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Ready? Ready!

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The duck called Ready was rescued from a bad situation in Baltimore, Vermont. She and several other birds had been closely confined by a man who sold duck and geese eggs from his backyard. Nearby lived another man who exploited animals: a backyard puppy mill from which dogs often escaped to attack the ducks and . . . → Read More: Ready? Ready!

Duck Bills

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Ask any child (or adult) to draw or imitate a duck, and the first thing they will sketch or mime will be that distinctive bill. But most people don’t realize that, in addition to shaping those characteristic quacks, duck bills are responsible for remarkable feats of perception.

The sensitive tips of duck bills include both . . . → Read More: Duck Bills

Requiem for a Rare Bird

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VINE Sanctuary invites our extended community to remember and honor the spirit of a true rare bird, a courageous duck called Seagull who crossed species boundaries to promote peace. . . . → Read More: Requiem for a Rare Bird

Turkeys and Other Endangered Species

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An excerpt from a forthcoming memoir about the sanctuary’s first decade.

They arrived by night. Two ducks, six ducklings, four hens, two roosters and one very terrified turkey huddled in plastic pet-carriers in the back of a pick-up truck. They’d all been living together in a tiny shed until the Delaware family who thought of . . . → Read More: Turkeys and Other Endangered Species

Poem from a Prisoner

As part of our Valentines from VINE event, one of the prisoners to whom we’ll be encouraging people to write is Manuel Salas, who describes himself as a “vegan politicized prisoner and animal rights activist.” Today, we want to share a poem that he wrote after learning of the death of a duck.

Here’s the . . . → Read More: Poem from a Prisoner

Birdwatching Cows & Peacekeeping Geese

This morning, looking out my window, I saw the cows turn and trot toward… what? The sheep followed, at a distance, wondering what they were up to. I wondered too. Cows rarely run for no reason, especially not the elder and otherwise less-than-optimally-agile cows who are down here with us, rather than up in the . . . → Read More: Birdwatching Cows & Peacekeeping Geese

In Memoriam: Baltimore Blum

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Join us in mourning and remembering Baltimore Blum, who died in his sleep last night after living at the sanctuary since 2002. Baltimore began life at a foie gras factory, where he was caged without access to water, besieged by rats, and force-fed massive quantities of food by pneumatic tube in hope that he would develop the fatty liver disease upon which the texture and taste of pate foie gras depend. . . . → Read More: In Memoriam: Baltimore Blum

Tell Obama: Don’t Defend AETA

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Last week, the Center for Constitutional Rights filed suit against the Department of Justice on behalf of six animal advocates seeking to overturn the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA). Among those activists is longtime friend of the sanctuary Sarahjane Blum. We feel very proud of her and the co-plaintiffs in Blum v Holder (as well . . . → Read More: Tell Obama: Don’t Defend AETA

Check Out Our New YouTube Channel

Did you ever wonder what it’s like to be at a sanctuary? Now you can catch a glimpse of everyday life at the sanctuary, via our new YouTube channnel. We don’t have fancy video equipment, but we can catch brief clips of the chickens, cows, ducks, and horses going about their days. Turn up the . . . → Read More: Check Out Our New YouTube Channel