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RASTA SANCTUARY IN THE NEWS!

Pamela Anderson Foundation

Chemainus Valley Courier

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We'd just like to take a moment to update everyone

We'd just like to take a moment to update everyone about RASTA's animals, especially after all the recent rain on Vancouver Island and throughout BC, and reassure folks that the animals are all ok and in great hands with the good people at @homeforhooves.

RASTA's wonderful former Sanctuary Caretaker Sierra has most kindly and generously been volunteering her time to check in on RASTA's animals and help out HfH with their care, and she is happy to report that they're all doing well and that their pens are indeed dry.

We'd also like to take a moment to talk about the condition that RASTA's animals were in when transferred into the care of HfH as there have been some concerns mentioned regarding some recent veterinary visits.

When running a large scale farm sanctuary with close to 100 animals, the reality of the situation is that not everyone is going to be 100% all of the time. More often than not, someone is going to have some sort of health issue that needs to be addressed as this is very much an ever evolving situation that changes daily.

Senior animals will need to have their feed increased for the winter months, animals will need to have haircuts and be de-wormed with the changing seasons, those who wear prosthesis will need daily check ups as will their devices need daily maintenance and adjustment, hooves and tusks will need to be trimmed, teeth floated, ongoing medical care will need to be continued for chronic issues, etc.

After over 20 years of running one of the largest and most active farm sanctuaries in Western Canada we have been no stranger to this reality, and the tens of thousands of dollars we've spent annually on animal care needs, veterinary and otherwise, prove just that.

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And then there was one. Not all of the RASTA anim

And then there was one.

Not all of the RASTA animals were transferred to HfH - Benson has remained with me.

We're currently homeless, (if you want to get technical about it lol) but don't worry about us, we're currently exploring some options.

We've come full circle, and returned to DeWinton, Alberta, to pay homage to where it all began, almost 21 years ago.

This has been a deeply emotional journey for me, RASTA's Founder, as I'm sure it will continue to be for a very long time to come.

Please note that there won't be many posts happening on our social media pages and our emails and website also won't be monitored as closely as B and I take some much-needed time off.

- Lucie Cerny
Founder RASTA Sanctuary

This is definitely the largest cheque that I, RAST

Today was a very big, and very difficult day. Th

Today was a very big, and very difficult day.

The last of the animals moved to their new homes today, and there are officially no animals here in Chemainus.

The quiet left in the wake of their departure is eerie. We are so grateful to everyone who has helped to move them and to make their new homes at A Home For Hooves, and in temporary foster care, feel like home. The animals have all been so brave, and have done an amazing job with this change. They are safe and sound, and now all that is left is some more transportation of physical assets that are going to A Home for Hooves, and to clean up the property.

Cam ❤ We wanted to take a moment to say a few w

Cam ❤

We wanted to take a moment to say a few words about this very, very special man.

Cam has been a volunteer at the sanctuary since we moved to the island. He is king of the Coop, and has cleaned the chicken coop - definitely one of rhe dustiest, dirtiest jobs - every Saturday for 6 years now!

On top of that, he's been our resident chainsaw maintenance and expert operator, Hay loader/stacker, and he has helped at countless fundraising events and has always done more than anyonecould ask.

Lately, he had also taken over building the barn, and has done an amazing job with roofing and cupola details, flooring, walls and all the gorgeous siding that now covers it. He has helped plan and load and move animals, driving the trailer to places nobody else could get in, has helped with packing and sorting, has chopped wood, and moved hay and straw and driven hours upon hours to do it all, as he lives over an hour away.

Without Cam, this current transition could not have happened. He has always been, and continues to be, invaluable, and he goes above and beyond for the animals every single time.

Thank you Cam. We love you and appreciate you so much ❤

There has been a huge amount of change happening,

There has been a huge amount of change happening, and we wanted to give an update on what's going on and with who!

