It's unlikely that Hare Krishnas have ever rolled in dough, so it's not exactly surprising that their US cow sanctuary -- based in West Virginia -- has been feeling the sting of the economy in recent years. Um, cow sanctuary...in America? For those who are not exactly up-to-date on who or what Hare Krishnas are, they are a U.S. based religious sect devoted to the Hindu god Krishna and the Vedic scriptures. Founded in 1966, Krishna devotees have long been referred to as animal rights and vegetarian trailblazers -- in fact, some attribute the growth of the non-meat movement in America as well as in Europe exclusively to the peace and animal loving followers. In addition to embracing compassion for all living souls (regardless of what physical body form they were bestowed with), they consume only what their Deity desires in sacrificial offering -- vegetarian foods.
Retired cows and their offspring are especially lucky when they cross paths with Hare Krishnas because as is the case in India, they are respected and allowed to roam freely without the threat of being McBurgerKingified. At the New Vrindaban cow sanctuary, about 80 bovine residents (down from the heyday of 434) are lavished with affection, allowed to roam freely and even appreciated for their distinct personalities which range from heartbreaking lothario to party animal. In order to offset the rising costs associated with housing, feeding and caring for the many cows in their protection, the Hare Krishnas have now launched an adopt-a-cow program which enables kind souls to cover monthly expenses (approximately $35 each month for a full year commitment of $420 total), visit the facility in person and receive updates on the cow they are helping via photos and progress reports.
They make it incredibly easy to select a worthy bovine candidate since they've conveniently posted photos and details of their herd on their International Society For Cow Protection website (iscowp.com). I'm partial to Asha, the 7 year old Black Angus cow who they describe as being a "Determined survivor. She must have some Hawaiian blood in her because when she walks, she does the hula. She was born with a walking impediment in her hindquarters, so when she walks her hindquarters swing "to and fro". However, this does not deter her from keeping up with the herd and navigating the hilly terrain of the farm. She came from the farm of Hoy and Lillie Robinson who have been breeding Black Angus for over 40 years without a birth defect. Hoy couldn't bear to send her to the slaughterhouse and found us by our web site and asked if we would take her. She is loving and sweet."
Log onto their site for extensive details on how to participate in their program. One of the most interesting things that I found was a more comprehensive explanation of why cows are so revered. Apparently, the Hare Krishna teachings support the view that there are seven mothers, including one's physical birth mother, Mother Earth and a cow, simply because the milk it donates to us not only sustains but also nourishes us. They feel that all mothers, whether of the human or mooing kind, deserve respect. I couldn't have put it any better myself ;)
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