VOLUME 9
Howdy, my beloved Rowdy supporters and subscribers!
I’ve had to hold back until now. Finally, I can announce to y’all that my first book, Rowdy Girl: The Secret Diary of a Cattle Rancher’s Wife, will be published next year. And, most exciting of all, Bloomsbury is the publisher!
Bloomsbury Publishing is the original publisher of the Harry Potter series in the United Kingdom. J.K. Rowling was famously signed by Bloomsbury after the manuscript was initially rejected by several other publishers. For my book to be published by them is a BIG deal.
Here’s what my editor Richard Brown has to say about the book.
The Rowdy Girl story, already reaching mainstream audiences with the documentary, will be hugely amplified with the book. We are seeing radical momentum in the eleventh year since the founding of the sanctuary.
One of my intentions for this book is to denormalize the normalized violence that is eating animals. As author Kathryn Gillespie wrote in her book The Cow with Ear Tag #1389, our food system is a story of how “violence against certain lives and bodies can become so normalized that it is not viewed as violence at all.” Can I get an amen?
We’re dismantling the myth that it’s okay to harm animals—and you’re part of the disruption. How?
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By reading this newsletter and standing with our mission.
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By sharing the Rowdy Girl documentary and amplifying its message.
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By surrendering FFA animals and choosing veganism.
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By following and engaging with us on social media.
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By refusing to eat animals—ever.
Remember—choosing plants over animals is just the beginning. If we are going to liberate animals suffering in silence, we must become activists. We must be their voice—because theirs is wailing in terror behind slaughterhouse walls.
Whether you’re vegan, vegan-curious, or neither, every time you choose plants over animals, you weaken industrial animal agriculture. Every time you choose kindness over killing, you disrupt a toxic norm—one that’s making humans sick, degrading our planet, and commodifying sentient beings.
This isn’t just a diet. It’s a revolution. And it needs you.
Thank you for being with us on this journey.
Renee King-Sonnen,
Founder and Executive Director
Rowdy Girl Impact Tour Update
Rowdy Girl the documentary continues to make an impact in places about as far away from Texas as you can get.
An animal rights group in Taiwan recently requested a screening and offered to translate the film into Chinese at no cost.
New Animal Residents
Meet Buddy and Penelope, our newest rescues in 2025.
Less than one year old, Buddy the lamb was scheduled to be part of the “terminal show” at the Austin Rodeo. In a terminal show, all animals entered are judged on “conformation and quality,” and then mandatorily sent to slaughter after the event—either immediately or via a designated buyer.
The practice conditions young people to think of animals as food, not friends, and reinforces the normalization of killing innocent beings in our food system.
Buddy was surrendered by the Vega Family to Rowdy Girl Sanctuary on March 19th, exactly one day before he was scheduled to be slaughtered. The Vega family’s daughter was devastated to learn of Buddy’s fate. She will never raise livestock again or participate in the program. And, she stopped eating meat.
Rowdy Girl Sanctuary is on a mission to stop this senseless practice of cruelty and conditioning with our Families Choosing Compassion program.
Penelope is a 4-year old Black Australorp hen, a breed known for their friendly demeanor.
She was surrendered to us by a woman named Crystal, who was preparing for a big move and reached out to see if we could give Penelope a safe and loving home. Penelope’s flock mates had all passed away, leaving her alone—a difficult situation for a chicken, as they are highly social animals who thrive when part of a flock.
After Penelope arrived at Rowdy Girl Sanctuary and was cleared from quarantine, she became a member of resident rooster Blanchito’s flock. We sent Crystal an update and received this reply.
“You have no idea how much I needed this! I miss her very much. It makes me so happy and forever grateful to see her with her new flock. Thank you so much for all of your love and support, and for championing such a great cause. On a side note, visiting the farm inspired us to venture into being vegetarian/ pescatarians. It’s the first step on our new adventure. Y’all are making a difference. Thank you again!”
That’s the power of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary.
Voices From the Frontlines
“Activism is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. It’s every little thing you do—sharing a video, rescuing an animal, educating a friend—that adds up to a movement.”
— Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA
You got that right, Ingrid.
This isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or being the loudest voice in the room—it’s about showing up, over and over again, with grit and heart.
I didn’t just wake up one day and become “Rowdy Girl.” It was raw. It was real. It was one calf. One truth I couldn’t ignore. One decision that cracked my world wide open. That’s what this movement is built on—sacred rebellion, one soul at a time.
Every post you share, every conversation you have, every bite you choose not to take from someone else’s suffering—it all matters. It adds up. And it fuels a Rowdy revolution.
So here’s what I’m asking:
- Be bold this week.
- Speak up.
- Ruffle feathers.
- Shake someone out of their comfort zone.
Because silence is complicity—and we didn’t come this far to play it safe.
