Animal Agency at Sanctuaries
The following are excerpts from Chapter 8: “Sanctuaries” of my book Animal Resistance in the Global Capitalist Era.
Before becoming a local celebrity, Mata Hari was relegated to commodity status, bred to be processed into “meat” and sold at the grocery store. But the ewe managed to escape this outcome, fleeing a slaughterhouse and avoiding capture for months. Known as the “Ann Arbor Sheep,” she was regularly spotted grazing at parks and cemeteries, holding up traffic, and even disrupting tennis matches. Bloggers began recording her story. A Facebook fan page wasn’t far behind. One day, Mata Hari began frequenting a secluded spot behind a furniture store. The shop’s employees fed her, and when she showed up injured one evening, they called for help.
The police and animal control were unable to catch Mata Hari, but SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary had more success. Volunteers placed a pen in the spot where she was regularly fed. When she showed up for a meal, they enclosed her inside and transported her to the safety of SASHA Farm. Mata Hari’s injuries healed. Then the unexpected happened: she gave birth to twin boys. Mata Hari’s new life was abundant. She had the security of regular healthy meals, medical care, and the guaranteed well-being of her new family, with whom she remained close. Because of the work of SASHA Farm, she would never be sent to a slaughterhouse.1
Sanctuaries, particularly those for previously farmed animals, were started for individuals like Mata Hari—those who have no other options to live out their lives safely. Sanctuaries have both practical and symbolic consciousness-raising power: multi-sited ethnographic research on the U.S. animal sanctuary movement shows that they are invaluable to animal advocacy, impacting the lives of individual animals and illustrating how “different ways of living with animals are possible.”2 For animal resisters who make it to sanctuaries, sanctuaries are not just a significant way out of oppression, they are also a new beginning.
Before the emergence of farm sanctuaries, even if runaway animals made news headlines, they rarely (if ever) were given a safe place to live for the remainder of their natural lives. Even humane societies have fallen short and reinforced the property status of escaped farmed animals by either killing them or returning them to animal enterprises. However, with the founding of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York, some escaped animals in New York were able to find a forever home. Today, the ASPCA and humane societies like Animal Care and Control of New York will work with sanctuaries to find rescued farmed animals homes, as their own facilities offer limited material support for these individuals.
Ron’s Story
Sanctuaries provide animals a place to live out their natural lives, while receiving health care, space to flourish, and an interspecies community. . . Sanctuary residents are also provided with emotional support from their human caregivers and their fellow animal residents. They have opportunities to flourish as species and as individuals. They can graze with their herd, bask in the sun, and enjoy their favorite foods. They have some freedom to explore and form social relationships of their choice. Some individuals prefer the option of privacy, as in the case of a goose named Goosifer. He often preferred to be alone and designated a corner of a pond yard to himself.
Ron, a chimpanzee rescued from medical research, sits in his self- made nest at Save the Chimps. (Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals.)
Indeed, at sanctuaries, there is freedom in choosing when to retreat and having a safe space in which to retreat. Prior to his arrival at Save the Chimps sanctuary near Fort Pierce, Florida, a chimpanzee named Ron spent many years as a medical research test subject; most of his time was spent in a five-foot by seven-foot cage that was suspended above the ground.3 Ron had been anesthetized 105 times with ketamine (at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates in New York), followed by 16 times in a five-week period (at the Coulston Foundation), and forced to endure part of a six-month study in which researchers removed a disc in his neck and left him without pain medication for eight days. After arriving at Save the Chimps, Ron had the option of inhabiting several acres on the 200-acre space, but as photographer Jo-Anne McArthur documents, he made the choice to stay indoors, where he created his own nest by arranging his blankets in a circle. Ron eventually passed on peacefully there in October 2011. He was still young. Chimpanzees used for research often die prematurely even if they are fortunate to live their final days at a sanctuary.4
Clarabelle and her daughter Valentine at Edgar’s Mission Sanctuary in Australia. (Photo courtesy of Edgar’s Mission.)
