This morning I was awakened by the heart-wrenching wailings coming from outside. It was so excruciating to hear, with each cry becoming more and more desperate. This went on for hours. I crawled down the stairs and went outside, still half asleep at 3am, and started looking around for the source of this wailing. It turned out to be coming from a cat who had gotten stuck inside a car hood - from a car parked RIGHT outside my house. I crawled under the car and tried to get the cat free but it was useless. The car hood had to be opened. Out of frustration, I just lied there in resignation under the car. It was so hard to just lie there helpless, while the cat was in such terror and fear.
But out of suffering comes compassion. After praying for this poor cat, I resolved to finally adopt that animal from the Farm Sanctuary, something I had been meaning to do for a while but never got around to it. And since I had just recently returned to my veganism, I thought there would be no better way to pay back for all that milk I had drunk than to sponsor a cow. So, I did it.
My thoughts are still with that cat. Before leaving for work this morning, I put post-it notes all over the car to inform the owner of the cat, and to beg him to rescue it. Then I had to leave it in God's hands. What a way to start a Friday......
Farm SanctuaryCan't wait to visit my new friend at the NY location. Turns out their place is just west of Watkins Glen, close to Buffalo. My parents and I had a lovely camping trip out there once, back when we had our dog Leo with us. It brings back great memories.......And now is the chance to make some more!
New York Shelter
Our 175-acre New York farm is set amidst rolling green hills and forests in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York. We are located next door to Sugar Hill State Forest, just west of Watkins Glen. It is a 45-minute drive west of Ithaca and a 1½-hour drive southeast of Rochester.
In addition to caring for hundreds of animals, Farm Sanctuary's New York facility receives thousands of visitors every year. The "People Barn," a unique visitor center, is filled with displays, literature and videos. It also includes the "Kids' Korner" and gift shop, where visitors will find a variety of items, including books, videos, posters and vegetarian snacks.
For Visitor Center hours and tour times, please click here.
Within the next few weeks, the U.S. Senate will debate the 2007 Farm Bill, which will set agricultural policy for years to come. The Farm Bill is particularly important for farm animal protection because it contains various measures that address funding for the factory farming industry. Traditionally, Congress has disproportionately allocated funding toward animal factory farms, while leaving fruit and vegetable farmers lacking for support. However, this year, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) is proposing a measure that will rectify this inequality and route money toward produce growers and away from factory animal farm operations. Read more.
