farm animals: animal rescue
VHS staff, directors and volunteers are involved not only in helping cats, dogs and other companion animals in need, but also in rescuing farm animals. Getting to know them is an honour, because they are no different than our other companion animals — they have their own personalities, they are intelligent and social, and they love to interact with humans.
HOPE
Hope is a broiler (meat) chicken that VHS director Jason found huddled in an alley near a poultry slaughter plant in Vancouver. The little chick was obviously a runt who had fallen off the transport truck and escaped the notice of the slaughterhouse employees. Jason scooped him up and took him home.
Broiler chickens are slaughtered at only six to seven weeks of age. Although they look full-grown (not like Hope) they are really only babies and people are surprised that they peep. If permitted to live out their lives naturally, they often die prematurely of heart or skeletal problems, since they are genetically selected to grow as fast as possible.
Hope is now living with another VHS Director, Joanne and her husband, Glenn. He will soon be relocated to RestQ Animal Sanctuary in the Gulf Islands, where he can live with other chickens (right now, he thinks he’s a human!) We don’t know what Hope’s lifespan will be, but at RestQ he will live a happy chicken life and we consider ourselves very lucky to get to know such an interesting, intelligent and funny bird.
