Love from Florida: Sanctuary Travels from snow to sun

Yoga Animalia: Feline & Bovine - Wax On & Nandi, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, Mehoopany, Pennsylvania

Happy Holidays! I recently visited United Poultry Concerns in Machipongo, Virginia on my way south, and I was absolutely delighted to finally spend some time with Karen Davis and the sanctuary residents. The human and avian team at UPC have been creating change for birds for decades, and I am so honored to have visited and photographed at the sanctuary which is a haven for formerly farmed animals amidst one of the most concentrated chicken factory farming regions.

Yoga Animalia: Galline - Rainbow, United Poultry Concerns, Machipongo, Virginia

I just arrived in Ocala, Florida at Kindred Spirits Sanctuary who are graciously hosting me as I  spend winter editing photos from two-and-a-half years of travel. My goal is to dedicate the entirety of winter to preparing the photos and stories from the 74 sanctuaries I have visited, with the hoped-for goal of getting ready to run a crowdfunding campaign in 2018 to make the Yoga Animalia Book a reality. More details about the book to come!

Yoga Animalia: Bovine - Owen, Kindred Spirits Sanctuary, Ocala, Florida

In the meantime, if you would like to support my art please consider becoming a monthly patron on my Patreon page. Asking for help as an artist is really challenging, but I am attempting to get out of my own way and make it easier to bring my sanctuary portraits into the world. Your support will enable this, and through Patreon, you will get neat bonuses not available anywhere else.

Many thanks for reading, and I hope your holiday season is surrounded by that which makes you happy. I will leave you with a few snow photos of my friends at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary.

May joy find you,

Cameron

Ogie and Mookie in front, PennyLove behind

Abhey, Greenie, Daisy, Decha, Galen, LucyLou Goosey, Lucy Goosey, Opie, Whitey, Peep, Bo

Quicker, Joe, Whirlee Girlee, Fancy, Hubub

Yin, Yang, Nod, Teehee, Lexi

How Best Friends Can Heal Your Wounds: Levi & Romy

Levi & Romy, friends for life, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Levi and Romy were two of the first Farm Sanctuary New York residents I had the pleasure of meeting. The pair were sharing a stall in the Melrose Small Animal Hospital which also serves as the nexus of shelter activity. They had just come in separately not long before (their individual rescue stories are below), and though Romy had taken no time at all to bond with humans due to his long convalescence, Levi was still terrified. Romy would come bounding toward me when I entered their area, but Levi hung back; Romy would head butt, hoof, climb, and in other ways let you know of his need and demand for attention, while Levi seemed content to let his friend deal with us bipeds.

Levi & Romy playing with the Postal Peeps in their stall in the Melrose Small Animal Hospital, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Romy & Levi, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

A highlight of my Watkins Glen time was the first time Levi came up to me and started to hoof at my leg - a demand for attention that some of you might be accustomed to receiving from friendlier sheep and goats. Such a dramatic difference from when I first arrived and he would flee in terror. Whether it is a sign of his growing acceptance that the humans around him now are there to help him, or whether he just had a particular nasty itch he couldn't reach and I was a convenient scratcher, this gesture made me giddy. Perhaps it is a testament to the power of friends that Levi slowly started to not only allow people close, but eventually to demand attention himself. Maybe he saw the interaction that Romy had with us and this spurred his healing, and maybe Levi just needed more time to acclimate. 

Levi, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Levi is now a bona fide friend to the humans, perhaps inspired by his best friend Romy. Watching the transformation from scared new rescue to loving Farm Sanctuary resident brought me so much joy, and now Levi and Romy get to live out their lives at the newest Farm Sanctuary site: Jon & Tracey Stewarts' Bufflehead Farms in New Jersey. Click here for a ridiculous cuteness overload video of their arrival. When the newest location is open, Romy, Levi, and their new herd will greet humans with the love and joy they have received, and maybe even inspire healing through friendship for visitors.

