Monday, August 2, 2010

Why Do Canadian Farm Animal Sanctuary’s Struggle?



Americans gave more than $307.65 billion to their favorite causes despite the economic conditions in 2008. Total giving, when adjusted for inflation, was down 5.7 percent, the largest drop recorded since the group began keeping track of America’s charitable contributions. Many had expected a sharper decline in giving with the recession. It’s important to keep in mind that despite the downturn, giving still totaled $307 billion and individual giving continues to be in the 82 percent of total giving range.
USA as of February 2009, the United States has a total resident population of 305 million Areas: 9,161,923 SQ KM

Canadians donated a total of $10.0 billion in 2007, up from $8.9 billion in 2004. In 2007, the average donation was $437, compared with $400 in 2004. These increases were not adjusted for inflation.

As of April 1, 2009, Canada's population was an estimated 33,592,700,
Area: 9,093,507 SQ KM

The area per SQ KM is comparable; however the population base is substantially different therefore the donation base is over whelming compared to ours. This of course means more foundations, more grants , bigger industries and more people giving .
Pigs particularly have a stigma attached to them that they are dirty animals. Consider we say ‘sweat like a pig” or “messy like a pig sty” and ‘dirty or stink like a pig”. Pigs have no sweat glands and require shade or mud wallows to cool of in during the hot seasons. Pigs if given a choice will not relieve themselves where they eat or sleep. All animals are as dirty as there keeper is. And pigs have no scent at all once altered .
Even most ridged animal lovers can’t relate to pigs as companion animals and are prone to give to cat and dog rescues as that is who they can identify with the Spot or Fluffy because they have one laying on there beds. Compared to our USA counterparts and the difference in the population once again more will have pigs as pets so most Sanctuaries do quite well there.
Also Sanctuaries who also have a feline or canine population will draw the public support and quite often funds the farm animals in there care. For those of us specializing in one species such as horse’s , chickens , cows or pigs are struggling to fund there operation and are stagnant in growth and the inability to do more.
At January 1, Canadian hog producers had an estimated 11.6 million hogs on their farms. To the average person a pig is a pig, big or small.
Finally I will share a recent experience with a Brownie Leader who wanted her group the visit the Sanctuary but didn’t want her daughter to refuse pork when she left here. In her words she had enough trouble getting her to eat as it was. I have to also realize that this is not an isolated incident and that many simply do not want to face what they eat.

12 comments:

tbsomeday said...

i admire your hard work despite the adversity

and shame shame on that brownie leader...what kind of example is she?
she should really take them to a tour of a hog confinery and slaughterhouse as well
it's time to be honest and quit paying people to "murder" for our lunch while we can pretend we're eating animals that died happily for our plate

Janice Gillett said...

In the email back to her i told her the issue i want to get across to young people is to educate themselves prior to getting a pet and that they are a life time commitment -one that you don't betray. I also told her that I would answer any questions they had honestly and touched on education ..she never wrote me back and took away her girls right to make decisions based on there individual choices. I don't need to tell kids not to eat pigs, most who visit stop after meeting them. ;o) And as absurd as it sounds, it is human nature for people to turn away from things they don't want to "see".

Anonymous said...

One thing you could do Janice, is have a quit-stalling petition for your guests to sign. You could have some nice photos of pigs in crates, unable to turn around. Just be all casual, all, "oh some of my people would like me to have these signed...."
They'll have trouble swallowing pork after that.

But, yes, people have to come into a clarity of vision. I taught a story about a slave ship a couple years ago, and my students were freaking out, saying, "how can the captain not see the slaves suffering?" And I said, "what he sees is cargo."

Rattie said...

I certainly admire the work you do. You are also right that pigs get a bad rap. I remember once on a very hot August day coming across a truck transporting pigs and how that greatly impacted my views on pigs. They were all cramped in this tiny space in the blazing sun. One pig stuck his/her snout out as to say "please help". The image has haunted me since.

Janice Gillett said...

I did take some pictures off your Blog Addie- do you have a petition I could bring with me?

Rattie Mom, that would of killed me to see ...

lesley said...