Over the last few weeks Houdini, Roxie, Widget, Petunia, Karma, Nibbles, Talula, Mojo, Marley, Maggie-May, Sir Winston, Charlie, Prince, Pirate, Buddy, Penny, Piggy Sue, Paisley, Priya, Sophie, Juno, Huxley, Spanky, Josie, Dudley, Emma, Sarah, Oscar, Olivia, Ringo, and Midge have all moved to the A Home for Hooves property in Duncan, and Betty White and Sam have moved to a temporary foster a short distance away. Plans are already in place for Ella, Eddie, Tango, Romeo, Jenny, Dolly, Rocky, Polly, Piper, El Diablo, El Mencho, and El Chapo to move in the next few days, and plans are being sorted to transport everyone else (all the goats, Chester and Elliott, and the rest of the birds) by the end of the month. It has been a huge amount of work getting everyone moved, but everything has gone very smoothly and they're all settling in wonderfully.

200 of the 1000 bales of Hay along with 6 of 9 shelters and many many loads of miscellaneous animal care, tools, and educational and fundraising supplies have already gone and the tractor, slegg lumber and feeding and water essentials are also all being moved whenever the opportunity arises.

If you're a sponsor, an email was sent last week with instructions on how to transfer your sponsorship but if for any reason you didn't get it, you can always contact A Home for Hooves directly for help getting set up.

Things are wrapping up quickly, and just in time as storms are starting up with winter fast approaching. It is beyond hard seeing the property without it's residents, and feels so wrong not hearing pigs - the foundation of RASTA - out and about. At the end of the day though, we know this is all what's best and that from this incredibly hard transition will come something beautiful once A Home for Hooves gets their new property and everyone is reunited there.

Thank you to everyone who has sent messages of love and support- it truly means the world ❤

To everyone who has privately reached out to me to

To everyone who has privately reached out to me to share your words of kindness and support during this very difficult time, thank you. ❤️‍🩹

A short time ago, Lucie, Caleb, and I (Andrew) con

A short time ago, Lucie, Caleb, and I (Andrew) conducted RASTA Sanctuary’s last public tour event.

We didn't know it was the last. Things had been hard for some time, we all knew Lucie had been struggling and we'd been trying to do everything we could to support and take some weight off of her shoulders. Lucie and I had begun to try and find ways to create a model that would allow her to step back significantly but the reality of Sanctuary work is that a founder is *always* in the situation of potentially having to carry the entire load themselves. A few sick volunteers, a closed road or two, an injured staff member, a significantly disabled or sick animal, and suddenly that 18 hour a day 6 day a week job is a 24 hour a day job without a break in sight for months.

So we conducted the tour. It was a rainy day, we did our usual welcome, history, and educational portions. We showed our visitors how to be safe and respectful of the rescues and introduced them to everyone, telling their stories and talking about what made each individual unique.

For me, conducting these tours has been an incredibly special part of volunteering at and then working for RASTA Sanctuary. To watch people of all ages, races, demographics, and orientations' eyes light up as they learn that pigs sing to their babies, or as 700lb Berkshire pig resident Buddy purrs while they rub his belly, or to watch them laugh as elderly ex-dairy cow Ella chases them and licks them with her giant sandpaper tongue, has been so meaningful. Witnessing hundreds of people each year expand and embrace a deeper well of their own compassion than before is something I will miss so much. Two weeks after this public tour, immediately after we announced that the physical Sanctuary would be closing, I conducted a private tour which was truly the last tour ever. It was a surreal feeling and a heartbreaking experience, but it still brought me joy as I watched for the last time as the amazing rescues at RASTA Sanctuary changed people's lives.

Continued in comments 👇

Last weekend was a very hard weekend here at the S

Last weekend was a very hard weekend here at the Sanctuary.

In light of the season changing, we made the decision to move some of the residents for whom the cold would cause the most challenges. Moving to a new home is hard enough, but moving in the colder months would have been dangerous for our youngest, and oldest pigs, and potentially dangerous for the cats who needed time to settle.

And so, over the last week Houdini and Roxie moved first, and then were followed on Saturday by Widget, Maggie-May, Karma, Talula, Mojo, Marley, Nibbles, Petunia, Sir Winston, and Charlie. All twelve of them are now in their new home at @homeforhooves, and getting settled in.

Shelters were also moved on Saturday, because building new ones would have taken longer and required more settling for the animals. And then on Sunday we moved 110 bales of Hay to a storage location of A Home for Hooves.

Saying goodbye to the residents is incredibly hard. It is hard on us, on the volunteers, and of course on them. We are grateful to know they're going to a good home and comforted by that, but the heartbreak of them not being here is still very very real.

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