Animal Place Sanctuary: 2011

The Joys of Chicken Sweaters

If you don't visit our website (and you should!) or our facebook page (what?!), then you might not have seen the photos of the chickens in their new sweaters!

A knitting club created 10 sweaters for the birds to try out. The chickens live in a really large barn and it can be hard to keep them warm at night.

The risk of fire means we cannot use heat lamps, so we have to find other creative ways to keep the birds cozy. Chickens are descendents of wild jungle fowl and really dislike the cold. They can even get sick.

The egg-laying breeds suffer the most, as they are wasting all their energy on producing eggs, they are not laying down fat and muscle.

Sunny loved her sweater!

Killer poses nicely with his

Big Red looks nice in pink

Sharktooth didn't exactly enjoy the new outfit

Rats Are Cool

When I was in college, I had three pet rats. Thelma and Louise were the girls, two adorable brown and white hooded rats rescued from the shelter. Oliver was the boy. Louise saw him as an interloper.Thelma thought he was the bee's knees. Because of Louise's aggression, Oliver was in his own enclosure.

All the rats had outdoor time. They loved it. Oliver was especially smart. He was snake bait originally, but the snake was full and Oliver lucked out. I taught him to hi-five, sit, shake, paw, stand on his back legs and "beg". It was easy with the power of the apple. Oliver loved apples. But is favorite time was after the training. I'd tell him "all finished" and give him two small bits of apple. He would hoard them.

As we passed by Thelma and Louise's open cage door, both of the girls would be standing on the ledge. I would drop Oliver off and he'd rush over to Thelma and give her the BIGGEST apple piece. Despite Louise's rudeness to him, he'd always give her the other piece. But it was always the smallest one. In those moments, I knew rats possessed myriad emotions and thought, that they could make decisions based on perceived fairness, and that they were compassionate and generous.

When Louise died of mammary cancer, it was (neutered) Oliver who comforted Thelma. When Thelma became sick with cancer, Oliver wrapped himself around her. She died in his embrace. By that point, Oliver was nearly 3 years old, ancient in rat years. He died a week later.

So it is not surprising to me that researchers have learned what people with companion rats have known all along - rats are empathetic.

In the experiment, two rats are socialized around each other for two weeks. Once they become friends, researchers performed a mean trick on one of the rats. She would be placed in a tube that prohibited movement. The tube would be placed back in the cage with the other rat. The other rat would then find a way to break out her friend, even ignoring chocolate to help her cagemate. She'd then share the chocolate!

Rats are not "lowly" animals. They are intelligent, thoughtful and even empathetic. When they see the suffering of a friend, they do not merely understand or experience those emotions themselves, they try to rectify the situation. That is pretty neat.

You can help rats! If you have the space and time to commit to caring for a rat, adopt two! There are many rats in shelters who face euthanasia because people fail to realize how awesome rats are as companions.

Never use poisons or kill traps to stop rats. Instead, use humane live traps to capture and relocate rats to safe areas where they can thrive. Prevent rats from even entering your property to begin with!

And of course, we believe other species, like cows and pigs, are just as empathetic as rats. We've seen it. So if you want to help them, start transitioning over to a vegan lifestyle...you can be empathetic too!

PS: You can see video of the rats here.

Cheese Alternatives

We opened a dialogue on our Facebook page about the animal products vegans/vegetarians had the hardest time giving up and how they coped. A lot of veg-curious and vegetarian individuals were having (or had) a hard time with cheese.

This isn't entirely unexpected. Milk from cows contains casein which, when broken down, produces casomorphins. These protein fragments act upon the brain in similar ways as other opiates (morphine, codeine, heroin). Cheese contains a concentrated amount of casein. Our brain can become addicted to these casomorphins, making the elimination of cheese particularly difficult.

So be kind to yourself if you are a cheese-lover desiring to move towards a kinder way of living. You may want to eliminate all dairy cheese so that your body can detoxify itself. Or you may wish to slowly replace your favorite cheese products with alternatives that are not addictive.

I put together this list of animal friendly alternatives to dairy cheese. Many of these are commercially available at natural food stores, Whole Foods, and several large grocery chains. If they are not, they can be ordered online and shipped to you. Of course, you can also make your own cheeses so I have included a few recipes for that.

Sheese
Sheese is available in two forms: hard and soft. They do contain soy protein but are gluten-free.
Flavors available:

Hard: Strong cheddar (my fave), Blue, Cheddar with chives, Cheshire, Edam, Gouda, Medium Cheddar, Mozzarella, Smoked Cheddar.
Soft: Cheddar, Chives, Garlic & Herb, Mexican, Original

Uses: The hard cheeses are great with fruits and breads. Once your palate adjusts, they are very tasty by themselves. The creamy cheeses are great on bagels and crackers.
How to order: Online

Daiya
Daiya is commercially available in shredded form. It does not contain soy. It is becoming more and more easily available to the public.

It comes in cheddar, mozzarella and pepper jack.
Uses: Great for pizza, calzones, vegan french onion soup (FOR REALS!), anything you need really melty cheese!
Find out if it's available in a store near you

Teese
Chicago SoyDairy also makes vegan marshmallows and why isn't their soft serve vegan ice cream in my living room? Seriously. It does contain soy.

