edgarsmission

our missionis kindness

Edgar’s Mission is a not for profit organisation that seeks to create a humane

and just world for humans and non-humans.

We endeavour to achieve this by education, advocacy

and empowerment.

Edgar’s Mission started with a pig. This is his story.

WHAT WE DO

Animal Care

Animal care is obviously a big part of life at Edgar’s Mission. We have the responsibility of the

health and well being of over 100 residents.

Humane Education

Edgar’s Mission’s Joining the Dots Humane Education Programme is a proud participant in the

Victorian government’s Education Week. We are happy will come out to your school or you are

invited to join us at the Sanctuary in Kilmore.

Rehoming

Do you have what it takes? Are you able to provide a life long, loving and knowledgeable home

for a rescued farm animal? We here at Edgar’s Mission believe that all animals deserve to have a

life worth living, if you think you are able to provide one, please complete our prospective adop-

tors form and return to us, we will keep you details confidential and on file and notify you when a

suitable animal is seeking your home.

Outreach

We want to inform people about how their lifestyle and dietary choices are making an impact on

animals. We believe that meeting our animal ambassadors and by learning about the plight of

farm animals will empower the public to make more informed and compassionate choices.

THE pig WHO sTArTED iT All

The arrival of James Cromwell, ‘Farmer Hoggett’ from the hit movie “Babe”, in Australia in May

2003 represented a golden opportunity to highlight the plight of pigs. James, a passionate

animal activist, readily agreed. It was decided it would be a good idea to get a photograph of

James and a pig.

Great idea, but where do we get a pig from? An approach to a children’s farm revealed that if

we parted with $150 they would be happy to let James have his photo taken with a pig.

“Pigs!” was uttered and we then had the brilliant idea of “procuring our own pig”. And procure

we did from a piggery, a landrace large white cross whom we named Edgar Alan Pig. After the

photo shoot we planned to find a sanctuary for young Edgar to live out his days, but after one

night with him we were hooked. So we eventually created that sanctuary and called it “Edgar’s

Mission”. Life changed forever.

Edgar’s humble ability to champion the cause of pigs saw him become the first of what is a

legacy of activist pigs who now all call Edgar’s Mission home sweet home.

Sadly, Edgar passed on shortly after his 7th birthday party. He will be missed beyond words

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTs

EDgAr AlAN pigPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Eating, tummy rubs, naps, eating, tummy rubs, naps

My dream job would be: Restaurant Critic

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Donald Watson - the father of veganism

Rescue Date: 11/05/2003

Story

Meet Edgar of Edgar’s Mission... Yes, he is a pig and he is the one who started it all!

The story goes... The arrival of James Cromwell, ‘Farmer Hoggett‛ from the hit movie

“Babe”, in Australia in May 2003 represented a golden opportunity to highlight the

plight of pigs. James, a passionate animal activist, readily agreed. It was decided it

would be a good idea to get a photograph of James and a pig.

Great idea, but where do we get a pig from? An approach to a children’s farm revealed

that if we parted with $150 they would be happy to let James have his photo taken

with a pig. “Pigs!” was uttered and we then had the brilliant idea of “procuring our own

pig”. And procure we did from a piggery, a landrace large white cross whom we named

Edgar Alan Pig. After the photo shoot we planned to find a sanctuary for young Edgar

to live out his days, but after one night with him we were hooked. So we eventually cre-

ated that sanctuary and called it “Edgar’s Mission”. Life changed forever.

Edgar’s humble ability to champion the cause of pigs has seen him become the first of

what is a legacy of activist pigs who now all call Edgar’s Mission home sweet home.

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsgrETEl sOMEONEPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Eating, tummy rubs, naps, eating, tummy rubs, naps

My dream job would be: Restaurant Critic

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Donald Watson - the father of veganism


Story

Meet Edgar of Edgar’s Mission... Yes, he is a pig and he is the one who started it all!

The story goes... The arrival of James Cromwell, ‘Farmer Hoggett‛ from the hit movie

“Babe”, in Australia in May 2003 represented a golden opportunity to highlight the

plight of pigs. James, a passionate animal activist, readily agreed. It was decided it

would be a good idea to get a photograph of James and a pig.

Great idea, but where do we get a pig from? An approach to a children’s farm revealed

that if we parted with $150 they would be happy to let James have his photo taken

with a pig. “Pigs!” was uttered and we then had the brilliant idea of “procuring our own

pig”. And procure we did from a piggery, a landrace large white cross whom we named

Edgar Alan Pig. After the photo shoot we planned to find a sanctuary for young Edgar

to live out his days, but after one night with him we were hooked. So we eventually cre-

ated that sanctuary and called it “Edgar’s Mission”. Life changed forever.

