Vegan Pledge Trip to Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary

By Kelly, Vegan Pledge organiser

On Saturday 9th June, I drove a 17 seater minibus full of Vegan Pledgers to vegan run Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary in East Sussex. The sanctuary is home to more than 30 cows and other animals who were destined for slaughter in the meat, dairy and egg industries. We wanted to provide the opportunity for new vegans to meet animals whom the closest most people get to is their body parts on a plate. These animals are just like the dog or cat you may share your home with - they are all individuals with their own characters and emotions and most importantly, they all have the ability to suffer and feel pain, anger, happiness and sadness.

This is Reggie who is a 16 year old Jersey cow. If Wenda (the sanctuary owner) had not given her a lifelong home, she would have been killed by the dairy industry at just four or five years old. Reggie is currently grieving for the loss of her lifelong partner Gromit who sadly died earlier in the year after developing a brain tumour following the death of his mother whom he had never been parted from. Reggie and Gromit were inseparable and since Gromit's death, Reggie has refused to stand up. She is gradually showing signs of improving, but as anyone who has lost someone close to them will know, it takes time. We all gave Reggie lots of love whilst we were there.

Hugletts and another one of the sanctuary's old ex dairy cows - Luksa - features in Animal Aid's informative 4 minute film on the dairy industry, which you can view here: www.govegan.org.uk.

For the rest of this article, I'm just going to let the pictures speak for themselves!

Herbert and Alex

Burfi the bull who found sanctuary at Hugletts after he was no longer wanted as a breeding machine

 Basil gets all the attention

Emile (the head of the herd) and Golda

Golda hugging Herbert

Edmund blissing out

Jamie and Emily with Herbert

Chester and Edmund

Alex and Herbert

Mollie being brushed by Alex

Zachariah saying hello to one of the pledgers

Fawne and Alex getting to know Little Lester

Chester and Edmund enjoying their brushing session with two pledgers

Dominika and Alex with Mollie Munchkin

Shan giving Mollie a groom

"I like your non leather shoes!"

Basil with Wenda, who lovingly cares for every soul at Hugletts

A huge thank you to Wenda and Matt for allowing us to visit and introducing us to all of the lucky individuals who live at the sanctuary and to Vicky Alhadeff for taking the pictures.