It comes in mozzarella, cheddar and nacho. It comes in a tube of awesome.
Uses: Great on pizza, awesome on nachos, mac n' cheese, good for grilled cheese sammiches.
Where to buy

Nacheez
Nacheez comes in a jar of goodness and is made from cashews, so it is soy free. It is available in mild and spicy flavors.
Uses: Perfect for those of us who loved Velveeta style mac 'n cheese, stadium style nachos, and who just likes to scoop spicy nacheez out of a jar on to our chips (or just into our mouths!)
Where to buy

Dr. Cow
If you are a cheese snob of any kind, this is the animal friendly alternative for you! Seriously. It's like super woah expensive and absolutely divine. It is soy free.
Uses: STUFF INTO YOUR MOUTH AND SMILE.
Where to buy

Make Your Own
Cashew Nut Cheese
Vegan feta cheese
Buy The Uncheese Cookbook

Shop With Us and the Animals

If you celebrate the holidays, check out our Sanctuary Store!

And if you do not celebrate the holidays, check out our Sanctuary Store!

That's right, our sanctuary store is an equal opportunity provider of awesome stuff!

You can foster an animal from a distance. Or you can wear your vegan love with one of our Peace Love Vegan shirts. While you are fostering an animal, wearing your vegan shirt, you can be drinking out of our reusable stainless steel Choose Compassion With Every Action water bottle WHILE READING OUR 2012 CALENDAR! Freaking amazing, I think!

That is all, folks. I mean, for now, not forever.

Meet the Turkeys - Walle

You would have liked Walle, the baby. Trust me on this. Your lap would have been his bed. You could fumble in your words with him, and he would understand. He was patient.

You would have fallen more in love with Walle the adult. Although he followed Morris, he did not emulate his larger friend's aggressiveness with humans. He could make his own choices. You would have marveled at his velvet soft head, his strange drooping snood, his grandiose attempts at puffing himself up to show off.

Walle lived a year with us. He had been mutilated. He had been bred for the sole purpose of getting fat to be killed young. The farm's overcrowding increased his risk for disease. He struggled the time he was with us. Struggled to grow. Strained to breath with compromised lungs. Too much damage had been done. With one heaving breath, he died, watched over by those who cared and respected him deeply.

Trust me, you would have loved Walle. And in his perfect avian way, he would have loved you back.

Meet the Turkeys - Creek

Being a baby turkey is serious business. You have to puff up big and strong when weird humans take your picture. You have to make your head change colors so the human taking your picture knows you're mad. Mostly, you have to act like a grownup when you should be mothered.

Creek is a baby turkey. He is the size and weight of a turkey raised for Thanksgiving slaughter. He bears the scars of from wherever he came - the tip of his beak has been cut off as have the first digits of his toes. This is done without pain relief and to minimize overcrowding and handling issues.

Unlike his sister, Miwok the Ewok (who you will meet next week), Creek is a moody turkey. Like all turkeys, Creek can change the color of the skin around his head and neck in a millisecond! The color changes indicate mood. Really red and vibrant can mean angry or "I'm hot stuff", depending on other cues. A very pale face can indicate stress or shyness or "I'm not really here, don't look". A happy turkey is one who has a mix of red, especially alongside his neck, and some blue around his face.

Creek tends to be angry.

Except when he's hanging with Miwok the Ewok. Then he's all sweet and lovey-dovey.

Meet the Turkeys - Serena and Zarriah

I am Zarriah. Obey my commands!

In case you were curious how long turkeys could live, meet Serena and Zarriah. They turned 11 this year.

For two turkeys who spend most of their time together, I have no pictures of them doing just that.

Both turkeys came from the same farm (probably as Maya). They were being raised for Thanksgiving dinner. Most likely sisters, the two turkey poults escaped the farm and were saved by an individual.

Neither turkeys are particularly fond of people. And it's been like 11 years, so they really hold a grudge.

Unlike large production birds, Serena and Zarriah can fly. They can mate normally. They self-regulate their diet, so they can be free-fed. Their longevity stems from a strong tie physically to that of their wild cousins.

Speaking of wild turkeys. When settlers arrived in what would be the United States, they did what people do best and proceeded to nearly wipe out all wild turkeys (and everyone else who was a native). The great irony is that the reason numbers increased from 30,000 in 1900 to 5 million now is through the efforts of hunters who wanted to hunt the birds. Weird!

Back to Serena and Zarriah. Obviously they are not wild turkeys. Being black and white in woodland brush is not a highly survivable coloration.

Serena here is sporting a nifty thing called a beard. It's the hair hanging from her chest. You can guess how old a turkey is from their beard. Both males and females may sport a beard, although it's more commonly found in males as it is also a way for older tom turkeys to attract females (I'm alive and successful, yo).

Serena and Zarriah hang out with Maya. They don't care for Willow, ignore Margaret, and completely ignore the big white-breasted turkey hens and toms. Sometimes they snuggle with the chickens, although I think in this photo, Serena was just being lazy.

Since Serena and Zarriah are sort of a mystery to me, I figure their recipes should be about casseroles, which are also a mystery to me (as in I'm befuddled by their popularity).