Edgar’s humble ability to champion the cause of pigs has seen him become the first of

what is a legacy of activist pigs who now all call Edgar’s Mission home sweet home.

PHOTO NEEDED

PHOTO AND INFO NEEDED

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsAliCE pigPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Building a big comfortable nest

My dream job would be: Stay at home Mum

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Edgar Alan Pig


Story

This one time factory farmed pig had recently become a movie star, playing Wilbur‛s

Mum in the Paramount Pictures production of E B White‛s classic “Charlotte‛s Web”.

After fliming Alice was to be allowed to retire at Edgar‛s Mission.

All Alice had ever known was confinement, save the hours she spent on the movie set.

Alice arrived in the back of a trailer driven by her previous pig farming owner. She took

a step out onto something so foreign to her, yet so natural for a pig, solid earth. The

pig farmer uttered , “That‛s the first time she has eaten grass”. In Australia a “Code of

Practice” allows pregnant pigs (sows) just like Alice, to be kept in tiny metal individual

stalls measuring 2m long by 60cm wide. This ‘code‛ protects industry operators from

being prosecuted for cruelty. Tragically some 300,000 female breeding sows are kept

inside sheds continually pregnant and severely confined, forced to stand or lie on hard

floors. They can barely take a step forward or back. It is these animals that produce

the piglets destined to become bacon, ham and pork products. Sows are extremely

maternal. They will spend many hours making a nest for their piglets. Factory farmed

mother pigs have nearly all of their natural instincts frustrated. Just prior to giving birth

they are moved to “farrowing crates”, an even smaller area where their body is encircled

by metal bars to even further limit their movement. With no straw for bedding, mother

pigs must give birth to their piglets on a hard floor. Nurturing and interacting with her

young is impossible as the cruel metal frame imprisons her. Her young are removed

after 3 or 4 weeks, she is impregnated again, and the cycle of suffering and deprivation

continues.

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsBAMBi DEErPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Playing hide and seek

My dream job would be: Firefighter

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Red Adair


Story

Some stories change your life, some events change your life, but a single act of kind-

ness can save a life. On Saturday, February 7th 2009 a single event changed and sadly

took the lives of many Victorians. We now know it as Black Saturday and it will long live

in and haunt the memory of thousands. Out of the ashes of despair acts of kindness

flourished with stories of incredible tales of survival stoking human spirit and offering

hope for a new and better tomorrow. One such tale is that of Bambi. Orphaned by the

unforgiving fire that razed Kinglake, a tiny fawn emerged from the blackened forest.

Dazed, scared and suffering smoke inhalation and dehydration the little fallow deer

wandered the roadside. Placing their own loss and heart- ache aside it was the King-

lake residents who rescued Bambi and took him to the RSPCA for emergency care.

Just weeks old Bambi already encapsulated the Australian spirit and refused to give up.

Nine days on a drip and he was ready to face the challenge of learning to live without

his guiding mother. A sad fact of life for most deer is that there is no utopian forest

for them to roam with Thumper and friends. For them a single word holds their fate -

venison.

Bambi has now joined us at Edgar’s Mission where he will spend the rest of his days.

With new found buddies he can frolic in the sun and shelter from the storms with

never a threat of a hunter to take his sunshine away.

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsClAUDETTE gOATPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Standing in my feed bin

My dream job would be: Olympic High Jumper

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Bonnie and Clyde (boy did

those guys know how to stay on the run!!)


Story

My name is Claudette and before I came to this wonderful place I had been on the run

for over 8 weeks. I was captured in an outer Eastern Melbourne suburb and I was totally

terrified of humans as some people had been very cruel to me. I didn‛t trust anyone.

Somehow whilst I was on the run one of my horns had broken off very close to my

skull. It bled and bled, I had dried blood all over my face and my exposed horn bud was

very very sore,this pain made me even more scared of everything.

Once I was captured, I was taken to a Melbourne based Animal Hospital where they

treated my horn and fed and watered me but they said I couldn’t stay. They were un-

sure of where they could send me. Someone even suggested I should be put to sleep, I

didn’t understand. Perhaps they knew I had trouble sleeping because I would remem-

ber all of my awful experiences. When people would come to check on me I would

tremble with fear, sometimes I got so scared I would stand on my back legs and charge

at the humans before they had a chance to do anything awful to me again like those

other people had done. Then someone thought to call Edgar’s Mission. They said they

would take me, but I don’t think they knew how traumatised as I was. At first I was ab-

solutely terrified here also, I would just tremble uncontrollably whenever anyone came

near me. I would even try to jump out of the stable to flee. But the people here were

so kind and patient, they would often just come and sit in my stall with me and let me

sniff them. I have decided that this one lady, she always wears a cap, is really nice. She

is my buddy and she takes me for walks. I trust her, but I am still not sure about the

others. So if you come to visit me please be patient, I will need time to trust you but I

