Renee King-Sonnen: Cattle Ranch to Sanctuary

Curiously Veg Radio

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Recently we had the opportunity to work with Brother Wolf Animal Rescue at Asheville Veganfest. While there we managed to steal away some speakers for a quick two on one chat. One of the speakers, Renee King-Sonnen, stole the show with her amazing story and amazing energy. After spending sometime talking with her during and after recording we couldn't pass up a chance to have her on the show for a long form interview.

Renee's story is not like any other. After marrying her now husband and cattle rancher, Renee settled in to be a typical rancher's wife. Though she always had animal rights and welfare buzzing around in her mind she suppressed the urge to succumb, something many of us have felt and done. In an attempt to follow tradition she purchased a calf with intention to raise to market weight and to be sold for food. While going through the process something began to wake within her and she wasn't able to keep what she knew to be true and decided she'd had enough. Renee was able to recognize what she and the other ranchers were doing wasn't right and decided to make a change. The calf that she raised leant her name to her new home, "Rowdy Girl Sanctuary".

We talked with Renee King-Sonnen about her waking up, working with other ranchers and rancher wives to further the cause, and a very moving story about a strong calf that thought her, and I'm sure you, a lot about the future of animal welfare and the future of sanctuaries.

If you can, please take some time and support the efforts of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. You can also become a member or adopt an animal and get some great perks while supporting the sanctuary and help some amazing animals.

ABOUT RENEE KING-SONNEN

Renee, a native Houstonian, is the Executive Director and Founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary in Angleton, Texas. She remarried her husband Tommy Sonnen, a multi-generational cattle rancher in 2009 and moved to the ranch. She fell in love with farm animals, having no idea her life was about to transform. After witnessing time and again the baby calves going to the sale barn she became extremely depressed. In October 2014, she went vegan as a result and began researching factory farming and the compassionate alternative, farm sanctuaries. She desperately consulted with leaders in the vegan movement, determined to do whatever she could to create sanctuary out of what was once a beef cattle operation in the heart of cattle country.

VEGAN: EVERYDAY STORIES

The documentary Vegan: Everyday Stories features Renee King-Sonnen along with other prominent figures in the plant based movement. The movie focuses on a set of very different vegans, their journey, and their everyday lives. A great movie free of graphic imagery to inspire others that they too can make an amazing life change and be happier and healthier than ever before.

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Rowdy Girl Sanctuary's website
• Rowdy Girl Sanctuary's Facebook
• Rowdy Girl Sanctuary's YouTube
• Vegan: Everyday Stories

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