Clarabelle’s Story
Sanctuary residents’ actions sometimes reflect their trauma from previous mistreatment. For instance, the trauma of the cycle of artificial insemination, separation from their calves soon after birth, and intensive milking is so severe that even newly arrived cows at farm sanctuaries have hidden their calves because they fear having them stolen once again. Take the case of Clarabelle, a cow who was rescued by Edgar’s Mission sanctuary in Australia just hours before she was scheduled to be slaughtered on a dairy farm. Because each of her previous children had been taken away from her days after birth, year after year, upon arrival at the sanctuary she was still apprehensive around humans. It wasn’t until the sanctuary workers noticed that Clarabelle was acting differently than usual that they discovered Clarabelle had been hiding something—actually, someone—for several days. After arriving at the sanctuary, Clarabelle had given birth. Then she hid her newborn on the sanctuary grounds, not yet realizing that, for the first time, no one was going to take her child away. If her mom hadn’t been rescued, the calf, whom the sanctuary named Valentine, would have been born into the dairy industry and killed.
Billie’s Story
Billie, an elephant, was another sanctuary resident who continued to protect herself from past trauma by exerting her agency. When Billie was captured from Asia as a baby and brought to the United States, her world was turned upside down. The young elephant was forced to perform tricks for a circus, including one-foot handstands. Behind the scenes, her life was miserable. She was chained for hours, shipped across the country, held in horrendous conditions, and forced to undergo violent training procedures.5 After enduring this treatment for years, one day, Billie fought back, injuring her trainer.
Billie and Ronnie (front) and Minnie and Debbie (back) at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. (Photo courtesy of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.)
As a result of her rebellion, Billie was removed from performance life and confined in an old barn for a decade. Billie finally escaped captivity when she was rescued and brought to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Even though Billie was now safe, the physical and emotional harm had deeply traumatized her. A chain around her leg, which Billie wouldn’t let anyone at the sanctuary remove for five years, became a symbol of the trauma and broken spirit she carried.
To provide animals with medical care at sanctuaries, caregivers often employ special training that entails the patient being given a treat and plenty of encouragement when they cooperate with the procedure. The residents often enjoy the process, primarily the haul of goodies they get from the training (fruits and veggies, candy, cereal, and more). Billie had a penchant for jelly beans and other snacks. But her caregivers found themselves always tense around Billie. She was skeptical and would keep everyone on their toes by throwing her trunk, charging, swinging around, and trying to grab those close to her. The loss of control that comes with offering up a foot, trunk, or ear is a reminder of the many years of helplessness Billie had experienced. One of Billie’s caregivers, Laule, attributed Billie’s unpredictability to her being angry at those who had mistreated her, took her life away for so long, and made her live in constant fear of being struck.6
Billie’s story highlights the importance of allowing animals to retain as much autonomy as possible to feel comfortable with various medical procedures, and recognizing that there will always be challenges. In the book Last Chain on Billie, Carol Bradley tells Billie’s story, including the heartwarming moment when those who cared for Billie were able to remove the chain. It took several weeks of careful preparation, during which time they encouraged Billie with praise for raising her foot, and familiarized her with the bolt cutters that would be used to cut the chain. When the time came, a bucket full of her favorite snacks assisted in the process. For all her human friends present, it was a huge relief when the chain fell to the ground. Billie, however, didn’t appear particularly interested. As Bradley writes, when the chain fell from her leg, she “picked it up with her trunk, then dropped it and walked away . . . [Billie] had better things to do.”7
Justice and Charlie Parker
Many animals find themselves important work at sanctuaries, drawn to tasks they are naturally inclined towards. Sanctuaries recognize the contributions of residents and encourage their involvement in community life. This work often includes social roles and is supported by the guidance of their caregivers. At sanctuaries, animal residents are busy parenting (often as surrogate parents), teaching (especially sharing their knowledge with newcomers to the sanctuary), and watching over and caring for friends, partners, and other community members. In a community where everyone has lost someone, bonds may go beyond species. Many stories describe previously farmed animals comforting fellow residents who suffer from grief or illness or require support and encouragement.
