A makeup artist traded glitz and glam for slop and scat when she realized her true “calling” was rescuing disabled farm animals.
Amanda Clark, 33, runs the Here With Us Farm Sanctuary with her husband Steve, 35, in Shermans Dale, Penn. The rescue is said to be home to 180 farm animals, including cows from dairy farms; battery-farmed hens; and pigs saved from the slaughterhouse.
The vegan couple drew inspiration from a visit to a sanctuary in New York in 2017.
“We were so touched by their stories we literally became vegan overnight,” Clark explained to SWNS.
The pair rescued two goats, named Patrick and Darby, in July 2017 — and both are still with them. Clark’s brother initially allowed them to keep the animals in a fenced-in section of his yard.
Then they rescued four hens — Tofu, Happy, Peanut and Peg — and bought their own land in York County, Penn., to save even more animals. They quickly outgrew that land as well.
In 2019, Here With Us became a registered nonprofit charity that relies on donor funds, with 10 to 12 volunteers helping out, including the couple’s 9-year-old son, Fin.
“Steve still works full-time, but him and Fin are such a great help — they’re just as involved,” Clark revealed.
“The day we moved in, we got a cow fence installed for two rescues, Ronnie and Reggie,” she continued. “I just knew it was what I wanted to do, and I quit my job as a makeup artist to care for the animals full-time.”
Clark begins her day at 7 a.m., to feed the outside animals. She returns inside the house to care for the disabled ones.
Three ducks, named Tuck, Cheerio and Dandy, suffer neurological disorders and require a wheelchair. The newest arrivals — a female cow, Vasana and her calf, Wilbert — were rescued just two days before they were due to head to a slaughterhouse.
“Some are from cruelty cases, and some were found abandoned and bought to us. A lot have been rescued from the farming industry or just before being slaughtered for meat,” she explained.
“Diesel the rooster was surrendered to us with mobility and ‘anger’ issues, but he has never shown any aggression,” Clark added. “It just goes to show all of these animals deserve love and patience.”
The sanctuary has gained a loyal following on Instagram with more than 22,300 animal enthusiasts keeping up with farm life.
“I have never cared for disabled animals before, but it’s just something we’ve learned on the way,” Clark said. “All of the animals have feelings and emotions — just like people.”
“The sanctuary has been four years in the making, and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else,” she added.