And well, that's all you are going to get from me. There is a Serena and a Zarriah, so there is a Green Bean Casserole and a Green Bean Casserole #2.

Meet the Turkeys - Wild Side

Wild turkeys are the only native North American species to be domesticated (probably not their proudest moment). I want to share a few stories of my experience with them at both sanctuaries. These moments encapsulate the wildness of these animals and the cruelty of humans as much as they do the mystery of turkeys and the compassion of people. Wild turkeys don't like recipes, so look for more in tomorrow's edition.

Finding a Safe Spot
We do not know from where she came, this wild turkey hen. She is not with her clan. Instead, she flies, all muscle and pure grit, into the domestic chicken and turkey enclosure. The toms display, she ignores. At the time, we assume she is looking for comfort. A month passes and we see the reason why she has chosen the predator proof pasture. Four healthy poults. She flies over, they are stuck. She flies back, encourages them to follow. They cry their frustration. Finally they find a space to fit through. Off they go.

Ruffled Feathers and Buckshot
She sat stunned along the road. It looked as if she had been caught in the force of speeding cars. Pulling over, a towel is draped over her huddled form. She does not resist. We give her time, antibiotics, pain medications. She does not get better. We have a vet look at her. She finds buckshot embedded in her small body, infection gone systemic, ravaging her organs. No one talks much about these hunted animals, the ones who "get away". Who take weeks to die, in prolonged agony and suffering. We give her the only comfort we can - a peaceful death.

The Wretched Fence
Eight turkey poults wander up and down the sanctuary fence, crying angry and annoyed. Scared to push them closer to the road, time is spent reading a book while the turkey babies figure out this novel device. Finally - oh thank goodness finally - one looks up instead of straight at their moms. She cocks her head to the side, crouches low, and in a gust leaps over the fence. One by one they figure it out, except for two. Book closed, time now to watch these amusing babies learn something about their world. At the same time, the two poults pace five feet back, run forward, and leap on the fence. But! One cannot fairly share the same moment in space and time with another, so the two jesters fall tail feathers over soft heads onto the ground. Mom runs over, checks in on both, chastises them for their silliness, and wanders off. The two poults dust themselves off. Turkeys: 6 Fence: 2.

The Cry Louder Than The Shot
Feeding the potbellied pigs, their demands for attention damaging eardrums, the shot might have gone unnoticed. But it was not one, "clean" shot. It was three. The echo reverberated. The cry came next. It overshadowed the pigs. It's ache and tenor pierced the shotgun's power. The turkey screamed, struggling to stand up. A final shot ended his life. The other turkeys did not leave him. Surrounding their fallen brethren, they trilled and gobbled their anger and fear. Only when the one with the gun came close did they fly frantically away. It was Thanksgiving.

The Mighty Quinn
What an honor, naming this majestic bird. As a failed member of the Wildlife Rehabilitation School, Quinn made it known to all that he was still cooler than you. He took on the big toms. He wooed the ladies. He convinced his partner in crime, Maya, to roost up in trees, perch on buildings, and wander into the unsafe zone. Quinn was a revolutionary. Should have been named Che. Soon another turkey joined him, then another. Even the chickens were ready for a coup. The toms were ready for him to go, the roosters annoyed at his gumption. Caregivers stomped and waved arms wildly, demanding he stop trilling 25' off the ground. Like a good revolutionary, he flipped them the bird and went about his business. Wild animals are wild animals. Lesson learned. Quinn was run out of town, the dictators had won! He moved to a new city, where he could be safely fenced in but not cooped up, where he could roost in trees without fear of being shot out of one. Where he could make speeches to people and not worry they might kill him for speaking the truth. Plus he got a girlfriend.

Previous turkey entries

Meet the Turkeys - Margaret

From now until Thanksgiving, it's all about the turkeys who call Animal Place sanctuary home. As you meet the turkeys, I hope you will reconsider the main course for the upcoming holiday. To help you, I'll be adding recipes and purchase suggestions at the end of each post. All of these entries are in honor of the turkeys not lucky enough to end up at a sanctuary...spare them a thought this holiday.
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When I am in the mood to idolize turkeys, I think of Margaret. (According to Jamie, our animal care manager, one should always be in the mood to worship turkeys. She says they look like little angels.)

When I think of one reason why everyone should stop eating turkeys, I think of Margaret.

Margaret came to Animal Place in April of 2004 with eleven other poults. They were rescued from a breeding farm.

White breasted turkeys cannot mate naturally. They are too large, victims of an industry that favors large breasts and abnormal size over animal welfare.

All broad white and bronze breasted turkeys are artificially inseminated.

Margaret is the very first turkey I met. Ever. I was volunteering at Animal Place, trying to find my place in a world that simply didn't value or appreciate cows and pigs the way I did. Animal Place gave me hope, so much hope.

The first thing I noticed about Margaret, before I ever knew her personality, was the mutilations. I remember sitting and crying, watching these babies struggle to eat and walk normally. Their beaks had been cut off as had the first digits of their toes. All without pain relief. This is so they would not peck themselves to death in their overcrowded environment. Their toes are amputated so they would not kick scratch workers who swoop in and yank frightened birds up by their legs.