For instance, in chapter 3 we learned the story of a community-oriented cow named Justice who adopted the role of welcoming new residents and providing them with the same comfort that he had received upon first arriving at Peaceful Prairie Animal Sanctuary. Justice found other important work at the sanctuary and even gained a following of fellow residents. He was a protector of Lucas, a little black piglet found on the streets of Denver after leaping from a slaughterhouse truck. Lucas’s curious nature led him to various adventures at the sanctuary (like the day he tipped over a bucket of paint, rolled in it, and then started chasing around the volunteers).8 After these escapades, Lucas would take refuge behind Justice until all was forgotten. Another friend of Justice was Juliette, a cow who made a break from a farm with her calf and found her way to the sanctuary. It wasn’t an easy feat: the pair escaped through several fences and ran for miles. The story had a sad ending, however, as the farmer demanded that the calf, considered property under the law, be returned. Juliette could stay at the sanctuary, but she suffered from having her child stolen.9 Then there was Laurel, a swan who made every effort to visit Justice in the field, and Bumper, a young brown-red steer “who likes to sneak up on people” and bump them!10 Justice passed away in 2016, but not before touching the hearts of many with his generous nature.
Like Justice, a rooster named Charlie Parker had a knack for comforting newly arrived residents. Charlie was rescued as a chick by the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary (now VINE). When Charlie first arrived, he was more interested in the sanctuary’s cofounder, pattrice jones, than the other chickens. She helped him socialize by introducing the chick to a small group in the infirmary area. Here Che Guevara, an older rooster with a disability, comforted and “literally took Charlie under his wing.”11 Years later, after Che Guevara had passed on, Charlie returned to the infirmary. With an aging body and medical problems of his own, it was now Charlie’s turn to welcome the new arrivals, taking them under his wing and offering reassurance. Demonstrating what research has already shown—that chickens will pass on cultural knowledge—he carried on the compassionate tradition of his older friend.
By providing animal residents with a healthy and supportive environment in which they can flourish, sanctuaries make room for the residents to support one another and pursue meaningful activities. By supporting and caring for their residents, sanctuaries also provide a model for animal advocacy and show that nonhuman animals are individuals who should be treated with compassion and respect.
Educational Advocacy
Sanctuaries regularly engage in educational advocacy and outreach that has a far-reaching impact. They demonstrate that animals have inherent worth and are not commodities or property. Providing visitors with opportunities to connect with their animal residents is one way that sanctuaries have a consciousness raising influence. This connection occurs in person through scheduled tours and by sharing their residents’ stories on social media. At the farm, visitors might get to feel the delicate feathers of a chicken (who, if they are lucky, has chosen to sit on their lap), the textured coat of a sheep, and the soft belly of a pig. They can watch goats jumping and playing, experience the affection of a turkey, or receive nuzzles from a cow, often weighing several thousand pounds. Online, people can read stories of animal rescues or sponsor a resident by donating and receiving updates about their progress. Although many people have been socialized to believe that some animals exist for human companionship and others for food, sanctuaries collapse this boundary. When given the chance to be themselves, a pig (or a chicken, or a goat, or a duck) are equally endearing as the animal companions who typically share our homes.
By demonstrating alternative ways of relating to animals and creating the conditions that al- low them to flourish, sanctuaries influence how we perceive other animals. Animals have favorite activities and foods, social and emotional lives, curiosity, and unique dispositions. Visitors enjoy meeting them and learning about their lives, but they are also informed of the industrialized raising and slaughter process.
The stories of animals who escape can resonate with people in a unique way. As Sophia Rivers explained, when Farm Sanctuary shares stories of their residents who previously escaped from captivity, the stories resonate deeply: “people see that each animal is unequivocally expressing his or her will to live.”12 Referring to Queenie’s escape, Rivers said that people visiting the sanctuary were “deeply moved seeing her in pasture, running around free and with friends.”13 Similarly, some people visit Woodstock Farm Sanctuary because they want to meet, for instance, “the steer who escaped.”14 Often these visitors love animals and may already be vegan for ethical reasons, and “sometimes someone just really sympathized with that one animal.”15
The presence of Queenie and other animals escaping through the city streets demonstrates that they are individuals, much like the companion animals (such as cats and dogs) who share our home. Likewise, the presence of those traditionally considered “farm animals,” such as pigs, cows, or chickens, as companions in city spaces interrupts normalized ideas of where they belong.16 The Microsanctuary Movement works to this effect by offering sanctuary to farmed animals in both urban and rural environments.
