It was my observations of these two lambs when we first opened the sanctuary that made me recognise that they have eyes, ears, a nose, and mouth just like us, and they also have a brain. They have the same senses as us that enable them to feel.
Everyone loved Cara. She was intelligent, alert, curious, competent, gentle, and extremely affectionate.
Cara arrived at Eden twelve years ago, practically to the day. She was born
one of triplet lambs and her mother couldn’t feed her. A local farmer gave
her to Eden to be a friend to Bertie (Cara is the Irish word for friend). We
had no idea then how good a friend she would become to us or how radically
she would change our lives.
It was my observations of these two lambs that made me recognise that they
have eyes, ears, a nose, and mouth just like us, and they also have a brain.
They have the same senses as us that enable them to feel. This is what we
call sentience but at that time, for me, it was a simple dawning realisation
that the animals we use as objects or resources, are capable of perception
and feeling and they are aware of themselves and of their lives. When I saw
them jumping, springing on their long legs and so obviously enjoying their
young lives at Eden, it occurred to me that they experience emotions and
that their lives matter to them as much as our lives matter to us. That was
the beginning of a process of mental and moral examination that led me to
stop thinking of them as food or clothing and began relating to them as
unique individuals who are my equal. It resulted in Eden being a vegan
sanctuary and in setting up Go Vegan World. Indeed, it is this very simple
educational tool of recognition of their sentience that informs and inspires
our animal rights adverts and all our work.
Cara was our friend. She was always the first of her group to get up and
greet us. She was also a friend to the other animals at Eden and she was a
mother to Pip and Willow and grandmother to Florence and Sadbh, who were
born at Eden, either accidentally or before we understood the problems of
breeding.
Everyone loved Cara. She was intelligent, alert, curious, competent, gentle,
and extremely affectionate.
Cara and Sandra...
She developed arthritis as a consequence of selective breeding for the
animal flesh industry. We have been treating her weakening hip for years
with the growing certainty that her time with us was limited. For months it
has been our privilege to wait on her hand and foot with as much grain, ivy
and freshly cut grass as she wanted because it was difficult for her to
graze.
Last weekend she couldn’t stand and it was time to say goodbye. I spent the
morning with her, chatting to her, scratching her head and caressing her
face. Apart from not being able to move, she was very relaxed and she ate
all morning.
She went out like a light, as gently and gracefully as she lived.
She has left our hearts broken.
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