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsrYAN gOATPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Eating Edgar’s Mission flyers

My dream job would be: A paper shredder

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: US President Barack Obama

because he also bridges black and white


Story

Ever heard of the dish “Capretto” (Italian roast baby goat)? Well that was what I was

going to be turned into until I was rescued from a livestock market. At first I thought all

those hands fondling me were well intentioned until I heard someone laugh and say

“oh the little black and white one will taste good!”. I just closed my eyes as I was picked

up and tucked under someone’s arm, next thing I knew I was at this wonderful place

called Edgar’s Mission with no thoughts of Capretto anywhere! Phew, was I lucky. So

lucky I decided then and there to become an ambassador for the not so lucky goats.

Although I was very sick, thin, full of lice and missed my mummy the people here

showered me with love and kindness and in return I made their couch my home! Great

deal hey?

My job now is to show everyone what wonderful, fun loving and yes cheeky little guys

and gals us goats really are. And that we really are worth more than the sum of our

parts. My job is to debunk many myths people have about us farm animals. People

think us different from the animals that share their hearts and homes but when you get

to know us I am sure you will agree that while we may look a little different our wants

and needs are just the same.

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsMigHTY MOUsE sHEEpPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Eating Weetbix

My dream job would be: Super hero

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: That darn jolly swagman and

tell him to put that sheep back!


Story

We heard a local farmer planned to kill all 55 of his male merino lambs as he con-

sidered it wasn‛t worth his while to take them to market. Their rescue was the most

daunting one we have ever undertaken. The task of rehoming these tiny merino lambs

freshly taken from their mothers almost didn‛t happen due to the enormity of the task.

Three trips in the horse float later and all the frightened lambs were safely at Edgar‛s

Mission Farm Sanctuary.

Each lamb was passed from the rough hued farmers hands to ours as the gentle coo

of “I‛m taking you home my lovely” was whispered in their ear. But when it came to

Mighty Mouse, who we could easily lift and hold with one hand, we decided for his

safety he should ride in the car as the other lambs may have stood on him. Despite the

odds Mighty Mouse has flourished into a robust fine merino who answers to his name

and is quick to take a wheetbix treat. It did not take him long to learn we were the

good guys and to this day when he sees his human friends he will offer a sheepy “baa”

and come over to say “hi”.

Sheep are indeed intelligent beyond popular thought. They have been shown to have

remarkably good memories and they experience emotions when they see a familiar

face. They have been able to recognize the faces of 50 other sheep even after two

years and have even been known to roll across hoof proof cattle grids in order to reach

tastier pastures.

The farmer described Mighty Mouse and his buddies to us as worthless, we know dif-

ferent - for each and every one of them is priceless.

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTssHirlEY COWPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Thinking about my mummy

My dream job would be: Detective - so i could find my mummy

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Maneka Gandhi


Story

I was taken from my mummy, who I loved very much, not long after I was born. As I was

only very small the farmer didn‛t want me so I was sent to market. Things were not

looking too good for me, that was, until I spotted a lady with a hat. She looked kind as

she walked about the pens, she never pushed or shoved the other calves like the other

humans did nor did she speak in a gruff voice. I liked her from the start, I just watched

and watched until her eyes meet mine!

Sadly there are around one million calves each year just like me that find themselves

at markets or worse, we are called bobby calves. The name bobby calf springs from

the low value the dairy industry places on us, the forgotten ones. They say we are only

worth a bob, but the lady with the hat says we all are priceless. Many people don‛t

realise that mother cows, like all mammals produce milk for their young and in order

for mother cows to keep producing milk she will need to keep having a calf. Well, the

diary industry might think us bobby calves are “a low value by-product of milk produc-

tion” but people like you clearly know we have feelings and don‛t like to be considered

nothing more than a production unit. Thank you for being my buddy.

I really hope you can come and see me real soon, they say I have turned out to be one

mighty fine ambassador for bobby calves!

PHOTO NEEDED

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsTONY BlAir TUrKEYPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Intimidating all who come near

My dream job would be: Cowboy

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Clint Eastwood


Story

On Sunday the 18th of December 2005 we read with great sadness, an article that

agonized about the least stressful way to cook a turkey. The stress minimization was

afforded the cooker alas not the cookee! Written with insensitivity and detachment

towards the hapless turkey that is so indicative of the way farmed animals have been

reduced to mere production units, not the intelligent, sensitive and emotional crea-

tures that they are.

