Rescue & Adoptions

2005 Featured Rescues

Hurricane Katrina: The Road To Recovery

Update 9/15/06
One year ago this week, Farm Sanctuary came to the rescue of hundreds of "broiler" chickens suffering on a factory farm in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Today, many of the birds rescued in this case have passed away due to chronic health issues caused by their unnatural breeding. Many others have been adopted into loving, permanent homes outside of Farm Sanctuary. The rest, more than 200 precious souls, remain at our New York Shelter, where they have access to around-the-clock medical care and are able to enjoy all the benefits of sanctuary life.

The chickens rescued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have endured much these past 12 months. Bred to grow twice as fast and twice as large as their ancestors, many are still struggling with weight-related health problems such as blown ligaments and joint and foot infections. Many of the larger males, who weigh more than 18 pounds, have also had difficulties with their crops (the pre-digestive pouches on chickens and other birds that are designed to store and begin breaking down food).

Despite these health problems, the Katrina chickens have made great strides toward health and happiness since their rescue last fall. They have grown accustomed to breathing fresh air and stretching their wings in the sun, and they are beginning to leave their dark memories of the past behind them. Remaining strong and courageous throughout their ordeal and their recovery, they have proved an inspiration for all of us.

One hen in particular, named Ginger, has awed everyone with her unique and resilient spirit. Ginger was one of the many thousands of chickens bulldozed into huge pits during "clean up" efforts after the hurricane. Rescuers found her in one of these pits struggling to survive and suffering from severe gangrene. Her will to live was remarkable. She eventually had part of her foot removed as a result of the gangrene, but even this couldn't dampen her spirits. Through all her struggles, Ginger has remained cheerful, active and outgoing. Now living happily in a farm house with our volunteer interns, Ginger reminds everyone she meets that all creatures deserve to live and be free.

Update 2/17/06
Today, Farm Sanctuary placed 50 hens rescued from Hurricane Katrina at a sanctuary in Palatka, Florida. Rosemary Spears, who runs the sanctuary with her husband, contacted us shortly after the initial rescue from Hurricane Katrina, offering to take in several birds. Kate Walker, our placement coordinator who was on the ground in Mississippi to rescue these chickens, made the trek to Florida from Watkins Glen, N.Y. to deliver the hens to their new home.

To see these birds who we've brought back to health be able to live out their lives in peace is a welcome fate. Hurricane Katrina actually saved these chickens' lives. The chickens are now six months old, when they would have been slaughtered at six weeks

At six months, these "broiler" chickens have grown far beyond their "slaughter weight." The male birds, in particular, are some of the largest chickens we've ever seen, after having been selectively bred for unnatural growth. Our shelter staff continues to give the birds that remain at our New York Shelter all the love and special care they deserve. They amaze us every day with their strength and courage, having come this far.

Update 11/18/05 at 5:00 p.m.
Of the several hundred "broiler" chickens rescued from a factory farm warehouse in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, more than 70 have now been adopted into permanent, loving homes. Revealing their deep commitment to care for farm animals in need, the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary in Maryland, Animal Haven in Asheville, North Carolina, and several individual families across the Eastern United States offered to take in some of the birds. By doing so, they generously agreed to provide life-long care for animals who have many special health needs and feed requirements due to the way in which they were bred and raised. Prone to skeletal problems, digestive disorders and other serious medical problems, the birds may end up costing both the sanctuaries and the families a great deal, but this reality did not dissuade these true animal lovers from reaching out to help.

Those chickens rescued from Hurricane Katrina who have not been adopted into homes outside Farm Sanctuary, will live out their lives at our New York Shelter. Currently, nearly 500 of the birds remain. The remaining females with no chronic health issues are scheduled to be adopted into loving homes and other sanctuaries. This leaves a little over 200 males — who are harder to adopt out — and dozens of others who have chronic health issues that will require ongoing medical treatment. These birds will remain at Farm Sanctuary. In addition to the problems these birds have had with "rickets" (a Vitamin D deficiency), infected joints, and "flip-over" disease (a sudden death syndrome commonly found in "broiler" hens), many are also struggling with crop problems.

A pre-digestive pouch designed to store and begin breaking down food, the crop must function effectively in order for a bird to be healthy. Sadly, because many of the "broilers" rescued from Mississippi have been genetically altered to eat excessive amounts of food and grow abnormally fast, they will often impulsively eat straw or other materials when no other food is available. These materials then become lodged in the crop or in the digestive tract causing serious blockages and infection. Helping the birds as best they can, caregivers are treating those afflicted with crop problems with antibiotics and anti-fungal medications. The birds having the most trouble have been taken to Cornell University's Veterinary Hospital for corrective surgery.

These birds have been through so much in their young lives, yet most remain cheerful and active. They amaze us day after day as they continue to persevere, despite their health problems. Although their frail bodies often remind us of the cruel life they have left behind and of all those precious birds who continue to suffer in factory farms, their bold and adventurous spirits compel us to look toward the future. Inspired by their courage, we hold on to hope.

