How dare we?

Renee King-Sonnen is the executive director and founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary that was established in 2015. It is the first beef cattle ranch to go vegan and rescue the cows that they would normally send to slaughter.

“We’ve gained a lot of notoriety, because of our story. I guess, it hit a nerve with not only vegans and animal rights folks, but also with other farmers and ranchers that were very curious about our story. And it went viral,” Renee says.

Today Renee is world known for her advocacy and voice for the animals, as an ex-rancher from Texas and is a global spokesperson for the animals. Renee has been on major news outlets all around the world and recently a documentary about their journey was launched, called Rowdy Girl. It showcases the inspiring work of Renee King-Sonnen and proves that there is a common ground between farmers and vegans: a shared mission of compassion and sustainability. Renee is currently also writing a book about her life and her journey from being a cattle rancher to becoming a vegan activist.

Lately, a number of investigations at dairy farms have been exposed, in different parts of the world, both in the US and Europe, by for instance ARM Investigations and Animal Justice Project. We have witnessed how the extreme cruelties in the global dairy production are common practices and routine, despite the fact that many still believe that it’s a wholesome industry.

“It is heartbreaking”, Renee says. “You know, the dairy industry is the meat industry. And it is worse than anybody would ever imagine. Many people think that they’re not hurting an animal when they drink milk. It’s just amazing to me the amount of really good people that think that drinking milk is harmless.”

The dairy industry
“From the fact that they have to ejaculate a big 2000-pound bull to obtain their semen, how dishonoring that is. And then they put the semen in some sort of device and put the long glove on the hand. Then they put their hand up inside the rear end of the dairy cow, who’s usually chained and unable to move, to put that sperm inside of the cow. Usually this is right after a cow has given birth and has had the baby taken away from her. The mama cow is just in grief. There’s no dignity at all. It is rape.”

Grieving cows and calves crying for each other, sometimes for days and even weeks, is normal in the industry. The umbilical cords are usually still on these babies when they are separated, and they are just thrown in wheelbarrows like trash. If they are males, they are often killed on the spot or being put in small veal crates.

“The industry doesn’t need males. The males are useless in the dairy industry, seen as a byproduct. The little baby females will just grow up to be dairy cows, put in small veal crates. These babies have become units of production and are not seen as sentient beings. But in fact, they are just like anybody’s child. They need warmth, they need protection, and they need their mother. They need milk, sustenance, sunshine, air, and clean water. But they are deprived of all of that, just so human beings can have access to the milk.”

All around the world we can see how newborn baby calves are being treated in the worst possible way: male calves are starved to death, frozen to death in small crates, denied water and food, or exposed to heat and bad weather as well as being treated with violence. How can we best change the narrative from here, despite the fact that many people are indoctrinated through generations of belief systems around eating animals and drinking milk.

As a former cattle rancher Renee has the ability to really make people listen. She is walking the talk and has the authority and compassion to speak to people also inside of the industry. She has had many conversations with farmers all around the world and helped several transitions away from animal agriculture. A few weeks ago, Renee met a woman and her daughter in a nearby boutique and started talking.

“Both the mother and her daughter grew up on a dairy but were vegetarians. I said: “You are vegetarian. Sounds like you really love animals. But do you realize that all those male babies at your dairy farm, we’re just byproducts?” She answered that it is something she doesn’t like to think about. Because this is her family. This is what they’ve always done and they’re good people. And I answered her: “I understand. We used to be cattle ranchers. We are good people. But you know, when good people know better, they do better. ”

Because of whom Renee is, she can challenge people in a way not all are capable of, and she emphasizes how culture and tradition is often the main issue.

”Many people grew up on dairy farms, or they have grandpas, grandmas, aunts and uncles that have dairy farms. So, when you start talking about it, you’ve got to realize that you’re on real sacred ground. Because that is their family, that is their culture. You’ve got to do it in a way where you’re sensitive to all of that. Or they’re not going to hear you. “

In today’s dairy industry we see grieving mothers hooked to machines, to produce dairy, just so humanity can have milk, cheese and ice cream from a cow. The way cows and calves are treated in the dairy industry is almost beyond imagination many times. Would we treat dogs and cats the same way people would be furious and the people responsible would be arrested.

“But somehow, we’ve been able to blind ourselves when it comes to cows, particularly in the dairy industry. And still, animal liberation is the only way that we’re going to liberate ourselves, “Renee emphasis.

We live in a world that is polarized and is screaming for peace and justice. Still, the horrendous treatment of animals in the food industry has become the elephant in the room. Everyone knows about it, but hardly anyone talks about it, despite the fact that it is not only destroying the animals, but we are destroying our whole planet. Doctor Will Tuttle has written several books on the topic, The World Peace Diet, and Food for Freedom, showing how the underlying cultural food narratives in our society have eroded our freedom, health, spirituality and awareness.

“People need to be feeling ashamed of themselves for eating animals, just like they do when they’re smoking a cigarette. And I believe that day is coming. But we need to get together, organize and normalize the liberation of animals.”

For several years Renee was part of the Agricultural Fairness Alliance in the US. But they were just two women leading the work. Renee emphasizes that more people are needed to make a real impact and more animal rights people need to start working inside government and political institutions to make a real change. Renee is effective and gets a lot done on all level of society. Her sanctuary, Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, is well known, and they have with visitors from all over the world.

“The other day I was hanging out with Rowdy Girl. She is now 15 years old. They are so awesome to be around. The cows know me, and I am part of the herd. They all are individuals and have different friends. They love to stay with their mama even when they are old. They are just like us. How dare we mess with that? We are heading for real trouble as a civilization. And the karma, on us collectively and of course individually, is going to be fierce. It is really important to wake up. And all of us need to do anything we can to awaken those around us. “

Anne Casparsson