Selick’s Story
As previous examples in this chapter demonstrate, animal residents at sanctuaries are often active in their communities, engaging in various routines and roles and making decisions that demonstrate their agency. Another way animals’ agency becomes visible at sanctuaries is when they purposefully push sanctuary boundaries and negotiate their environments. Even when animals arrive at a sanctuary, as volunteers will attest, they don’t necessarily lose their resistant tendencies. Sanctuaries may be an endpoint for resistance against harmful oppression, but they are also a beginning for animals to freely express their agency, with caretakers reconfiguring sanctuary spaces to accommodate their needs and desires.
In refusing to remain in their allotted spaces, sanctuary residents may also cross species barriers. Selick the pig had a difficult start to life before being given a home at Indraloka Farm Sanctuary in Mehoopany, Pennsylvania. At Indraloka, Selick lived with other pigs in the pig barn, but he wanted a change. One night, Selick escaped the pig enclosure. While wandering on the sanctuary grounds, he found the barn door to Henny, Jake, and Tom’s residence. The old turkeys welcomed Selick into their space, where he gobbled up some grain and fell asleep. These were individuals he could imagine associating with. After Selick’s human caregivers brought him back to the pig pasture, he once again broke out and headed straight to the turkeys’ barn. This routine continued for a week, with the sanctuary volunteers putting him back with the pigs, and him breaking out again to reside with the turkeys, who had even started visiting their new friend during the daytime. Eventually, it was decided that a new living arrangement would be implemented. Selick would stay with the turkeys. A few years later, he suffered a heart attack. This brush with death led him to open up and explore the sanctuary further. He befriended other animals, including birds and goats, and even humans. When Selick passed on, it was clear that he had touched many people who had visited the sanctuary.17
Conclusion
Sanctuaries offer necessary care for animals who have been rescued and perform numerous other important functions. They provide their residents with health care, legal advocacy, and opportunities to flourish. In broader society, they play an important role in education and consciousness-raising. The healthy, nonviolent lifestyle model of sanctuaries also inspires visitors to follow healthier ways of living. Beyond the traditional framework, sanctuaries have the potential to become (and some already are) places that model just multispecies communities in which animals’ voices shape the communities. As animal agency at sanctuaries demonstrates, sanctuary residents transgress, negotiate, and sometimes extend the boundaries of their homes. Sanctuaries are continually being reconfigured in response to animals’ agency. As places that challenge dominant societal paradigms and human-animal hierarchies, and imagine and practice new ways of relating across species lines, sanctuaries are spaces of resistance and multispecies solidarity.
Footnotes
Amanda, “Mata Hari,” in Sanctuary: Portraits of Rescued Farm Animals, ed. Sharon Lee Hart (Milan: Edizioni Charta, 2012).
Elan L. Abrell, “Saving Animals: Everyday Practices of Care and Rescue in the US Animal Sanctuary Movement” (PhD diss., City University of New York, 2016), vi–vii.
Jo-Anne McArthur, We Animals (New York: Lantern Books, 2013), 186.
McArthur, We Animals, 186.
Joanna Lucas, “Lucas: Pig Love,” in Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs, ed. No Voice Unheard, 32.
No Voice Unheard, Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs (Santa Cruz, CA: No Voice Unheard, 2010), 139.
Davida G. Breier, “Sanctuary: A Day in Their Lives,” in Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs, ed. No Voice Unheard, 125.
Hatkoff, The Inner World of Farm Animals, 28.
Carol Bradley, Last Chain on Billie: How One Extraordinary Elephant Escaped the Big Top (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2014).
Bradley, Last Chain on Billie, 252.
Bradley, Last Chain on Billie, 254.
Sophia Rivers, in conversation with the author, March 2013.
Sophia Rivers, in conversation with the author, March 2013.
Jenny Brown, in conversation with the author, March 2013.
Jenny Brown, in conversation with the author, March 2013.
Darren Chang, “Organize and Resist with Farmed Animals: Prefiguring Anti-speciesist/Anti-Anthropocentric Cities” (MA paper, Queen’s University, 2017).
Indra Lahiri, “The Smile,” Stories from Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, January 8, 2017,https://indralokaanimalsanctuary.wordpress.com.
