Stretching their legs after a two and a half hour drive from Hunts Point in the South Bronx to the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, the Have a Heart campers looked around excitedly. They had spent the previous few days learning about various issues affecting farm animals. After discussions on factory farming and watching the Meatrix, they were going to come face-to-face and nose-to-nose with turkeys, pigs, cows, chickens, sheep, goats, and ducks.
The sanctuary looked just how the campers had thought a farm should look: beautiful and green with happy animals living out their lives. Unfortunately for the nearly 10 billion animals raised for food in this country per year, the idyllic image of a farm with rolling pastures hasn’t been accurate for a long time. Large-scale factory farms have replaced small family farms, and this industrialized version of farming has wreaked havoc on animals, the planet and people.
As the students went on the tour with sanctuary co-founder Jenny Brown, they learned not only about the complex personalities of each species, but also about the cruelty these animals face due to modern farming methods such as debeaking, tail docking and extreme confinement.
One of the first creatures to greet the kids was a very sociable turkey named Timmy. Timmy strutted around with his feathers fully puffed out ready to impress, and he delighted in being pet and hugged by the campers. Timmy was originally a mail order turkey who was left to wander around a busy residential neighborhood. After a local hunter told neighbors he planned on using Timmy as bow and arrow target practice, he was brought to the sanctuary, and now, he relishes all the attention he receives from visitors.
All of the animals at the sanctuary have similar stories. They were either neglected by the people who raised them, or they escaped from factory farms and slaughter houses. The kids spent the day with them hearing about their lives, making emotional bonds and learning ways that they can help farm animals in their daily lives.
We were fortunate to be able to document the experience and capture some of the joy the kids (and animals) felt on the field trip. We know our campers will remember this adventure to the sanctuary for years to come. The Have a Heart Camp was co-sponsored by HEART and the Hunts Point Alliance for Children.
I think that this is such an inspiring experience for children who have little
Experience with the other species that inhabit this earth. Seeing the joy in these children’s faces as they interacted with the animals they have not connected with before,was profound.
Thank you for giving all of us the privilege of helping.
Fabulous video and fabulous organization. Creating a more humane society starts with children. We all know that kids who bully other kids often torment animals too. Awareness of animals makes us all-around better people. Keep up the great work!
i went to the camp i was really fun