A trip to the BigV Sanctuary

I’d planned an update on our ongoing #plasticfreejuly journey (we’re still travelling!), but this week I wanted to record and share a super day I spent at the BigV Sanctuary, north of Limoges. As you’ve probably noticed, I’m a big supporter of the Twilight Retirement Home for Dogs, but my love for animals doesn’t stop with the species that we usually welcome into our lives as companions or pets (call them what you will). So, I was really excited to be visiting the BigV Sanctuary, a vegan sanctuary that cares for all species.

I’m a great believer in the power of social media for spreading the word about animal welfare. I’d never have learnt about Twilight, or made some of the friends I have, had it not been for Facebook. In fact, I first came across the BigV Sanctuary on a FB group for English  speaking vegans in France. Although it’s in the same department, the distance between us is still significant ~ or maybe it’s just that after driving 30k miles a year for thirty years I’ve now got used to shorter trips. We live right in the bottom south-west corner of the Haute Vienne, with the Dordogne just 10k down the road, whereas BigV is in the north, not far from Chateauponsac and the Lac St Pardoux. As Mr VV put it, you set off from the middle of nowhere, skirt around the edge of civilisation, and strike up northwards into the back of beyond. But, in fact, it’s not quite as bleak as that sounds. The Haute Vienne is the most populous of the three departments that make up the old region of the Limousin. The Creuse is in position 100 for the least populated out of 101 French departments (Nord is number 1). But, I digress …

So, eventually I made it, and I managed to avoid putting the car into the ditch. The paysage is pretty much like at home: stone buildings, fields full of brown Limousin cows, plenty of lakes and lots of trees. I followed the woodcut signs off the main road and wound up outside the BigV Sanctuary where I was greeted by a welcoming dogs’ chorus. This was followed by Miranda’s no less welcoming greeting. Then, it was time to meet the garden folk.

At the time of my visit, residents numbered around 83. They ranged from the team of guinea pigs ensconced in the house to Clyde the peacock, proudly sitting atop his residence guarding his mate Bonnie. From time to time he makes a foray up onto the main house roof or the bedroom windowsill to check whether it is time for tea. Out in the fields below the shaded terrace and the lush potager, I met the former farm folk. I may be wrong, but I think pigs make up the majority. I can’t recall all of their names, but Blossom, Teddy and Little Bean wandered over for a cuddle, Rupert the gentle brown-eyed cow enjoyed a scratch and I finally got to meet little Bramble, the lamb whose story I had followed with bated breath just after her rescue earlier this year.

There was a little excitement and angst when we discovered that two silky brown hares had successfully burrowed out of their enclosure and were cavorting in a neighbouring garden. Fortunately, they were swiftly apprehended by Miranda’s agile son and returned to safety. Later, over a leisurely lunch, I met Jerome, Miranda’s partner, her wonderful children and a helper who was staying for the week. We chatted about the difficulties of running a vegan sanctuary and the trials and tribulations of vegan life in France. The food was superb, easily equal to anything vegan I’d dined on recently. And when Miranda describes a freshly picked salad, she means that she’ll go pick the spinach leaves and tomatoes from the raised bed that surround the terrace whilst you’re chatting. The BigV Sanctuary Cafe is open Wednesdays and Sundays from 11 til 4. It’s well worth a visit to sample the great selection of vegan food from two dedicated and passionate vegan cooks. The chocolate mousse is sublime. I started off saying I’d have a tiny bit of salad (still thinking of my diet) and somehow found myself scoffing a huge plate of vegan carbonara and two desserts!

Now, here’s the rub. The BigV Sanctuary need funds. Desperately. Of course, virtually all animal sanctuaries, rescue organisations and welfare associations need funds, but it seems that it is particularly difficult for a small farm animal sanctuary like BigV. But, why is it that people prefer (or gravitate naturally towards) donating money, time and goods to the numerous dog, cat, horse and donkey charities but farm animals struggle? Even elephants seem to do better. The answer may be within the pages of a book I’m currently reading Why we love dogs, eat pigs, and wear cows. I’ve not finished it yet, so I don’t profess to have any answers. However, it seems obvious that we’re more familiar with domesticated pets that we perceive to be cuddly, in contrast to those species which society has legitimised as food.