After that, I started to familiarize myself with the turkeys. Eliza was bold and precocious, MaryLou serious, Margaret social and interested in sitting in laps.

Sooner than expected, I learned the hard way how short their lives are, how humans twisted nature to create an animal who could barely survive puberty, let alone adulthood. Respiratory infections, common on industrial farms, wreak havoc on a "production" turkey's immune system. Heart attacks and congestive heart failure prey upon "production" turkeys lucky enough to last longer than a year. Feet infections, broken limbs, and arthritis steal away "production" turkeys who live three years or longer.

Only Margaret is alive now. She is seven, a crone filled to the brim with bird wisdom.

My favorite Margaret story is a recent one. Last year, we took in 140 hens, roosters and chicks from a Sacramento hoarder. Many of the chicks died, victims of neglect and improper medical treatment at the hoarder's home.

One of the chicks we thought would perish. Aurora was the tiniest chick and is now the tiniest hen at the sanctuary. When she was first introduced to the flock, she had a hard time. No one wanted to share their perch space with her. No one wanted to keep her warm. Even her mom abandoned her! We were not sure what to do but knew if things didn't change soon, we would have to pull her from the flock until she was strong enough to take care of herself.

But Aurora found a champion in Margaret. We lock all the chickens and turkeys up at night and do an evening head count. One night, staff counted, counted, and counted some more but were one chicken short. It soon became obvious who was missing. A search outside commenced and a more thorough investigation of all the crevices and nooks of the barn was implemented.

Then they heard the cheep. They noticed Margaret fluffed up on a bale of straw, her wings puffed out further than usual. Beneath her wing, nestled deep was Aurora. For weeks, Aurora slept nestled beneath the wing of Margaret. She gathered her strength and found her place in the flock. Now, as an adult, she does not need Margaret's care anymore, but I have a feeling that if Aurora wanted a warm place to bed down, Margaret would open her wing and welcome her home.

Because Margaret is so sweet, I figure she should get the dessert post!

Desserts are all about the pies. I love me some apple pie, but I know the holiday favorite is anything with pumpkin in it. You could try a pumpkin cheesecake, straight up pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie with chocolate, or double-layer pumpkin cheesecake (yeah, I love cheesecake).

But if you eschew pumpkins because they are creepy and orange, then try pecan pie, caramel apple pie, apple-walnut cobbler (for you wheat-free fans), and good 'ol apple! I suggest you have ALL OF THESE PIES at once!

Meet the Turkeys - Have a Little Hope

Did you know that when it rains, Hope goes inside a barn? And when she cannot do that, she hides her head beneath a wing? I am so serious. If anyone makes the moronic suggestion turkeys gaze fondly at rain clouds and subsequently drown themselves, refer them to Hope. She'll peck their eyes out. I AM SO KIDDING, Hope is not a hater.

Hope and Esperanza, a beautiful black hen, are the sole survivors of a cruelty case in Santa Cruz. Some would call it neglect, but I've always felt that when you withhold food and water from an animal solely reliant on your benevolence...that's cruelty.

More than a dozen animals were not survivors. They were victims, left to starve and waste away before help could arrive. Hope and Esperanza comforted each other and did their best to find food and safety while their friends died. When rescued, both were malnourished and sickly.

Now they are healthy and happy.

Did you know Benjamin Franklin wanted turkeys to be our national bird, because they don't go around plucking baby deer from their moms or fish from their streams. Geez, eagles.

White-breasted turkeys like Hope are bred to gain an enormous amount of weight in a short period of time. If human children grew at the same rate, they'd weigh like 250 lbs by the age of 2. RIDONCULOUS! Turkeys are not fed hormones, although they are given antibiotic-laced food. Antibiotics and antimicrobials are used as growth-promotants. They are not given to animals who are sick...it is one reason there are antibiotic-resistant bacteria out there.

But enough of that, we gotta have hope. Hope does, especially in the morning when caregivers bring food. She keeps the hope alive there will be a lot more. Make a lot of food in her honor...just don't include her sister as the main course, please!

I mean, how cute is Hope and her interspecies friendship with Esperanza:

Hope likes to share, which is why she'd like to make a toast with some tasty beverages for Thanksgiving.

Keep it cozy and warm with some mulled apple cider, or fire chai, or some creamy hot cocoa.

If you're a boozer, check out some mulled red wine sangria.

If you are one of those people who wants to spend five eons to make a tiny shot glass worth of drink, check out Ginger Juice shooters.

And remember to drink lots of water!

Previous Turkey-Friendly Entries include
Morris and the Main Course (of which he is not it),
Willow of the French accent and cranberry side.
Maya and the side dishes, which don't include any of her barnyard friends

Meet the Turkeys - Maya

Yesterday, I received an email update from an organization that accredits farms with less cruel treatment of animals. It was announced, proudly, that just in time for Thanksgiving, several farms that killed turkeys for a living had just received high marks.

There is no doubt that the life of a turkey on pasture is far different in degree of enjoyment and treatment than the life of a turkey on a large industrialized farm. You will not get that argument from me.

However, I cannot help but think of Maya. She is from one of those "really awesome" farms. I think she is one of the prettiest turkeys (next to Margaret who has an inner beauty that shines) I've ever met. Because the farm she lived on had poor fencing, she was able to wander off it as a young poult.

