Saving the Animals: The Cowgirl Goes Vegan
This isn’t just the story of Renee King-Sonnen, an independent woman, songwriter, yoga teacher, born and raised in Houston, Texas, amidst country music, rodeos, barbecues and cowboy boots. This is the story, above all, of the animals that entered her life, transforming her into a warrior woman. Renee married the same man twice, Tommy Sonnen, and, when she moved to her ranch to live with him again, “something”, which step by step became someone, changed her life forever, pushing her to embrace vegan philosophy. Renee, with determination and courage, convinced Tommy to turn his farm into a sanctuary. No animal will be considered an inanimate object on their ranch to be exploited for the almighty money.
Let’s take a step back. Before moving to the ranch, you loved pets, while you were terrified of farm animals, especially you were afraid of cows and chickens.
«Yes, I was afraid of cows because I saw them big, with huge heads, some even have pointed horns; if they wanted to harm us, they would have the tool to do it! In fact, I had never spent time with farm animals. The only contact I had with them was when they were at the other end of my fork or when I ate them. When I moved to the ranch, their presence and closeness “forced” me to relate to them and, when I started looking at them from a different perspective, getting to know them one by one, inevitably, the process of change was activated ».
When did you make the connection that farmed animals must have the same rights and treatment as dogs and cats?
“I often came home with chicken sandwiches, and when I crossed the yard to enter the house, I saw the chickens from our farm scratching the ground. I began to think that the animals that stuffed our sandwiches could have been related to our animals and the idea made me crazy. I started to see them as someone and not as food, distorting my concept of ethics. “When you change the way you see things, things literally change” (Cit. Wayne W. Dyer). We have never killed and eaten the animals on our farm; we would go home with bags full of dead animals bought at the market. I started to say to my husband: “Why don’t we slaughter our animals since we eat meat? Why buy them when we have animals raised and fed with expensive hay in our pastures? ”. I told him these things, not because I really wanted to eat them, but to provoke him. I already knew the answer and wished Tommy would get there too. He said, “I can’t eat the animals I know!” I had hit the point and I kept on treading my hand: “If you had to choose an animal to be slaughtered in our farm, which one would you choose? It is hypocritical to raise animals to sell them to third parties who slaughter them and then buy corpses of the same species to eat them! “. From that day on we began to discuss these topics without ever killing our cows and chickens. Meanwhile, I was watching videos on the internet showing how animals are slaughtered. Tommy heard me cry and asked me, “Why are you looking at that stuff?” I couldn’t do otherwise. I had started making the connection. Finally, the day came when the red truck had to take the calves to take them to the slaughterhouse. The mothers ran after the vehicle and the little ones tried to escape from the truck to go back to their mothers. The cows cried all night until they lost their voice, it was the most horrible sound I’ve ever heard. They cried and looked for their children for days. I had nightmares, it was upsetting, worse than a horror movie. These episodes made me understand that all God’s creatures deserve the same treatment. We can no longer accept animal exploitation for the profit and greed of men. We represent a virus for our planet. My soul has started to get sick ». The mothers ran after the vehicle and the little ones tried to escape from the truck to go back to their mothers. The cows cried all night until they lost their voice, it was the most horrible sound I’ve ever heard. They cried and looked for their children for days. I had nightmares, it was upsetting, worse than a horror movie. These episodes made me understand that all God’s creatures deserve the same treatment. We can no longer accept animal exploitation for the profit and greed of men. We represent a virus for our planet. My soul has started to get sick ». The mothers ran after the vehicle and the little ones tried to escape from the truck to go back to their mothers. The cows cried all night until they lost their voice, it was the most horrible sound I’ve ever heard. They cried and looked for their children for days. I had nightmares, it was upsetting, worse than a horror movie. These episodes made me understand that all God’s creatures deserve the same treatment. We can no longer accept animal exploitation for the profit and greed of men. We represent a virus for our planet. My soul has started to get sick ». I had nightmares, it was upsetting, worse than a horror movie. These episodes made me understand that all God’s creatures deserve the same treatment. We can no longer accept animal exploitation for the profit and greed of men. We represent a virus for our planet. My soul has started to get sick ». I had nightmares, it was upsetting, worse than a horror movie. These episodes made me understand that all God’s creatures deserve the same treatment. We can no longer accept animal exploitation for the profit and greed of men. We represent a virus for our planet. My soul has started to get sick ».
Now you love all animals indifferently regardless of species. Live with cows, chickens, pigs and chickens. Can you describe the animals that live with you? Why are each of them special?
