Why This Texas Couple Gave Up Cattle Farming To Be Vegans
On a ranch south of Houston, cattle rancher Tommy Sonnen faced a problem unusual for someone in his line of work.
His wife Renee had started hanging out with the livestock, including the cattle that Tommy was raising. Tommy told his wife, “Renee, don’t name those cows.” But she didn’t listen, and she even started singing to the cows, too. Before he knew it, the rancher’s wife had turned into the rancher’s worst nightmare: a vegan who couldn’t stand to live with a cattle rancher anymore. Renee explains that at this point, she gave Tommy an ultimatum: “He was just going to get out of the business or our marriage was over.” Tommy agreed to her conditions and told her he would sell the whole herd, at which point she replied, “Well, if you’re going to sell the whole herd anyway, why don’t you just sell ’em to me?” Tommy didn’t know that his wife had been writing a blog called “Vegan Journal of a Rancher’s Wife” and had accrued much support and thousands of followers online. Through these contacts, Renee was successfully able to raise $30,000, enough for a complete takeover of the ranch. “All of a sudden, he was fixin’ to be bought out by his wife,” Renee said. “Yeah, I didn’t appreciate it, but it was growing pains,” said Tommy. After Renee raised the funds, Tommy did the unthinkable, something inarguably rare for a rancher to do: he put his ego aside, reconsidered a core belief, and stopped eating meat! He reports that he likes how he feels now and is currently working for his wife at the newly-named Rowdy Girl Vegan Farm Animal Sanctuary. It appears to be the only cattle ranch in the country that has converted to vegan. For those cows, it is certainly a great time to be alive. When asked about how much he has changed for his wife and if there was anything he would like to change about her, Tommy replied: “I can’t think of a thing.” What an absolutely heartwarming story! It just goes to show that everyone is capable of change, even those who you’d least expect it from. By spending quality time with the cows, Renee established a deep bond with these animals and developed an understanding for the value of their lives. She grew so close with them that she was willing to sacrifice her marriage to ensure they could live happily. Despite what many people believe, or would like to believe, animals are sentient beings capable of connection, love, friendship, and emotion. Above all, they want to live. Much Love H/T CBS News .
Read the full article at the original website
References:
