Here at The Fund for Animals, each of the animals we care for inspires us. To help our supporters draw inspiration from these animals, too, we’ve launched our Fund for Animals Adoption Program featuring six of our most interesting animals, currently residents at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch.
We hope their stories (below) will encourage you to support one—or more—of these amazing ranch residents by virtually adopting them today:
Mari Mariah and her foal Josie Savannah were waiting to be slaughtered for human consumption on the floor of the last legal horse slaughterhouse in the United States when a stay of their execution was handed down by a federal judge. His decree immediately shut down the facility. In a second round of luck, the mother and her youngster were relinquished to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch instead of being sent to slaughter plants across the border in Canada or Mexico, like some of their companions. The pair have settled in beautifully, joining the other horses and roaming freely over the open grassland.
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Babe was once living free in the wild with her mother and extended family in South Africa. But her mother was killed, likely in an organized hunt carried out by the government to thin the population, and the young elephant was removed from her family and shipped to the United States to perform in a circus. After years of unfamiliar and unnatural training at the hands of circus handlers (and suffering often cruel punishments by them), Babe was relinquished to the ranch. Her foot injuries from her circus days are permanent and require daily foot soaks and treatment. Due to her constant care and supportive environment, Babe now moves around with less pain and difficulty.
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RooRoo once lived his life on the road as part of a traveling entertainment troupe. He was encouraged to box as part of his act, but when his boxing arm suffered an injury and became infected, the troupe owners took him to a veterinarian for treatment. Learning that RooRoo’s arm would have to be amputated—rendering him unable to perform— the owners asked the vet to euthanize RooRoo. Instead, the vet decided to amputate his arm and found him a permanent home at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch. Today a healthy RooRoo lives in serenity and is perfectly accepted in his community, with no regard to the fact that he is one-armed.
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Kitty's earliest history is unknown, but the infamous Coulston Foundation Chimpanzee Project purchased her at 10-years-old from an animal dealer. She served as a breeding chimp. where her job was to be impregnated, carry her babies to term, and nurture them for a short time before they were removed to serve as hepatitis research subjects. Her caretakers were so impressed with her superior mothering skills, they eventually were determined to find her a good companion and retire her to a sanctuary. At the same time, Black Beauty Ranch was looking for a companion for one of its resident chimps, Nim Chimpsky. Once united, Kitty and Nim became great friends, and Kitty was devastated when Nim suddenly passed away. Fortunately, Midge and Lulu, Kitty’s other companions at the ranch, helped her overcome this devastating loss. Kitty now relishes her role as head of the group and is quite happy and comfortable in her roomy habitat.
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Don Juan and other ostriches were found on an abandoned farm—starving, wet, and knee-deep in filth. A neighbor noticed that no one was caring for the animals and made a call for help. The Houston SPCA responded and confiscated the animals. After their conditions had stabilized, all were welcomed into permanent sanctuary at the ranch. Don Juan was given his name after he bonded so quickly with the females and continues to enjoy their company.
When Sheik was young, he was part of an Idaho petting zoo. Dromedary camels like Sheik can weigh up to 600 pounds when they reach adulthood—not a safe weight to be around small children. He was relinquished to the ranch along with his pal, Cairo, and they joined Omar, who was already there. This triumvirate of one-humped camels is doing quite well in the arid weather of East Texas and has formed a true companionship with each other.
Adopting one of these animals via our new monthly giving plan does not mean you can take them home with you. But it is an easy way to directly help the animals who are now out of harm’s way and in the safe, devoted care of the ranch—and those tended to by the other direct care centers. You will also support the mission of The Fund for Animals to “speak for those who can’t.”
Adopt an animal today!
Please note: Our new Fund for Animals Adoption Program replaces our former MEOW (“monthly electronic orderly withdrawal”) program.
Posted December 20, 2007
