Resident Spotlight: Owen

Yoga Animalia: Bovine - Owen

Kindred Spirits Sanctuary, Ocala, Florida

Your resident spotlight this week focuses on a handsome bovine who resides at Kindred Spirits Sanctuary where I am currently staying. Sometimes I look out my bedroom window and Owen and his herd are casually grazing nearby. My first visit to Kindred was with the intent of photographing Owen specifically for LAIKA magazine. I have had the great privilege to photograph him on many occasions now.

Yoga Animalia: Bovine - Owen, Kindred Spirits Sanctuary, Ocala, Florida

Born on a small beef farm, Owen’s mother likely had a disease or deficiency that led to his eyes improperly developing. Blind at birth, the young calf was seen as a waste of time and money, but rather than shoot him as many would, they contacted Kindred Spirits to take him. This unexpected bout of compassion extended to them allowing Owen to stay with his mother for a month before coming to sanctuary, but sadly did not include them surrendering her. At Kindred Owen has bonded with his small herd, including subsequent generations of calves. He can often be seen gentling and lovingly licking herdmates.

Betty and Owen

Brownie and Owen, with wild egret friends taking advantage of what the steers' hooves unearth.

New Year, New Portraits

It is one month into my Winter 2018 at Kindred Spirits Sanctuary in Ocala, Florida. I have been editing, writing, backing up photos, getting to know the Kindred residents a little better, and working with (and learning from) Kindred's on-staff vet, Dr. Dow, including veterinary trips to Full Circle Farm Sanctuary and Rooterville. More new images captured from those visits, and lots of new Kindred photos to come. My current favorite newly edited photo is of young Luna cow from Kindred included below.

Yoga Animalia: Bovine - Luna, Kindred Spirits Sanctuary, Ocala, Florida

Recently I was thinking about my need to write more: to record more of my travels and experiences at the sanctuaries in addition to sharing the resident's stories. It got me thinking about how intensely grateful I am to be part of the sanctuary world, so much so that the term "sanctuary groupie" popped into my head (and I may have been listening to Lana Del Rey's "Groupie Love" at the time :-). Hence the new name for my blog and missives from my travels.

I intend to be much more diligent about newsletters and blog posts in 2018, because after two and a half years of travel, the stories are starting to get jumbled in my wee brain! I am also committed to sharing sneak peaks and exclusives with my Patreon crew, because their monthly patronage has enabled me to start selecting and editing the massive backlog of sanctuary images - 40,000+ to peruse I estimate, from 74 sanctuaries. You can become a patron for as little as a $1 a month and contribute to the expansion of the Yoga Animalia Project.

I look forward to many more sanctuary groupie stories, and to connecting with you all once again in person at festivals across the US. The early 2018 festivals you can find me at:
Jan 28 Southwest Florida Veg Fest
Feb 17 Gainesville Veg Fest
Mar 3 Northeast Florida Veg Fest
Mar 31 Indy Veg Fest
Apr 7 Nashville Veg Fest
Apr 14 Wilmington Veg Fest
More to come!