A wildlife rehabber found her, near death, along with a young wild turkey. Both found a safe haven with this person...someone who saw two young birds in need of compassion and respect. She could not bear the thought of either being felled by a hunter's arrow or butcher's knife.

Because both turkeys were so malnourished and dehydrated, they needed a lot of extra TLC. Which meant the turkeys imprinted on people instead of other turkeys. Releasing the wild turkey was out of the question and obviously Maya, with her white and black feathers, would fare poorly in the great unknown. So they came to Animal Place.

When Maya started doing this:

We had to rethink the whole keeping a wild turkey business. It was bad enough the wild turkey (Quinn) kept flying on the roof, refused to sleep in the barns at night, and routinely flew out of his enclosure and then complained about it...now he was teaching Maya his "bad" behaviors!

Despite wing clippings, both turkeys managed to get into places they should not have. The decision to rehome Quinn was made, and he ended up at a nice 40-acre home with other wild turkeys.

Maya immediately stopped leaping over tall buildings. She stopped being faster than a speeding bullet. Oh wait. Anyways, she started to hang out with the other turkeys, finding solidarity with two other turkey hens we suspect came from the same farm years ago.

Maya is called a Royal Palm, a breed of turkey smaller than traditional production breeds. She is the smallest turkey at the sanctuary...even the best littlest turkey baby, Miwok the Ewok, is close to weighing more than her!

Fun fact, those "dots" on her head are called caruncles!

Maya likes to get her sharp beak full of side dishes for Thanksgiving!

She recommends tasty sides like Mac 'n Cheeze, hoity-toity Maple and Tarragon Sweet Potatoes, MASHED POTATOES FOR YOUR FACE, gravy for your mashed potatoes face, even more mouthwatering mashed potatoes and gravy. Maya is totally channeling me there - mashed potatoes are the best!

Previous Turkey-Friendly Entries include Morris and the Main Course (of which he is not it), Willow of the French accent and cranberry side.

Meet The Turkeys - Willow

J'accuse.

Look it up, it's French. Willow thinks it a lot. If she spoke French, she'd utter it frequently in a nasal tone. This is because she mocks others, please don't take offense.

Willow is from a junkyard. I cannot say she was being raised for her flesh - she was nearly a year old when we rescued her (most turkeys are killed when they are only four months old). I can say that her life before Animal Place was one of deprivation and danger.

The lot she lived on was littered with broken glass, wreckage from damaged cars and years' worth of garbage. She was not the only victim. The property also housed nine rabbits in a cage so small, they could barely turn around. Ducks and geese lived in deplorable, unsanitary coops with no access to water. When animal control confiscated all the animals, life changed for the better.

Willow is not a socialite. She does not curve her body to the contours of another on the perch at night. During the day, dust bathes are not social events spent gossiping with the other turkey hens. Willow is a loner. I am not sure if this is from her lack of socialization early on or if this is just who she is. The beauty of a sanctuary is it does not matter. Willow gets to be whomever Willow wants to be.

Unlike the big white and bronze-breasted production turkeys, Willow is a rangier, smaller bird. Her breed is raised for their flesh and called "heritage" as if this is something for which to be proud. While I have no doubt Willow is a proud bird, it's not for her flesh or because of her breed. Willow can fly and roost on the highest perches. If she wanted, she could fly into Morris' enclosure and mate naturally - a feat production turkeys cannot do. (She does not want.)

We don't know Willow's age, but I think we underestimated it. She suffers from recurring health problems normally seen in older animals. She receives special treatment, sometimes to include subcutaneous fluids. I can say she does not enjoy it. There is an ache in all of us here for causing a small discomfort in order to heal. Maybe I should try French with her.

On a side note, Willow reminds me of why turkeys are one of the closest living relatives to dinosaurs...those ancient animals who had more in common with birds than reptiles. Look at her! I have a public fantasy of attaching (humanely, don't hate) little tiny arms to the chickens and turkeys. Then I would create this amazing back drop of some big city but miniaturized and let the chickens and turkeys stomp their way through. It would be pretty awesome.

RAWR! GIVE ME LITTLE ARMS DARNIT!

Alternatively, you could just make this Thanksgiving awesome with some animal friendly noms. If Willow sat down to eat with you, I think her favorite dishes would involve cranberries.

Willow approved cranberry dishes:

A moment of your time, please. I love the jellied cranberry goop - you know, the kind in a can with the can ridges in the middle of it. LOVE. I get mocked mercilessly for this. One year, there was an epic debate of jellied versus sauce and I lost big-time because APPARENTLY I'm the only one who likes the stuff. Which I doubt, because why is it always in the supermarket? And also, it lasts like forever.

So if you are a secret jellied cranberry goop lover, check out this vegan version!

Alternatively, you can go the non-jellied route (whatever).

Previous Turkey-Friendly Entries include Morris and the Main Course (of which he is not it).

Meet The Turkeys - Morris, The Man

From now until Thanksgiving, it's all about the turkeys, especially the ones lucky enough to call Animal Place sanctuary home. As you meet the turkeys, I hope you will reconsider the main course for the upcoming holiday. To help you, I'll be adding recipes and purchase suggestions at the end of each post.
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RESPECT!