Update 10/14/05 at 9:00 a.m.

Most of the chickens rescued from a Mississippi farm in the wake of Hurricane Katrina continue to thrive at our New York Shelter. They remain happy and active and are enjoying time spent scurrying about in the sunshine. Because of a lack of proper feed, several of the chickens arrived with "rickets," a Vitamin D deficiency that has left their bones soft and weak. Others have succumbed to a sudden death syndrome common in birds raised for meat. This condition, often called "flip-over" disease by the poultry industry, causes sudden heart attacks in afflicted birds, who often die so suddenly that they just "flip-over" on their backs and die.

"Flip-over" disease has been reported across the world in areas that intensively raise and selectively breed "broiler" chickens for rapid weight gain. In fact, because the disease is closely linked to high carbohydrate intake and genetics, it is virtually unheard of among farmers who breed and raise chickens naturally, and who keep their flocks on low-density feeds. Pushed to grow from birth to slaughter weight in only six weeks, an estimated 2-4% of modern-day factory "broilers," like those we rescued from Mississippi, die of "flip-over" disease every year in North America. In flocks with closely-regulated management and disease control, it can be responsible for up to 70% of the flock mortality.

Although the chickens rescued from Mississippi are now on a healthy, low-fat diet, some may still die as a result of "flip-over." Their living environment is now drastically better than it was back at the Tyson warehouse, but sadly, their unnatural breeding cannot be changed. Nonetheless, our caregivers are committed to preserving the health and happiness of the remaining chickens, and they will do everything in their power to ensure that the birds continue to enjoy the precious freedom and comforts they have been given at Farm Sanctuary.

Update 9/26/05 at 5:00 p.m.

Two weeks after they arrived at Farm Sanctuary, most of the chickens rescued in the wake of Hurricane Katrina are now well on their way to recovery. Some are still suffering from infections they acquired while living in intensive confinement at the Tyson chicken farm, and others remain weakened by the dehydration and lack of nutrition they experienced in the days following the storm, but for the most part, the health of the flock is improving. Caregivers and volunteers continue to work diligently to provide the birds with the antibiotics, pain relievers, special feeds, and fluids they need to grow strong and healthy again, and joint care for those with infected hocks and toes. Although some of the critically injured chickens have passed away since our last update, most have now put the worst of their ordeal behind them.

Many of the sickest birds suffer from septic joints, which is an infection caused by a bacteria that has settled in their legs and toes. These areas need to be drained daily, wrapped with topical antibiotics and carefully monitored. This group also receives individual drug treatments daily, which takes hours of time, since there are 31 presently in this condition.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the weaker birds are now residing in a cozy nursery shed, which was purchased specifically for this rescue. The shed has provided the chickens with a warm, safe place to rest and recover, and offers them a level of comfort and security they once could only dream of. Even though the chickens living in the nursery shed are weaker and more sickly than their counterparts in the main flock, many are very active and steadily improving. Two have so much energy, in fact, that they have appointed themselves official flock flycatchers and spend most of their waking hours chasing down the buzzing insects. The bird with a serious head wound, who we mentioned in an earlier update and who is now named, Greger, is also doing very well. We hope he will join the healthier flock sometime in the next few weeks.

All of us at Farm Sanctuary thank you again for your support during this emergency rescue process. As the rescued chickens living at our New York Shelter continue to grow healthier and happier each day, our thoughts remain with those people and animals who lost their lives to Hurricane Katrina, and with those who are still suffering as a result of the storm's fury. We continue to monitor the situation in the Gulf Coast and we will, of course, keep you informed of our efforts in the region.

Update 9/16/05 at 12:00 p.m. –
It has been only four days since the chickens arrived and their health has improved exponentially! But our work is not finished. In fact, it’s only beginning. Our caregivers are providing the chickens urgent care, as many are in critical condition. All 725 were individually checked for injuries and other urgent care needs. The checks revealed broken toes, extreme dehydration and lack of nutrition. Many of the birds had not had access to food or water for days since the hurricane, leaving them weak and lifeless. One bird had a large head wound, and two were suffering from seizures and clinging to life. Caregivers administered IV fluids, antibiotics, pain medicine, steroids and heating pads to revive them.

We are happy to introduce a few of our new friends to the Farm and to share their inspirational stories with you!

Meet “The Berry Bunch”
With a strong will to live, these intelligent and resourceful creatures found a way to survive the disaster. Cranberry and her friends took shelter under some berry bushes and ate the berries to survive. Their feathers are stained purple and stand as a mark of bravery for these heroic birds.

