WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – August 13, 2010 – “C’mon,” exclaims Susie Coston,
national shelter director for Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm
animal protection organization, with a swooping arm gesture reminiscent
of a child rallying her friends to follow her on an exciting adventure.
Six male Holstein calves, dairy farm castaways found just months earlier
on a Pennsylvania farm where they had been left to die without food or
water, one by one rise up on their now strong legs to follow their
charismatic leader out of the barn. Truth is, Coston is simply coaxing
them to rotate pastures, a necessary practice at the sanctuary, but
because of the love and affection she radiates for these calves, and for
the more than 500 other farm animals rescued from abuse and neglect who
reside at the shelter, her call is irresistible. These sweet boys would
follow her anywhere.

The sight of calves once too weak to stand bounding after Coston like
playful puppies is a joy that used to be reserved only for those lucky
enough to actually visit one of the organization’s bucolic bicoastal
shelters located in upstate New York and northern California, but now,
thanks to the launch of a new video series entitled Reel Life at Farm
Sanctuary, such exclusive sneak peeks at life behind Farm Sanctuary’s
barn doors will be available for anyone with a computer to see on a
monthly basis.

These fascinating v-logs, part of the nonprofit’s popular “Sanctuary
Tails” blog, will transport viewers straight to the beautiful, bustling
sanctuaries where they will follow the activities of shelter staff and
animal residents as they carry out their daily routines. In the first
exciting episode, Coston explains the importance of pasture rotation and
takes viewers right along as she shows the New York Shelter cattle,
sheep and goats that the grass really is greener in different parts of
the farm.

“We decided to do a video series because there is such abundance here at
Farm Sanctuary it would be greedy to keep all these sweet, funny,
joyful, and poignant moments that we witness on a daily basis all to our
ourselves,” enthused Coston. “By giving viewers an up-close look at the
wide range of emotions and strong friendships experienced by farm
animals, these v-logs will help inspire new ways of viewing and treating
these incredibly complex and intelligent beings, and hopefully move more
people towards treating them with compassion.”

You can view the first installment of Reel Life at Farm Sanctuary here

For more videos in this series, as well as
animal photos of the week and countless other inspiring stories from
shelter directors Susie Coston and Leanne Cronquist, keep checking Farm
Sanctuary’s “Sanctuary Tails”

If you would like to speak with Farm Sanctuary National Shelter Director
Susie Coston, please contact Meredith Turner at 646-369-6212 or
[email protected] .

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation’s leading farm animal protection
organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to
expose and stop cruel practices of the “food animal” industry through
research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public
awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge
efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland,
Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have
become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors
about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be
found at farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.