ASHA Sanctuary is located in Newfane, New York, less than an hour away from Buffalo, and it’s the perfect day trip for anyone who wants to relax, learn and meet adorable animals. Tracy Murphy, who started the Buffalo Vegan Society in 2007, founded the sanctuary in 2013. ASHA cares for animals rescued from the food industry, and the team works to give them the lives they deserve. Canisius College Veg Club visited the sanctuary on Saturday, March 19, to volunteer and take a tour. It was a great experience, and it was a lot better than visiting a farm or a petting zoo, because I never wondered what happened to the animals when we left.
Before the tour, hens and a turkey walked around freely. Abraham the turkey, who usually trotted away as soon as someone got too close, seemed to have a fondness for one of our club members, and he followed her around. Tracy explained that most of the birds were de-beaked (which is like chopping off the tip of your finger without anesthetic), and described the cages factory farm birds are subjected to.
Then we met Nick the potbelly pig. He was resting, bundled up in hay and completely content. Tracy jumped into the barn (the door is always open), and by the way she rubbed and nuzzled him, anyone could tell she cherishes and adores all of these animals with all her heart. She described how pregnant sows are kept in gestation crates for their entire pregnancy, unable to turn around, and then raved that all these animals want is love.
As she opened the gate, the animals literally ran over to see us; I was surprised at how willing they were to interact with people. There was Michael the goat, Lindsey the donkey, the sheep and the star, Albert the cow, who has his own Facebook page. They weren’t lying when they said Michael was a pickpocket, and I got a very welcomed face full of cow.While meeting the animals, Tracy described the normal practice for inseminating dairy cows. Looking at Albert the cow preening from all the affection and thinking about normal food industry practices is enough to make anyone question a meat-eating diet.
ASHA Sanctuary is the first place I’ve visited where animals have complete agency. In petting zoos and farms, animals are only as worthy as their value to humans; their main function in life is giving people food, entertainment or money. At ASHA Sanctuary, these animals are free to walk around, and the structures only serve to provide for them a place with a comfortable temperature. Tracy runs the sanctuary based on the animals' needs, and when people pay $10 admission or donate, the money goes to improving the lives of these animals. When I was working, I knew I was doing it for the animals to improve their lives in some way. It’s how all human and nonhuman animals are supposed to live: free to roam, content and filled with love.
After the volunteer work, Tracy told us about her experiences at animal auctions. I learned that animals only cower away from humans when they have a reason to; it's not natural. After answering some of our questions, Tracy gave us all delicious vegan cookies. She says, "becoming vegan is the most powerful choice we can make to bring about a better world." Not only is it one of the most powerful decisions, but it's also one of the easiest.
The sanctuary is only two years old, but Tracy has big plans. The sanctuary is in the process of building a visiting center, where visitors can learn more about the food industry and buy souvenirs. They host multiple events, such as Meet a Cow, Pignic and Kiss a Cow. Meet a Cow begins April 17, and registered visitors receive $5 just to meet the stately Albert the cow. Normal admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children and free for college students (our favorite word).