Philip shares his experience at Hillside Animal Sanctuary...
"I was fortunate enough to enjoy a short stay at Hillside Animal Sanctuary in June 2013 along with a few friends from Viva! (www.viva.org.uk). I had obviously expected to have a pleasant holiday by the sea with the bonus of a few complimentary visits to see the assorted horses, sheep, rabbits, etc. in the sanctuary grounds next to our holiday home, but what I was (somewhat naively) unprepared for was the overwhelming kindness, compassion and integrity of the people working there.
From dawn 'til dusk, the staff and volunteers offer food, shelter and healthcare to any and every animal they rescue and re-home within their grounds: from shire horses to orphaned fawns, from piglets to cockerels, from llamas to lambs. 365 days a year, every year, they provide a haven for the lost, abused, neglected, and forgotten creatures that our seemingly uncaring society ignores. But, quite apart from the sheer hard work that goes into achieving this on a daily basis, I feel that the really inspiring aspect of Hillside lies in their determination to address the causes of this situation. They don't shy away from the facts: the hidden suffering at the heart of factory farming; the damage that a meat- and dairy-based diet has on the environment and on human health; and the connection between the animals that the visitors come to see in the sanctuary, and the food that those same visitors inevitably go home and consume.
To this end, the Hillside Cafe is entirely vegan and the food is delicious, whilst posters are displayed both there and throughout the grounds with background information about every animal that is impossible to ignore - factual, hard-hitting, concise. No-one with any degree of intelligence or empathy could fail to be moved, firstly by the natural beauty of the animals and the environment they're in, secondly by the kindness of the staff, and thirdly (and most importantly) by the heartbreaking stories of these rescued creatures, and the conditions in which they were found. Although some of these conditions are genuinely illegal and open to prosecution, many more are equally appalling and barbaric, and yet are deemed to be 'acceptable' by the current standards conformed to by farming organisations and animal breeders throughout the country.
Only by educating visitors, challenging preconceptions and changing our deeply entrenched behaviour towards animals can such cruelties be eradicated. And Hillside is one of these truly magical places that can do just that. For a cynical and frequently despondent animal rights supporter like myself, this sanctuary offers a vision of a harmonious world - a place that allows a rare equality to exist, as it naturally should do, between animals and humans.
If everyone, regardless of background or beliefs, could spend time at Hillside, we'd realise that compassion is a choice available to all of us - one that both enriches and ennobles us, as well as (quite literally) helping to 'save the planet' by adopting a vegan lifestyle".
Philip McCulloch-Downs
October 2014
From dawn 'til dusk, the staff and volunteers offer food, shelter and healthcare to any and every animal they rescue and re-home within their grounds: from shire horses to orphaned fawns, from piglets to cockerels, from llamas to lambs. 365 days a year, every year, they provide a haven for the lost, abused, neglected, and forgotten creatures that our seemingly uncaring society ignores. But, quite apart from the sheer hard work that goes into achieving this on a daily basis, I feel that the really inspiring aspect of Hillside lies in their determination to address the causes of this situation. They don't shy away from the facts: the hidden suffering at the heart of factory farming; the damage that a meat- and dairy-based diet has on the environment and on human health; and the connection between the animals that the visitors come to see in the sanctuary, and the food that those same visitors inevitably go home and consume.
To this end, the Hillside Cafe is entirely vegan and the food is delicious, whilst posters are displayed both there and throughout the grounds with background information about every animal that is impossible to ignore - factual, hard-hitting, concise. No-one with any degree of intelligence or empathy could fail to be moved, firstly by the natural beauty of the animals and the environment they're in, secondly by the kindness of the staff, and thirdly (and most importantly) by the heartbreaking stories of these rescued creatures, and the conditions in which they were found. Although some of these conditions are genuinely illegal and open to prosecution, many more are equally appalling and barbaric, and yet are deemed to be 'acceptable' by the current standards conformed to by farming organisations and animal breeders throughout the country.
Only by educating visitors, challenging preconceptions and changing our deeply entrenched behaviour towards animals can such cruelties be eradicated. And Hillside is one of these truly magical places that can do just that. For a cynical and frequently despondent animal rights supporter like myself, this sanctuary offers a vision of a harmonious world - a place that allows a rare equality to exist, as it naturally should do, between animals and humans.
If everyone, regardless of background or beliefs, could spend time at Hillside, we'd realise that compassion is a choice available to all of us - one that both enriches and ennobles us, as well as (quite literally) helping to 'save the planet' by adopting a vegan lifestyle".
Philip McCulloch-Downs
October 2014