New Adventures
New Adventures

Boy, is it ever time to make the donuts-plant based, of course. I have been away from blogging for more than two weeks and this is never a good thing for me. Why not?-because my blogging is my advocacy for nonhuman beings who suffer daily for our wants, not needs – beings who never get to take one minute off, never mind two and half weeks. My intention is to relieve daily suffering and to contribute in some small way to the liberation of all such beings. So, being away is not an easy decision. But here is why I was. On December 31st we decided to sell our family home-the place where we have spent the last nearly 31 one years (half of my life) and the place where we raised our kids. Fast forward to yesterday and the house is sold after nearly of month of getting ready to sell and not quite two weeks of the house being on the market. That is good news! It did not take very long to sell, but the down side is that now we need to find a new house. We have done a bit of house searching, but the real race begins tomorrow and that leaves today to bang out a post for you, my readers, and for me and most especially, for the beings for whom I write.

Clarabelle and Valentine
Clarabelle and Valentine

Getting the rust out of my house selling and house searching brain is proving to be challenging, but while perusing Facebook this morning, I came upon a post from one of my favorite Sanctuaries, Edgars’ Mission, down in Australia. Of course, the post and the video left me in tears-for two reasons. I find most happy ending stories about  nonhumans incredibly heartwarming and, because I wear my heart on my sleeve, the waterworks are never far below the surface. Secondly, but most importantly, I find the message behind the story so sad and so unnecessary. The heroine of this story is Clarabelle the cow, a former dairy cow who is now living in a heaven of sorts, protected forever by Pam Ahern and all the good people at Edgar’s Mission. I am sure that Clarabelle feels very safe in her forever home, but the history of her life is permanently etched in her emotional being.

You see, being a dairy cow  means that someone has determined that her job is to supply to humans the milk that is meant her babies. And, so it follows that to obtain this milk, the dairy cow must be artificially impregnated by humans (without consent of course), the result of which is a little baby who  is automatically and cruelly stolen shortly after birth. The mother does not know that the little girl babies will meet the same fate to which she has been sentenced  and that the little boy babies are killed shortly after birth or imprisoned in a small box, crate or enclosure, deprived of proper nutrition and soon killed for veal.  All she knows is that the baby to whom she has given birth, the baby she loves and wants to nurture, as is her inalienable right, has been stolen from her. She mourns for days bellowing, searching, grieving. When the overt protestations end, the mother cow seems to forget all about the loss of her baby as the process of unwillingly providing milk begins again. That’s what we think, anyway, because we don’t believe in the emotional lives of cows, pigs, ducks, aquatic animals-essentially, everyone who is not us. But does she forget?

Hidden Baby
Hidden Baby

Well, Clarabelle did not forget. You see, Clarabelle was pregnant with a little baby and when the time came to give birth, she did so in secret and hid her baby in the woods adjoining the pasture she calls home. But she gave herself away with her furtive looks back to her baby’s hiding place and her milk filled udder. Her two day or so old calf was found on Valentine’s Day by the caring staff and named in honor of her discovery. Little Valentine is safe and will never be taken from her mother. And yet, Clarabelle continues to nestle her baby in the tall grass, not quite believing that there will be no more heartbreak for her with the loss of yet another child.

 

Annie’s Vegan View

What do we learn from this “Ahhhh, isn’t that sweet” story? My most fervent wish is that we recognize that we simply do not have a right to do what we are doing. The arrogance of our mindset never ceases to leave me breathless, but not speechless.

We are not the only species who lives, loves, nurtures, laughs, cavorts…. We are not the only species who has a right just to be. In stealing from other species we demean and sentence ourselves to a life of emotional poverty and soullessness. We deprive our own children of the beauty and innocence of living in harmony and peace with all beings.

The good news is, there is a simple solution. And that is just to stop- metaphorically speaking, to stop and smell the roses!- to grant freedom that should never have been stolen, to restore our so called humanity and to save ourselves in the saving of others.

May all beings be happy and free.

Anne

 

Clarabelle the Cow, a Forever Mother at Last

13 thoughts on “Clarabelle the Cow, a Forever Mother at Last

  • February 21, 2015 at 5:39 pm
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    The story of Clarabelle is inspiring, thanks for sharing it. It would be wrong to take a baby from a human woman, milk her and sell her milk; treating her as simply a means to the end of other humans. There is no justification for doing this to cows either – though cows and humans are not the same, in terms of their interest in not being treated as commodities we are equal. We don’t have the right to do it to them.

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    • February 21, 2015 at 6:17 pm
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      Hi Jonathan,
      Welcome to my website. I hope that you like what you see. I cold not agree more with your view. Ss a mother, I am horrified to know that separating mothers and babies is a daily practice in the dairy industry. As Pam Ahern and Edgar’s Mission says: “Ditch the Dairy”.
      Many thanks,
      Anne

      Reply
  • February 21, 2015 at 6:55 pm
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    A beautiful story, thank you. As a vegan and a mother, I think I find the dairy industry the most absurd and cruel of all, yet the vast majority of people have absolutely no concept of this cruelty. We must keep sharing stories like these to make people more aware.

