Microsanctuary Life
Animal Rights/Vegan Activist Strategies Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM Allison Hess, VLCD, MainStreetVegan.net
August 2021

I learned early that chickens are individuals with inherent worth. Sharing that knowledge is important. Seeing the bonds form between the girls is beautiful; they have helped to heal my heart just as I’ve done my best to help heal them.

Child Kitten
Image credit: Kristen Hess

Sanctuaries are the backbone of our movement for justice. They are a crucial part of providing refuge, education, and connection.

As soon as I could walk, my love for cats was profound. I carried a sample of cat food in my backpack for the day when I’d care for a cat of my “own.” That love blossomed on my grandparents’ farm in Iowa during sunny summers.

On that farm, I also had the opportunity to hold an egg in my hand while the tiny chick pecked away the shell. She wanted to see the world and worked so hard to move towards the light. My awe for that tiny being felt no different than what I felt for any of the cats I loved.

I’ve done my best to offer a home to as many felines and canines as possible over the years, beginning with my beloved first cat, Annie.

However, something was missing—or rather someone. It was those that many interact with only on plates.

Our microsanctuary became a response to helplessness and hope in equal measure.

chicken Opal

Starting each day caring for individuals brought into the world to become food has tipped the scales for me, on most days, towards hope.

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Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE (PDF).

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