«We live with animals of our former breeding but also with those saved from different situations. In the area that we have called “socialization”, a space in which we feed the animals and try to bond with them, there are Rowdy Girl, Houdini, Fireball and Cinnamon. The sanctuary is named after Rowdy Girl, the calf that I bought six years ago and fed the bottle. I dare say that without her the ranch would probably not have become a sanctuary, let’s say it was the catalyst for the transformation. Houdini is the daughter of Rowdy Girl. She became the spoiled princess of the ranch. I like to lie on the grass with her, feel her head on my lap. He loves to caress his neck and rub his ears. We love to exchange effusions like nose to nose. My feelings towards her exceed words. We have a very special bond! Cinnamon, on the other hand, has the attitude of a goddess who knows everything. It is the personification of grace, beauty and spirituality. He bends his head, letting himself be loved until he satisfies our hearts. Everyone is in love with her. It was sterile, it could not reproduce. We received a call from a breeder’s ex-wife after the woman heard our story on the news. Cinnamon would have been butchered over the weekend if we hadn’t welcomed her into our ranch. Next to the socialization area, there is the pen where Herman is, the pig who risked being killed by euthanasia. Its owner had died and had been abandoned by the rest of the family. Herman was very wary and fierce when we took him with us. He is happy now, he eats from our hands, loves to be scratched behind his ears, loves the scratchers on his stomach and dives into his paddling pool. Lovely, Bodovely, Miss Kitty, Twisted Sister, Loretta, Lou and Dixie Chick, affectionately called Dix Dix, are our chickens and hens who live in the “chicken palace” and each of them has a distinct character and personality. Dix Dix sprained her paws a couple of times; to make her heal we kept her at home with us. Last time, her convalescence lasted more than four months, and every night she fell asleep on my lap while we watched the news. ‘ they are our chickens and hens that live in the “chicken palace” and each of them has a distinct character and personality. Dix Dix sprained her paws a couple of times; to make her heal we kept her at home with us. Last time, her convalescence lasted more than four months, and every night she fell asleep on my lap while we watched the news. ‘ they are our chickens and hens that live in the “chicken palace” and each of them has a distinct character and personality. Dix Dix sprained her paws a couple of times; to make her heal we kept her at home with us. Last time, her convalescence lasted more than four months, and every night she fell asleep on my lap while we watched the news. ‘
Now, among your favorite animals, there are cows. You join the herd, sing and dance with them. It might seem strange! What do you feel? Why do you like cows so much? Is it true that you dedicated a song to him?
“True. I dedicated a song to them called The Red Trailer, the red truck that took animals to the slaughterhouse. Cows are very curious animals, they do not like fast and sudden movements. We must approach them gently and walk gently. Meditating and doing yoga next to them allowed me to get to know them better. I often sit in the middle of the herd to sing songs because it has a calming effect on them. They walk next to me, come to browse and observe me. Observation skills are their strong point. I feel a pure emotion, a beautiful energy and I feel really happy between them. The tears of joy come without warning. “
To turn the ranch into a sanctuary, you are “forced” to buy cows from your husband. Because? Tommy disagrees?
“Tommy agrees now but in the beginning he wasn’t. He bought the ranch before we got married for the second time. He had used all his savings to buy the land and the animals, it was his retirement investment. When I stopped him from selling the calves, I seriously jeopardized his own livelihoods. He loved me very much but we were on the verge of divorce. He was so angry because I rowed against him but I could not do otherwise; my heart and soul had changed. He threatened me to sell the whole herd, which meant that all the cattle would be slaughtered, even the old ones. I couldn’t take it. Without any premeditation, I said: “I’ll buy them! How much do you sell them to me? ” He looked at me as if I was crazy. I explained to him that I had inquired and that I would have liked to turn the ranch into a sanctuary. My dream troubled him and amused him at the same time and accepted. I risked that he would leave me and instead the real change happened, Tommy also became vegan. To reach the sum of $ 30,000 I have to give him and to fulfill my dream of building a permanent sanctuary for cows, which will become a beacon of hope throughout Texas, I have started a fundraiser. “
You went against Texan culture. What do your neighbors, acquaintances and friends think?
«The Texans’ motto is“ live and let live ”so they accepted our choice. The vegans from the area come to visit us, the farmers’ wives write to me for help and comfort because they have no one else to talk to. Our mission is to become a model for other ranches in Texas and around the world. Change is possible and can be embraced by everyone ».
How can we help you?
«Spreading the word. Going to my website and facebook page to follow my story. You can encourage people to come visit us, contribute a donation, or organize a conference to let me tell this story. I would like to be a voice for animals and the environment. We need a lot of publicity to change the world. It is not about “me” or “us”. My story could give courage to all farmers’ wives, because that is what they feel and would like to do. How do I know? Because they write me emails, messages and letters. Share our story everywhere indeed thank you for contacting us from Italy. We met three producers who want to make our story a reality show and we signed an agreement with one of them.
There may be breeders among our readers. Do you want to tell them something?
«Nobody asked me this question. It’s probably the best I’ve been given. I would like to tell them that I understand their situation. Many family businesses are passed down from generation to generation and are generally run by honest people, who try to do their job in the best way possible. Change is difficult but not impossible. On average 70/90 billion animals considered as income are killed every year. We need two earth planets to feed and feed the animals if we continue to eat them. We have turned the world into a nightmare called the slaughterhouse. If we don’t stop this process, we will no longer have a planet for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If family farms are transformed into sanctuaries, the industrial model of intensive farming will stop.
What do you feel when you look animals in the eye?
«When I look them in the eyes I feel their condition. They are aware that they live in unsafe places, where they risk losing their companions, friends and children every day. They know! They cry, want to live with their families, and love to pamper themselves. I fight for their freedom because I am out with them most days; I talk to them, I reassure them, I tell them I’m trying to make a difference. I love following them in the woods, stopping to look at them, feeling part of them and I thank God for becoming part of the change! ».
Read online at: http://www.italiachecambia.org/2015/08/salvare-gli-animali-cowgirl-vegana/#sthash.tJwlT265.dpuf