Hi Jan,
Hope you ok and all the piggies.
Re your struggle.I agree pigs and farm animals seem to come a very poor second with other animals.However in the Uk there is Hillside farm animal sanctuary who doi very very well.god knows how. I am in uk as you know and i barely have enough to last from one week to the next.Its a constant struggle here in Wales and my liverpool shelter is the same.That has been going 30 years and we still are in big big debt! I think most of the small shelkters wherever they are struggle.we dont have the money to afford big ads in national newspapers and tv.The small shelters like yours are overlooked except by a few enlightened people.I wish i could help you Jan and once again I am so sorry i didnt know about you when i visited Maple Ridge.So close, I cant believe my friend who lives close by did not tell me about you (and she claims to be an animal lover!)One day maybe.lots of love to you and your pigs, lesley x

Janice Gillett said...

People are more drawn to cows then pigs .. pigs are so far down the give a poop meter and yet are so smart- it is a challenge for sure.

Plus beauty is in the eye of the beholder and pigs are thought of as dirty and stinking -add that to face value and they are doomed.

To 'see' a pig you must be free of all prejudice's and stereotypes. It is Gods plan for us to be able to see what is there beyond race, worth, and defect.

For example homeless people have no less value then anyone else -behind the tattered clothes is a human being with thoughts and feelings. What is there story, how did they end up there and what happened to them etc ..but human nature judges..

First Nations Peoples are not all drunks a stereo type i have argued for years. Never the less the stigma is there ..

I'm blabbering here .. M

Jessica said...

Hello! I am the one who sponsors Tuskers. I am so thankful and grateful for what you do, and I wish everyday that I had lived closer so I could come volunteer. I wish I could give more and I will do my best to spread the word about your sanctuary.

I love my piggie with all my heart and cannot even fathom just dumping him like some people do to their pigs.

Janice Gillett said...

Hi Jessica so glad your posting here!!!

I have picked up some 'recovery chewables" for Tuskers as its getting colder now and i have noticed some arthritic changes in him. Hopefully that will help him out and if not e will go to something stronger if it progresses.

There is some pictures on here on "is my pig too fat" story and will show you the condition they were in when they arrived so long ago.

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I found your blog searching for Canadian farm animal sanctuaries. I have known of some American ones for years and have been searching for a sanctuary near where I live (Saskatchewan), but it seems there are none. This post was an interesting insight into this issue. I think you are amazing for what you do for pigs, a very loveable animal that suffers too much in our society.
Jan

Janice Gillett said...

I wrote this a long time ago and sometimes when i read this old stuff i think i wrote that LOL .. yes Sask is the lost province as i hear nothing coming out of there doing farm animal rescue on any of the public forums i am on.. and there is land a plenty out here and hay to go with it. It skips right to Ontario from Alberta and B.C.

Alex & Jenn said...

Hi Jan & Janice...

Although your posts are from 2013, we am delighted to tell you that myself and a very small but growing group of dedicated animal allies are working to develop the first Farm Animal Sanctuary in Saskatchewan.

We are called Forever MicroRanch Sanctuary. We are located in Southwest Saskatchewan just outside of Frontier, near the Montana border.

You are right, Janice, that there is a lot of one space and land, although it is mostly dominated by conventional large-scale farms. It is both a challenging and joyful learning process for us here!

It is so wonderful to see your site and read your posts about the life you are giving to some of our wonderful pig friends. One of our residents is a two-year-old MicroPig, Lupin, who has taught us much about the sensitivity and incredible intelligence of pigs - truly a misunderstood species. Thankfully, that is starting to change with the shift toward more compassionate living. Through sites like yours, awareness is growing.

It would be wonderful to chat with you more. We love to connect with other animal allies around the globe. We are on Facebook & Twitter, or feel free to email us as well.
http://www.facebook.com/fmrsanctuary
http://twitter.com/fmrsanctuary

Wishing you and your animal friends comfort, care & compassion.

Alex & Jenn
Co-Founders
Forever MicroRanch Sanctuary
fmrsanctuary@gmail.com