Let’s raise hell for the animals—and make it holy.
Are you in?
Membership Spotlight
If you think your membership in the Rowdy Club doesn’t matter all that much, think again. Every single member and donor ensures that Rowdy Girl Sanctuary can work to end farmed animal agriculture, continue rescue and run effective public awareness campaigns.
A monthly contribution of just $8 does all of that. It also entitles you to membership in the Rowdy Club.
Benefits include:
- Complimentary invitations to all sanctuary events
- Invitation to quarterly updates in Renee’s Zoom Room
- Access to our exclusive Rowdy Girl Members’ Facebook group
- Proud Member Badge to use on your social media, website or email signature
- Proud Member feature on our social media
Speaking of Proud Members, Siena Estabrook has this to say about being a member:
“I became vegan after slowly learning about veganism and making connections I hadn’t before. I started questioning why it’s okay to eat cows, chickens, and pigs but not dogs or cats. I realized that if I could never eat my cat, why would it be okay to eat another living being who is just as sentient and feels love and pain just the same? That’s why I’m proud to be a member of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. They give rescued farm animals the love and care they deserve while challenging the idea that some animals are food and others are family. If you believe in showing compassion for all beings, I encourage you to join. Together, we can create a kinder, more compassionate world.”
Siena Estabrook
Atlanta, GA
New Amazon Wish List Program
We are in constant need of supplies, nutrition and treats for the animals, and tools for our caretakers. Our new wish list on Amazon has been a hit! Now you can support the sanctuary by selecting the items we need the most.
Thank you so much for making sure our animal caretakers have everything they need to care for our rescued animals.
Recent Interviews & Media Attention
We used to say, “we are the voice for the voiceless.” But animals do indeed have a voice. We just can’t hear them. Now we say, “Rowdy Girl speaks loud for those who are wailing behind slaughterhouse walls!”
Here’s where our voice has been amplified recently:
Live Instagram on 1.22.2025
Renee King-Sonnen and Tara Notvest, CEO SEED Food & Wine Austin
Tanglewood Fruit Festival in Costa Rica on 2.09.2025
Keynote address on YouTube
Live Instagram on 3.20.2025
Renee King-Sonnen and Coach Scott Burgett, CEO Evolution Vegan Academy
Renee will be speaking at National Animal Rights Day in Austin this June and the SEED Food & Wine Festival in Austin this October. Details to come.
For the complete library of Rowdy Girl podcast interviews, go here!
Rowdy Merch
Ready to wear your animal activism on your sleeve, or head? Check out the Rowdy Girl Sanctuary store. T-shirts, caps, earrings, books, blankets, pillows and more are waiting for you.
Nothing will start a conversation faster than a Meat is Murder baseball cap! Shop here.
Save the Date
Saturday, April 26 @ 10 a.m. CST
Join us for a day of volunteer “HeartWork” at Rowdy Girl Sanctuary in Waelder, Texas, on Saturday, April 26th at 10 a.m. CST. Work will include gardening, ground cleaning, optimizing an old barn and sheep shearing.
We will treat you to a delicious vegan breakfast and lunch, and you’ll get to visit with the animals while you’re here.
Beyond Meat is providing breakfast to start the day right. All Y’alls Foods will be sponsoring lunch that will be served by HapPea Vegans. We will have raffle items, delicious plant-based cheese courtesy of Treeline Cheesemakers and desserts by Celeste’s Best. And, The Cornucopia will bring loads of bananas (you can share those with the cows).
May 15-18
We hope y’all will join us at the Animal & Vegan Advocacy Summit in Los Angeles on May 15-18. This summit attracts animal advocates from all over the world as well as top-notch speakers. Get ready to be inspired and empowered, and meet passionate like-minded advocates.
Plan Your Trip to Rowdy Girl Sanctuary Today!
There’s nothing like meeting our animal residents in person. We’ll show you some Texan hospitality and give you a tour of our 147-acre ranch that is home to more than 120 animals.
Private tours are an important part of raising awareness about our food system and providing education about the complex lives of farmed animals.
Book your private tour here. We would love y’all to visit!
Thank You Collaborators!
The new Collaborators Program has been wildly successful. At Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, we are proud to partner with businesses that share our commitment to ending animal agriculture and promoting the virtues of a plant-based lifestyle. As a Collaborator, your business can make a meaningful impact by contributing in-kind gifts, essential services, or financial support to help us achieve our mission.
To see a complete list of Collaborators and more information on how to become one, go here.
In Memoriam
Losing animals at Rowdy Girl Sanctuary is never easy. They are family to us. We are privileged to have the profound joy that comes with making a safe home for animals who were headed to slaughter, neglected or needed to be rehomed. We make sure their last chapter is one that allows them to be the individuals that they are in a loving space.
Ivory