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    • February 21, 2015 at 8:12 pm
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      Hi Helen,
      Welcome to my website. I am so happy to have your comments and I do agree with you. The mothers and their babies get me every time. I know the love I feel for my children and I know the love my mother felt for me. Let’s keep getting the word out.
      Many thanks.
      Anne

      Reply
  • February 21, 2015 at 7:51 pm
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    This is such a heartwarming & feel good story. I wish we could share with every single person out there. Very few people realize the cruelty in the dairy industry.

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    • February 21, 2015 at 8:15 pm
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      Hi Barb,
      Welcome to my website and thank you for commenting. It is not so long ago that I was not aware of the cruelty in all the the many nonhuman beings for profit industries. I hope this story helps people to awaken and to stop contributing to the horror.
      Many thanks.
      Anne

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  • February 21, 2015 at 9:23 pm
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    Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary is a marvellous place; the stories about the rescued animals are heartwarming. I marveled at Clarabelle’s cleverness.

    Thank you for writing another inspiring and informative story that clearly shows that a cow’s milk is for its calf (goat’s milk for its kid, and so on…. i.e. a mother’s milk is for its baby). The good news is that cow milk consumption is on the decline. Sadly, I don’t think its because people are finally realizing that it’s a horrifically cruel and artificial industry. Alternative milks (almond, soy, rice, hemp, coconut and more) are becoming very popular.

    John and I are very happy that you sold the house so quickly…. no surprise as it IS a beautiful home! Good luck with the house search.

    Reply
    • February 21, 2015 at 9:42 pm
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      Hi Cindy,
      Thanks once again for the encouragement. I am glad that milk production is in decline because this means less cruelty. However, I am desperate, really, for people to get it-to understand that what are doing is unconscionable. If we don’t get it we will be doomed to continually rule with an iron fist what is not ours to rule in the first place. We will continue to destroy all that is valuable in this life and on this planet and ourselves in the process. We need to reconnect with our kindness and compassion for others.
      Crazy about the house. We had two offers within the first two days. No luck finding a new house. Hope that I do soon.
      Take care,
      Anne

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  • February 22, 2015 at 5:38 pm
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    Sold within two weeks — awesome! But no need to apologize for not blogging as selling, hunting, moving and all the work that goes with that is both stressful and time-consuming. Make sure to get plenty of rest. We, your readers and the beings you write for, will still be here when you get back. 🙂

    Heartwarming (and heartbreaking) story about Clarabelle and Valentine. Glad they’re both safe. Ah, if we could only save them all…

    Reply
    • February 23, 2015 at 4:14 am
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      HI Friend,

      Yes, the house selling was quite a whirlwind. It also provided some insight into the mindset of people when money is involved. I live to learn, but some things I could do without knowing about people.

      Anyway, I digress. I like that you get that this story is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. We must take solace in the fact that this little duo was saved, that Clarabelle is getting to experience motherhood the way it should be experienced and that good people live to provide her that experience as well as a safe haven for her and her baby.

      Take care,
      Anne

      Reply
  • February 27, 2015 at 4:11 am
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    Oh my goodness… can’t even see writing through tears. Thank you so much for sharing Clarabelle’s story. It’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming, as you said. I had a scare the other day when from two blocks away I heard the mother sheep at the place I go visit giving out a distress call…..one of the babies was nowhere in sight when I got there and I was as frantic as her….15 minutes later the little one came out of hiding from somewhere in the “shelter” they use against all kinds of weather, etc. It’s a longer story, but it was absolutely distressing to see the mama so upset. And of course none of the workers even came to see what was going on.

    Although it’s bittersweet to leave your home, congratulations on the sale and I hope you will find as much time as possible to write, but try not to feel too guilty for taking care of responsibilities that you have to take care of that will keep you from writing as often.

    I loved reading this post and thanks again for sharing Clarabelle and Valentine’s story and for mentioning Edgar’s Mission. What a special place!

    Reply
    • March 2, 2015 at 7:38 am
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      Hi Krissa,
      Glad that you connected with Clarabelle and Valentine the same way I did. Mothers and their babies get me every time. Also glad that your mama sheep found her little lamb.
      Thanks for the congratulations on the sale of our home. It went very quickly and we were able to find a new home this past week. What a whirlwind. Now we will be packing, arranging for some trim work and painting to be done in our new abode and moving in by mid May.
      Edgar’s Mission is a very special place. I have written about them before when the story of Frostie the snow goat tugged at my heartstrings. You can read the story on my website.
      Take care,
      Anne

      Reply
  • September 1, 2016 at 12:00 pm
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    Hi Anne
    Don’t know how I missed this article but is before I knew about your website or became vegan. That video of clarabelle and Valentine is all people should need to go vegan. No need for graphic imagery. This video and your article says it all in my view. Well done Anne for summing this up beautifully.

    Rachel weightman.

    Reply

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