Chickens bred for meat have been genetically altered to grow twice as fast and twice as large as their ancestors. Chickens are now slaughtered at just 42 days. While this rapid growth rate increases profitability, it also increases health problems among the animals. Broiler chickens often have trouble walking and suffer from congestive heart failure because their bodies cannot support the weight of their unwieldy bodies. Poultry industry geneticists are also altering the anatomical make up of the birds to produce more of the meat — specifically breast meat — that consumers desire.

To combat these growth problems and help Cranberry and her friends live a long and comfortable life, they will have their weight monitored for the rest of their lives. Although chickens bred for meat are genetically altered to grow rapidly, many of these chickens arrived emaciated after going 10 days without food. Once they have regained their strength and are at a healthy weight, they will be put on a restrictive diet to prevent the health problems these birds succumb to because of their breed.

Back in Mississippi
With thousands of animals remaining in peril, our rescue work in the South continues. On Wednesday, upon a report of more farm animals in need, we sent two more Farm Sanctuary representatives down to Mississippi, with trailer in tow, to meet up with Kate Walker, our placement coordinator, who has been in Mississippi for almost two weeks. Kate will hand off the baton to Harold Brown, campaign coordinator, and Diana Goodrich, a Farm Sanctuary volunteer. Harold and Diana will continue rescue efforts and we wish them well!

Update 9/12/05 at 4 p.m.
At 8:00 a.m. this morning, Farm Sanctuary rescuers arrived at our New York Shelter with 725 chickens saved from a farm ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in rural Mississippi. At this broiler chicken facility, which is under contract with Tyson Foods, a tornado spawned by the hurricane completely destroyed one warehouse shed and severely damaged two others. The chickens, like millions of farm animals across the South following the disaster, had been left to die or be bulldozed into mass graves.

"We saw a massive open grave containing thousands of dead chickens crawling with maggots. Shockingly, 21 were still alive, huddled in the corner of the pit," said Kate Walker, a Farm Sanctuary rescuer on the ground in Mississippi.

Farm Sanctuary caregivers are providing the chickens urgent care, as many are in critical condition. All 725 are being individually checked for injuries and other urgent care needs. This morning’s checks have revealed broken toes, severe gangrene in the feet, extreme dehydration and lack of nutrition. Many of the birds have not had access to food or water for days since the hurricane, leaving them weak and lifeless. One bird’s eyes are swollen shut from trauma to the head, another has a large head wound, and two are suffering from seizures and clinging to life. Caregivers are administering IV fluids, shots of Banamine (a pain killer) and Dexamethasone (a steroid) and heating pads to revive them.

Over the weekend, Farm Sanctuary – working with Animal Place, HSUS, Black Beauty Ranch, and other animal protection groups – investigated devastated areas, searching for surviving farm animals in need of rescue and negotiating the release of animals from area farms. Rescuers reported mass graves of dead birds, demolished warehouses confining tens of thousands of birds, and fields littered with dead chickens – and live chickens running for their lives.

Sadly, Tyson and other factory farms see the animals as commodities rather than living, feeling beings. “Clean-up” crews are sent to bulldoze damaged buildings, with live animals still trapped inside, and to discard the debris and bodies as trash. Millions of farm animals have died and untold thousands remain in peril.

9/8/2005 at 6:00 pm
More than a week after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, many humans and animals continue to suffer and wait desperately for rescue. Information on the crisis of stranded and suffering farm animals is slow to come. Most reports have been focused on economic losses, because sadly the factory farm industry places a priority on profit over farm animal welfare.

Before Hurricane Katrina came ashore, an estimated 635 million farm animals were being raised for food in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Many — perhaps millions — were killed in the devastating storm, and countless others are now in urgent need of rescue.

The farm animals suffering most at this time are those confined to factory farm warehouses, especially poultry. Totally dependent on automated feed, water and ventilation systems, those still strapped in cages and sheds are languishing. Their stories keep flooding in. In Georgia, a tornado destroyed at least 30 chicken sheds, killing hundreds of thousands of birds and trapping many more. In Alabama and Mississippi, high winds blew the roofs off of dozens of broiler chicken warehouses, leaving an untold number of birds exposed to severe weather. In other parts of the Southeast, thousands of chickens drowned.

Even those farm animals not imprisoned in factory warehouses are still at risk. There are reports of hundreds of beef cattle in Louisiana that are in desperate need of help. They are stranded in a field surrounded by salt water and have no food or water to sustain them. Other cattle, like those remaining on the more than 320 dairy farms in Louisiana are at risk of starvation as well, as some farmers have been unable to return to their properties and grain shipments on the Mississippi have been halted. The situation for farm animals is grim, but relief is on the way.

Our Placement Coordinator, Kate Walker, has met up with Kim Sturla of Animal Place in Vacaville, Calif., to begin investigations into coordinating rescue efforts. Their task is daunting. Many farms impacted by Katrina remain inaccessible due to floodwaters and other storm damage. Also, because farm animals are considered property, often by large corporations that are located out of the state where the birds reside, rescuers must negotiate for the release of animals before bringing them to safety.