Morris is the sole male turkey at Animal Place. He lives with Matt, the rooster. They make for an odd couple in size but not in personality. As my colleague likes to say, Matt and Morris are territorial. Which means, please do not stick your fingers near their beaks.

When Morris first arrived a year ago, he was not always so "territorial". He was downright friendly, the kind of turkey who would trill sweet nothings to anyone interested.

The story of Morris before Animal Place is not unique. Morris and four other turkeys were being raised for the California State Fair. None of the turkeys were seen as individual animals worthy of respect and compassion. They were "specimens" to be shown and slaughtered.

As the Fair approached, the man raising the turkeys decided it was too much work. These five animals were apparently so troublesome, so difficult to care for that he dumped them in the middle of the wilderness. I don't say "wilderness" in a vague, nonspecific way. I mean he dumped them in the middle of the woods and fields, left to fend for themselves.

The white feathers on production turkeys is a genetically recessive trait that rarely occurs in the wild. White is not a great predator deterrent. White feathers, however, leave the flesh of the turkey visibly more appealing to consumers. This unnatural, poor adaptation is actively chosen solely to create a more physically appetizing flesh.

Morris and the four other turkeys tried to fend for themselves. Three of the turkeys died, killed by predators. Two, Morris and Marjorie (who you will read about later), lucked out. An Animal Place supporter saw the hapless birds and became their advocate. She rescued the two birds and drove them to us.

The two malnourished birds thrived under our care and both are healthy adults. Morris loves displaying his brilliant white feathers to anyone interested. The flesh around his face changes colors, depending on his mood. When it turns all red, Morris is especially angry at the world. When its red along the neck and blue/white around the face, Morris is in love with the world. They truly wear emotions on their sleeves, erm, snoods and wattles!

Here is a video of Morris showing off. No music, because turkeys sing beautifully on their own. His song is a mix of "hey ladies" to the female turkeys and a "i will be dictator of the universe" to me, behind the camera.

Celebrate this Thanksgiving for and in honor of the turkeys. Show your gratitude and compassion by omitting them at the dinner table.

Turkey Alternatives

I personally love Tofurky. I like to marinate it in an orange juice-soy sauce that is a mix of sweet and salty. There are a lot of marinades that enhance the flavor of Tofurky.This is probably the most accessible commercially available turkey alternative. The tofurky loves a grill as much as you do.

Field Roast has a Celebration Roast and Gardein has Savory Stuffed Turk'y

Or you can make a new tradition with a home-made main course. Think outside the box - butternut squash stuffed with wild rice, fanch-schmancy pants Tempeh Stew with Wine and Mushrooms, or homestyle Vegan Meatloaf.

Happy World Vegan Day

In 1944, the Vegan Society was founded. Every November 1st, vegans and those on the path to veganism celebrate World Vegan Day. Nearly 70 years late, those of us who choose a plant-based diet and a vegan lifestyle have so many more options. We have the founders of groups like the Vegan Society to thank for that.

A couple weeks ago, my mom and I were making home-made applesauce. The apples were fresh picked from a neighbor's tree. We decided to enter the 21st century and invest in a peeler, corer, slicer device that did it all - you just turn a handle. Really, it's a fabulous invention. I've never been a great peeler of apples.

As I turned the handle, my mom prepared the pot for the apple slices, a little bit of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg that transform apples into an even tastier treat.

I thought about my grandma. Any time I bake or make something "home-made" with my mom, I can't help but think of grandma. I see the lessons she taught my mom every day. My grandma recycled before it was cool. She loved to bake. She loved to make healthy, tasty treats. When my mom makes banana bread, I feel connected to my past, to all those mothers who made the exact same recipe years ago.

If my grandma was still alive, I think she would have loved the amazingly positive aspects of veganism. I don't know if she'd be vegan, but I do know she would have reveled in making me vegan bread and low-sugar deserts. She would have appreciated how healthy and sustainable a vegan diet is, how it nurtures growth of both body and heart. How it appeals to both our mind and soul.

I'll be honest, I don't think grandma would have understood my passion for animals. That's okay. I am vegan because I believe that when we are given the choice to cause less harm to others, we should. Others do it because it makes them feel healthier, because it's a diet based on sustainability and good stewardship.

Here is a recipe of my grandma, veganized. It's very tasty.

Ingredients:
Enough Ener-g egg replacer for 3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c chopped dates
1 c flaked coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Powdered sugar, enough to coat the balls

Directions:
Add to the egg replacer the sugar, walnuts, dates, coconut, vanilla extract, almond extract. Mix together.

Place mixture into casserole dish and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Let mixture cool. When mixture is cool, form into small balls and roll in powder sugar. Eat.

Protest The Grand National Rodeo in California

For 70 years, the Cow Palace has hosted the Grand National Rodeo.

Recently, animal lovers caught footage of bulls being kicked, shoved, poked with sharp implements and being stunned with electric cattle prods. It is obvious from the footage that the animals are afraid and in pain when prodded and kicked.

