As I follow our animal care director to Calvin and his herd, I wilt beneath the glare of the hot sun. It hasn’t been hot all summer, though. It’s actually been a wonderful year for rain. Last year was our state’s driest year in 128 years! This year has been different.
But you know what hasn’t changed? The price of hay. That’s why I need your help.
While other parts of the country have seen a decline in the cost of a hay bale … unfortunately, we have not.
California and the Pacific Northwest have always suffered from high costs of hay, often much higher than most areas of the country. Last year, a bale of hay cost us $31. This year, it is nearly $35.
You read that right. I wish I made that up – we don’t get the lower prices seen in other parts of the country.
That’s why I need your help.
Calvin knows something about surviving under harsh conditions. I have a hard time sharing his story with you. But you should know the truth.
Six years ago, Calvin was born at a dairy. He was taken from his mother right after birth and shipped to a veal farm.
Can you imagine the fear pulsing through Calvin’s heart? Wrenched from his mother, thrown in a trailer, and shoved in a wooden crate.
If you looked out from Calvin’s crate, all you would see are wooden bars. When Calvin gazes out now, he sees acres of oak knolls and grass. People like you made that view possible. And it’s why I’m asking for your support.
Your donation of $34 feeds Calvin and his herd for one day during the winter.
A “rescuer” bought twelve calves from the veal farm. Calves from dairies and veal ranches are sick, because they often don’t receive their mother’s first milk (which contains antibodies). It’s why we take calves we rescue straight to a hospital. Without intervention, chances of survival drop.
Under this “rescue’s” care Calvin did not receive veterinary care for seven days. Two calves died on the seventh day.
Animal control mandated a veterinary visit. Calvin was malnourished and dehydrated. He could barely breathe. One calf was euthanized. Nine calves remained.
I have to tell you. This was absolutely devastating. Calvin had survived the horrors of a dairy farm and a veal ranch. But now he struggled to survive the neglect of a rescuer imposter.
We heard about these calves and reached out and offered to take in four of them, and another sanctuary offered to take in the rest. I sent a Registered Veterinary Technician and volunteer to meet with the “rescuer.”
What she saw changed everything. The calves were covered in urine and diarrhea. One was dying. Our staff member held him until he took his last breath…it was too late to even rush him to a veterinarian for euthanasia. Eight of the twelve were alive.
I know I put this on repeat. Without you, there is no us.
Because of your support, we brought the eight remaining calves straight to UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. For three of the calves, it was too late. The veterinary team did their best. The grief over their loss was palpable. It makes the survivors all the more special to us. Just five of the twelve were alive.
After more than two months of hospitalization and care, the five survivors were ready to start coming home. As you can imagine, it was so hard to see these small, fragile babies at the hospital. So when they came home, we celebrated. We named them Calvin, Keegan, Florence, Phoenix, and Ethan.
Calvin was the last to come home. He was so thrilled to be reunited with his friends, he managed to race around the pasture two times!
All five have an incurable disease that requires them to be isolated on their own pasture, away from other cows.
It’s been six years. Today Calvin and his herd need YOUR donation. Because they cannot be moved to a new pasture, sweet Calvin relies on your generosity to transform your dollars into hay bales.
We purchase 550 bales of hay a year for all of our cows, much of which goes to Calvin’s herd.
That’s more than $19,000 in hay alone!
Your $68 donation feeds two of the herds for a day!
You won’t be alone. There are thousands of amazing, supportive people just like you reading about Calvin right now!
Calvin is an incredibly sweet individual. He loves butt scratches. When we feed him hay, he is gentle and kind around his herd. Calvin loves to be groomed by Keegan, and he loves grooming Ethan.
All five of these cows would NEVER have known sanctuary life without your support. Every bale of hay we feed them is courtesy of someone like you. And with hay prices on the rise, we could sure use your help now more than ever.
I’m counting on you. So is Calvin. Without you, there is no us.
With compassion,
Kim Sturla
Executive Director
PS: All it takes is your $15 donation to feed Calvin for a day.