Levi, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Yoga Animalia: Caprine - Levi

Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Levi was found, scared and emaciated, in Brooklyn. It is suspected that he somehow escaped a live market, as his Kentucky tags marked “meat” indicate he was transported in to the city. How he escaped is unknown and miraculous, as this boy has issues with his back that cause problems with his movement and he may possibly be a fainting goat. However he escaped, Levi found his way into the safety of Farm Sanctuary where his terror has started to abate, and he will receive a loving community to help him come out of his shell.

Levi, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Romy, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Yoga Animalia: Ovine - Romy

Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

Romy arrived at Farm Sanctuary from a small permaculture farm that raises sheep for meat. He was left in the cold night after born, and, when found the next day, the effort and expense to heal the lamb outweighed his worth to them. Farm Sanctuary was able to get him the veterinary care he needed - several months worth of hospital trips and intensive antibiotic treatments. During that time Romy only had humans as companions, and to this day adores hanging out with people. This sickly lamb has become a loving and happy sheep, lavishing attention on his human and goat friends.

Romy, Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, New York

In Memory of Andy

I met Andy at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary's massive vegan Thanksgiving potluck. I helped Carolyn, my friend and a caregiver at the sanctuary, tuck him into bed that night with his adopted grandma sheep Sammie, with whom he snuggled each night in their special needs stall. Carolyn painstakingly made sure his bed of soft straw fully supported him and kept him cozy.

When I was able to visit again the following week, Andy and I got a chance to hang out more, lounging together in the grass and sunshine near the main house. Trooping around in his cart, he would make sure no treats were in the offering before heading out to graze nearby. When it was time to move to the next spot during sanctuary chores, Andy always rode in the front seat so he could securely see where they were headed. Carolyn told me Andy looked forward to those rides. It was obvious to me how beloved this boyo was to his sanctuary family, and my heart goes out to them all during this challenging time. You can see the beautiful tribute Poplar Spring made to their special boy here on their Facebook page, including a beautiful photo of Andy with Sammie.

Andy

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, Poolesville, Maryland

An iconic figure at Poplar Spring, Andy’s story might have ended tragically except for an act of kindness. Purchased by a horse farm to be lamb barbecue at an event, tiny Andy developed an infection; he was left to die untreated in a cardboard box, but a boarder at the facility found him and brought him to Poplar. The infection left him unable to bend his back legs, but after his treatment Poplar secured a cart for him. Andy was often seen rolling around, accompanying caregivers on rounds, the center of attention to adoring visitors, or just enjoying sunshine and the company of other sanctuary residents. His affable personality and perseverance despite his physical differences made him an inspiration to many during his time at Polar Spring.

Who's on First?: Abbott & Costailo

Costailo, Ching Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, Herriman, Utah

Abbott, Ching Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, Herriman, Utah

January finds me reflecting on the sanctuary I visited that made the possibility of creating the Yoga Animalia Project a very real idea: Ching Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, located within the metro area of Salt Lake City, Utah. I'll share that story in greater depth in a later post, but for now I want to introduce you to two of my sheep friends I think about often and with whom I wish I could be bounding about the Utah sanctuary grounds regularly: please allow me to introduce you to Costailo and Abbott.

These boys stole my heart from our first meeting when Costailo posed like a pro for photos, and Abbott demanded attention so closely that it was my second visit to the sanctuary before I managed a decent capture of his charming character. I could spend hours with these sociable boys, and I’m sure they would let me spend the bulk of that time snuggling, or rather, demand I spend that time snuggling with them. Abbott and Costailo are some of the first sanctuary residents whom I met that showed me I could visit a sanctuary as a new visitor and still connect strongly with individuals residing there - a key element of the Yoga Animalia Project.

Yoga Animalia: Ovine - Abbott & Costailo

Ching Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, Herriman, Utah

Originally up for grabs as “grain fed lambs” for a Thanksgiving meal, brothers Abbott & Costailo were saved and brought to sanctuary. Grain can be highly damaging to a ruminant’s stomach over time, but it makes them fat much more quickly than their natural grass diet, and thus producers usually choose profit over the well being of the animals. Both these boys vie for the attention of guests, and it wouldn’t be surprising to turn and have a wooly face or leg bumping you and asking for scratches. These boys often act as greeters to visitors, unless they are too busy running around with their fellow sheep friends.