In this video, you can see a man use a retractable pen as a weapon, stabbing it repeatedly into the flanks of the bulls being prepped for riding. You will see "cowboys" step on, kick at, and mistreat a cream-colored bull who does not wish to move forward. The bull is hit repeatedly and the strap around his groin is tightened in an attempt to get him to move. His tail is twisted and pulled in an effort to cause a pain avoidance response of moving forward. Finally, an individual uses what appears to be a cattle electric prod to move the animal forward.

Is this really an American "past-time" to be proud of?

The use of electric prods is a violation of California state animal cruelty laws. The rodeo company responsible for the bulls in this video - Flying U Rodeo Company - was fined in 2008 by the City of Hayward for using illegal electric prods.

What YOU Can do:

Live in the Bay Area? Attend the protest this Saturday
The protest will be at the Cow Palace

Cow Palace

2600 Geneva Ave

Daly City, CA

Between 6:00-7:30 pm

Signs and banners will be provided by the promoters of this event.

Don't Live in the Bay Area?

Andrew Zollman, founder and director of LGBT Compassion, notes that "the Mounted Unit of the San Francisco Police Department has been performing at this rodeo. We have reported these violations to the Tactical Company of the Police Department and expressed concerns about the City of San Francisco supporting this illegal animal cruelty. The Police Department is investigating and considering whether or not it will continue to be involved in this rodeo."

Contact: Captain John Loftus, Tactical Company, 415-832-8300. Discourage the Mounted Unit of the San Francisco Police Department from participating in this rodeo, especially in light of footage depicting violations of our state's anti-cruelty laws.

The Art of Misdirection

It's because carrots don't scream

Elizabeth Farrelly is a writer in Australia, and she has opinions!

Her most recent opinion is entitled, In a vegetarian's world, no one can hear a carrot scream.

She is totally serious too.

"And who's to say carrots don't feel pain when mercilessly chopped, diced or julienned? Why is it not arrogant and unfeeling to boil a beetroot?"

Oh no, never heard that one before!

Last time the world checked, plants lack a central nervous system. They don't have pain receptors. Cows, goldfish, pigs, dogs, horses, chickens, cats, parrots, rabbits, sheep, goats, turkeys, humans...they all do.

People who argue plants experience pain always seem to do so in context of an animal rights debate. Do they sit down to a salad and, in front of their friends and family, seriously expound on the suffering the apple endured being pulled from its branch? Do they honestly tell their friends that the pain a dog feels when he is beaten is no different than the "pain" a carrot "feels" when it is pulled from the ground?

If so, they'd at least be consistent!

"You don't hear the same lobbyists for bacterial rights or even fish. Isn't the moral push for vegetarianism still anthropocentric, still just a form of speciesism? And doesn't this make it, at best, inconsistent? On the one hand, we're told we shouldn't eat animals because they're just like us - animals. On the other hand, we're still special. There's no push to stop lions or grisly bears or currawongs or even Chihuahuas eating meat."

Bacteria? Seriously, bacteria? Bacteria are single-celled organisms with no central nervous system or nociceptors. They are incapable of complex emotions or thought. Fish are multicellular vertebrates with a central nervous system, pain-sensing neurons, and are capable of experiencing emotions, suffering. They can use tools, for crying out loud! Social fish species form complex relationships.

Reducing the suffering in this world is possibly anthropocentric - after all, humans seem to be the cause of most suffering. Modifying our dietary choices to reflect a consistent ethic of least harm or being more kind and compassionate, more sustainable...those are not anthropocentric reasons for being vegan. If someone argued that veganism is great for human health, and the health of humans is all that mattered, then yeah, that's a fair anthropocentric argument. It's not an ethical one, though, so Farrelly's supposition falls flat.

And appealing to nature? Really?!? Like lets look at lions for insight on what is and is not acceptable behavior. There's a reason no one walks up to a male lion and demands they stop killing offspring sired by other male lions. It's because he'd totally eat you. A lion has no biological choice in who she eats. If she wishes to pursue a life worth living (i.e. one in which she doesn't starve to death), as an obligate carnivore, she's going to have to kill another living being. And it is sad and sucks and nature is just a generally amazing and brutal place.

Should we use that as a marker for our own behavior?

Those of us lucky to live near grocery stores or able to have balcony, backyard, community or larger gardens can easily choose a diet that is sustainable, affordable, healthy and compassionate. That is, a plant-based diet. I'm not going out on a limb presuming Farrelly is one of the privileged in that regard. If a person can reduce their reliance on animal products but cannot eliminate them entirely, that's fine. Nurture compassion by adding fruits, veggies, grains and legumes while - whenever possible - reducing/removing meat, dairy and eggs.

Being vegan is about ethics. When we choose kinder options, we impact the world around us. If we are faced with two choices and one is to cause less harm, it is our moral imperative to pick that one. Even if it is uncomfortable or misunderstood.

Ella Taller Than A Barn!

Ella is actually small but loves it when I take photos giving the illusion she is the height of a barn.

Last year, Ella did not even have a barn to call home. She escaped from a dairy farm, no longer interested in being milked or bred or losing her babies to auction.

The farm could not catch her, because Ella is wily and smart. She evaded capture and soon the farm gave up. Animal control tried to catch her and they too failed.

A woman noticed the lone goat and started the long process of befriending her. She bought hay and grain. She opened up a small barn for the goat to nestle down in at night, if she so desired. At no point did she ever push Ella.

