Hi John, 

We recently lost one of our animal friends and open rescue ambassadors, Nina, a turkey I carried out of a factory farm and helped hand-feed at her new home. I’ve been reminiscing about her life, and I think her story is an important one for all of us to hear right now.

At birth, Nina’s beak was seared off, and her toes were mutilated. When she got older, she lost an eye inside the crowded farm where stressed turkeys pecked and clawed at one another. The thousands of animals who are crowded and coughing, and in many cases injured or even dead, are a cauldron of disease. Every shipment of turkey from these places, in turn, is a gamble on the future of humanity. When our team saw Nina, she was pitiful and cowering in the darkness, half the size of the other birds. We rushed her to a veterinarian, and then a sanctuary. 

Over the next few months and years, Nina learned that the world did not have to be a dark and violent place. She slept in her caretaker’s bedroom, taking treats from her hand in the mornings. She would purr like a cat when someone scratched her belly. And despite all the trauma and pain, she learned to have faith. Faith in the kindness of others, even those much more powerful than her. 

That’s something we could all use right now. It’s hard to have faith in the middle of a crisis, when massive corporations are brewing diseases that endanger our futures and our government leaders are failing to respond. But just as Nina overcame her fears, to discover a restored world, we can make it through the suffering and find a brighter future. We just need to have a little faith and keep taking steps. 

In memory of Nina, please consider making a donation to Ching Farm Rescue and Sanctuary here. 

Thank you for reading Nina’s story and honoring her life. 

Wayne