Rest In Peace Angels

Penelope

Penelope suffered from Leukemia for a while before I arrived. She had to stay in the volunteer house away from other cats to avoid transmitting the disease. With a revolving door of volunteers it was no surprise it took Penelope some time to warm up to me. After a week or two, she started to sneak through the kitchen window into my room at night, knowing it was the warmest room in the house. She would tuck her head into my neck and sleep on my pillow. The leukemia caused her to sneeze blood, often on my bed and once my face I knew the other volunteers had kicked her out of their room for that reason but I couldn’t bear the guilt of leaving her in the cold hall by herself. I think I even cried one night knowing that she didn’t have too long left to live and I experienced bittersweet happiness knowing I was there to give her love.

Frank

Frank. I don’t even know where to begin with Frankie. I think he was my spirit animal for real. I can’t remember the exact disease he and his stall mate Sophie had but it caused them to lose their fur and develop very dry skin. His owner rescued him from Andalucía where he was used to take tourists up and down the mountain side for years but once he got too weak, they sent him off to a slaughter market to be killed. The markets disturbing conditions are what led Frank to contract the disease that later led to his death. After years of abuse and neglect, I could see in his eyes how grateful he was to be cared for. It made me very emotional some of the days I was with him. I would sit with Frank for hours, either brushing him in his stall or sitting out in the sun. He was the epitome of a gentle giant. Shortly after he passed, I was going through videos I took with him and noticed his ears being parted to the sides. I googled what that meant out of curiosity. It means ‘they are content and comfortable with the environment around them. Happy donkeys will also hold their head low or in line with their body. They may even rest their head on a person or an object if they are in a deep state of relaxation.’ I cried again lol. I assumed it would be difficult for him to gain that level of trust with humans after being abused most of his life. When Fields of Freedom posted about his passing, Chris said he watched Frank lay down in the field knowing it was his time to go. I feel blessed to have spent time with him during his last months. He will hold a special place in my heart forever.

Big Brown

I knew there was something special about Big Brown when I first met him. He shared a pasture with several other donkeys that I fed each morning and sat with in my free time. Brown was definitely the largest and most mellow one of the bunch. He was always the first to walk up to me when I walked out to the field and would never let me stop brushing or cuddling his giant head. He stood over me while I read my kindle sitting criss cross in the field, as if he was protecting me, and would rest his head on mine to get his pets. Brown had a problem with his legs making it hard for him to stand up for too long so he would lay down more often than the others. He let me sit next to him and pet him when he was resting and all I could think of was how he is just like a big puppy. Brown was one of the hardest goodbyes when I left the farm. I went to his pasture while they were eating a new barrel of hay on my last day. He was he only one to completely ignore the food and not let me leave his side. Every time I tried to walk away he would follow behind me and I just couldn’t stop turning back to hug him again. Brown was one of the loviest animals I have ever met. That’s saying alotttt

I felt such a connection with all three of these babies. The emotional intelligence of animals is so misunderstood. They feel sadness, happiness, fear, excitement, curiosity, love, compassion, connection. It rips my heart out knowing majority of them are abused and viewed solely as food, inconvenience, or free labor to humans. While I am heartbroken they are gone, I am pleased to know their suffering has ended and they spent their final years getting the love and attention they have always deserved at Fields of Freedom. Reminds me just how incredible the sanctuary owners are and how thankful I am for the people who dedicate their lives to this purpose.

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