But Ella needed a family, a herd. Other neighbors were not so kind, not interested in a goat running through their unfenced yards. Some were letting their dogs chase the little white goat. And others threatened to shoot her.

The woman needed to act fast. She called us and we drove out trailer out that day. A lone goat very quickly can become a dead goat. We thought it would take days to catch her. She would not come near us, and the sound of the trailer and truck frightened her.

We asked the woman to try. We hid, out of sight. It took her fifteen minutes to get Ella into the back of that trailer. Fifteen minutes. That doesn't encapsulate all of what it took to save Ella - it took an immense amount of patience and kindness too.

Now Ella is with a herd of rescued goats. She will live out her life at the sanctuary.

And she loves being taller than a barn!

Fish Are Super Cool - They Use Tools

This fish uses tools, people, tools! The fish digs up clams (sorry, buddies) swims over to a rock and uses that rock as a tool to bash open the clam!

Backyard Slaughter Reality Check

Not the actual rooster, Lord Byron was adopted!

She wrung their necks. I found two of them alive in the garbage.

We have a board in our office with a log of animals needing homes, requests from the public to rehome unwanted farm animals. It used to be the list for the month would fill 1/2 of the white board.

Now we need twice the space to keep up. The majority of them are about roosters, victims of the backyard chicken movement.

Two weeks ago, we received a disturbing phone call. A man had found four of his roommates roosters in the garbage. Two of them were still alive. The woman had bought day-old chicks from a hatchery, four ended up roosters. When neighbors complained, instead of contacting the animal shelter or trying to find a home for them, the woman tried to break the animals' necks. She failed on two of them.

We rarely take roosters. Last year we rescued 140 chickens from a hoarder and 70 were roosters. It took a year to place the healthy ones. The rest remained with us, putting our rooster count in the double digits. Balancing the desire to help as many animals as possible with the welfare of our current chicken population is tricky, but it does mean we cannot take in even a small percentage of the roosters we get calls about. This month, we were asked to take in 25 unwanted roosters, almost all of whom were bought from hatcheries and incorrectly sexed.

But we said yes to these two roosters. Despite that, our calls were never returned and the fate of these roosters is unknown. The man refused to give any personal information - he refused to contact animal control or the police. Even if he had, even if there was incontrovertible proof of this woman's crime, very few prosecutors would choose to charge someone who inadequately slaughtered four roosters. Our hearts ache for these birds - they deserve so much better.

At the heart of this story is a very real, growing problem. Cities around the country are considering permitting the slaughter of sentient beings in backyards. They are considering allowing the raising of "livestock" in heavily populated, urbanized areas. And they are doing it with zero consideration of the animals themselves.

Caring for farm animals is no easy task, despite what "homesteaders" want you to believe. All species of farmed animals require specialized care, appropriate feed, medical/veterinary care, proper housing, and appropriate space to keep them healthy and happy. Anyone with a dog knows they need more than just a bowl of food and water a day to thrive. A pig's ability to enjoy life is no different than a cat's. A chicken's ability to emote is no different than a dog's. In an already cruel world, it seems society should focus on compassionate choices, ones that nurture joy and kindness.

Backyard slaughter does none of that. It does not "connect" anyone to "food" anymore than a pre-packaged slab of animal carcass does. It does not emulate the real conditions of farm animals in this industrial world. And it completely dismisses that when we are given a choice to cause less harm, we shouldn't bring out the knife. Killing a sentient, feeling being simply to "experience" the act of killing or to be "closer" to one's "food" source is outlandish and ludicrous. Especially in a country where most of us (and nearly all of the people who seem heck bent on wanting to kill animals) can either a) grow fresh organic produce or b) purchase fresh organic produce that is cheaper than raising an animal for slaughter.

If you live in the United States, chances are you have better access to healthy food than other regions of the world. If you are already living in an urban area, you have better access to healthy food than areas that are more rural. If you are living in a middle-class or wealthier region, you have access to healthful foods more so than impoverished areas. You enjoy a privilege not everyone does. To sully that by spilling blood is offensive and ignores that wonderful access to fresh, organic produce and grains and legumes that can easily supplant animal products.

And if you don't have easy access to healthy foods, contact organizations like the Food Empowerment Project to start changing that. We need more fresh foods that are sustainable and healthy, and that don't - by necessity - require the unnecessary taking of a life.

If you don't want to see blood in your neighbor's backyard, speak up and out for yourself and the animals. Write to your elected officials and attend city council meetings. Write letters to the editors of your local paper. If you live in Oakland, join Neighbors Opposed to Backyard Slaughter and stop the relaxation of zoning laws to allow urban slaughter.

We already live in a country that slaughters 10,000,000,000 land animals each year. Let's not add to that cruelty by allowing more.

Check Out Rescued Hens

Rescue Ranch is our most innovative program - there are literally no others of its kind in the country! We work to facilitate the release of "spent" hens from egg farms and assist local animal controls with cruelty or neglect cases involving farmed animals.

The animals we take in are rehabilitated and then rehomed! In 2011 alone, we've been able to save the lives of 2,000 chickens, 19 turkeys, 3 sheep and five pigs!

Here is a video of 225 hens recently rescued and up for adoption.