Sadly today‛s farmed turkey females (known as hens, the males are toms) are unable

to teach their poults (newborn and young turkeys) how to react to predators and other

dangers, as well as how to get food, social behavior, vocalization and flocking behav-

iour. Turkey mothers are the most protective in the world yet sadly the life of a farmed

turkey is far removed from what Mother Nature intended. Baby turkeys are produced

out of incubators and never know the loving “coo” of their mother. They have been so

selectively bred for huge muscle mass that they are unable to fly like their wild cousins.

Our resolve was to save a turkey, and we didn‛t have to look far. At a local livestock

market, there squashed into an old milk crate was our future turkey. A sign on his cage

predicted the fate of most turkeys -“Christmas turkey”. We watched people pass by the

market vendor for some indication of their view of the turkey‛s predicament, some

nonplussed bemusedly joked “there‛s Christmas dinner” others simply turned the

other way. One elderly man eyed the turkey, then quickly turned to his partner and

said “that is disgusting”, we trust he echoed these sentiments the next time he dined.

In the scheme of things one turkey reprieved doesn‛t mean much, but we had plans

for bigger things. It‛s called the domino effect. Our reprieved turkey would become an

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsCHiCqUiN CHiCKENPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Helping Pam in the office

My dream job would be: Action Film Star

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Colonel Sanders (I have a few

things to tell him!)


Story

That chickens have personalities is something many people do not realise...that is until

they meet Chicquin, aka Super Chicken.

We received a call about the dire fate that awaited a rooster should he not find a home

within seven days. Chicquin‛s young guardians, who had already rescued their little

feathered friend from a school hatching project, were delighted when they learned life

long sanctuary awaited their beloved rooster at Edgar‛s Mission Farm Sanctuary. A far

far better outcome than being “dealt with by order of the Council”.

Chicquin was the result of a school hatching project. These projects are said to be

designed to teach children about respect for life. Despite good intentions, hatching

projects rarely teach this, nor do they provide lessons of compassion or responsibility.

Rather, they teach lessons of expendability and the view that animals are mere teach-

ing aids. Life is trivialized as teacher and student do not always accept the permanent

responsibility of bringing a life into the world.

A mother chicken will lovingly turn her egg many times during the day and night,

keeping it safe and warm. This does not occur in the classroom and the result is often

dead or deformed chicks that will never know of the loving caress of a mother hen‛s

wing.

Chicquin is indeed one incredible chicken. He spends many hours assisting in the

office, although he is known to repeatedly go to sleep on the job and entice us away

from our work as we give him a cuddle and scratch. Coming when called as fast as his

little chicken legs will carry him never ceases to bring a smile to all. May Chicquin live

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsMONTY HOrsEPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Searching for food in womens purses

My dream job would be: Pick pocket

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Danny Devito


Story

Question: When does being small mean not being small enough? And your penalty

means your death?

Answer: When you have been bred to be a miniature pony and it soon becomes appar-

ent that you will not be quite miniature enough!

That was the lot of dear little Monty Pony. At just five months of age Monty‛s breeders

realised that Monty would grow too tall to meet the height requirements of the Minia-

ture Pony breed. Rather than take responsibility for the life that they were responsible

for creating Monty‛s breeders planned to send Monty to the knackery.

Sadly the fate endured by many animals that do not live up to the expectations of

their breeders is to be killed. Luckily for dear little Monty a kind hearted lady bravely

intervened. At great personal expense she persuaded (and it took much persuasion)

the breeders to spare Monty‛s life and allow her to rescue him. He will now spend his

days at Edgar‛s Mission Farm Sanctuary as our official tour guide and complimentary

handbag searcher! So remember when next you visit lock up your handbag

MEET sOME OF OUr rEsiDENTsgEOrgiA HOrsEPersonality Profile Favorite Pastime: Playing kissy face with Brian Horse

My dream job would be: Novelist

The famous person I would most like to meet would be: Black Beauty


Story

Horses have long been revered for their embodiment of strength, freedom and nobil-

ity. Sadly today despite the place horses hold in the hearts of many Australians they are

valued more for what they can achieve for people rather than their intrinsic worth.

Georgia‛s story is typical of many of these most noble beasts. With a distinct thor-

oughbred look, we imagine Georgia would have started out life rather well. Her owners

having had high hopes that she would be a racetrack sensation, bringing them glitz,

glamour and financial rewards. However, like many a racehorse Georgia could not live

up to such lofty expectations and, as no one was forthcoming with an alternate career

Georgia found herself awaiting her turn in the knackery yard. Despite humans having

failed her she has retained a gentle trust in man that was to buy her a “get out of jail”

card as she endeared herself to her rescuers who serendipitously happened to be at

the knackery yard at the right time. What better place to spend the twilight of her years

than at Edgar‛s Mission.

if we could be happy & healthywithout hurting animals, why wouldn’t we?

edgarsmission

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