care. The staff explained that, as a fully operational farm, they didn’t have the time or money to invest in her treatment. Sadly, this is common in animal agriculture, where they value profit over care. Pippa’s injury turned out to be a joint infection, and veterinarians decided amputation was the best course of action. Pippa responded well to surgery, and her mood and mobility both improved. Because we provide our rescue animals with individualized care, Pippa received a cart to help her navigate her new home with ease. We loved the moment when she realized just how fast she could go!

On World Plant Milk Day, it’s important to recognize the impact of our daily food choices on our health and the health and welfare of animals. In the USA alone, we rely on over 9 million cows to produce milk for consumption—but the catch is that this relationship is one-sided. Confined and mistreated, these cows are viewed as nothing more than dairy machines. They aren’t provided the enriching lives full of love and care they deserve, and mothers don’t even get to raise their babies. It’s time to recognize the actual cost of our food choices and consider more ethical and sustainable options. Choose plant-based. Your health, the animals, and the environment will thank you!

Partners in crime Taylor and Reiman escaped one of New York City’s shockingly legal live markets (where people can select animals to be slaughtered on site) six years ago. Together, they cruised along the subway tracks in Brooklyn. The news spread quickly, with plenty of punny headlines about “two ‘baaaad’ goats” on the loose. Thankfully, the MTA turned off the rail power for safety, and our friends at @nycacc helped with their rescue. We can’t imagine what horrors Taylor and Reiman faced before they escaped and how frightening it must’ve been to be in unfamiliar territory, but we couldn’t be happier that these BFFs finally got on the right track. Now, they spend their days happily grazing, racing down hills, and playfully headbutting each other, living the fun-filled and carefree life they deserve. Photo 1: MTA NYC

Music is healing for animals, too. When not living in fear, cows are curious, contemplative, and meditative beings, so it’s no surprise Hayes was so interested in our visitors when they stopped to play music for him!