Find Out How This Ordinary Girl Became An Inspiration For Every Animal Lover With Her Extraordinary Acts Of Kindness!!

The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong in the world, said Dr. Paul Edward Farmer, a famous anthropologist, physician and a humanitarian, working for the rightful cause, and said to be ‘the man who would cure the world’. We’ve no doubt that there’s a huge crowd who works for animal care, rescues and further. However, there’s more need to raise awareness about our loving buddies, especially about not interfering in their natural habitat and their rights to live. Such is the story of a girl who fought several setbacks yet it is the amazing happening of events and decisions of this girl that made her shine brighter than anyone else. This story is close to my heart and is sure to touch yours as well. And if not, then wait for the videos along the way.

However, first of all, it is important that everyone knows more about the harsh environment and a dreadful end these animals meet when there’s always an easier way for it. So don’t rush through the first few slides as that’s possibly the truth behind your daily food products!

Law Prohibits

In the words of Philip Wollen(former VP of Citibank And GM of Citicorp) a philanthropist, Animal rights today is now the greatest social justice issue since the abolition of slavery. When our nature came into existence, it granted equal rights to each species, including the plants, and the trees. But it didn’t take too long for the human minds to rule over the rest. The ruling is a whole different story, now we’ve crossed the limits where many species are on the verge of extinction and the destroyers are acting as the saviors, which is quite ironical. We’ve experimented on the helpless, hunted the wild, trapped the rare and ate the rest.

Though we’ve enforced laws for the rights of animals and investigators are spread all over the U.S. states with different roles assigned. Private organizations too have started showing interest in care and shelter programs. Besides the efforts, we fall short of results. We being the consumers of their meat makes it hard to get attached to them. Never to deny their rights to live in free quarters, free from steroid and death with anesthesia.

Slaughtering, Banned Yet Trend!

Our forefathers honored the horse as a ‘favoured’ animal like dogs and cats when this country was founded, are the words of conservatives. On the basis of a national poll, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) stated in 2012, 80% of Americans were against horse butchering. A few years back when the government passed the law that eventually banned horse slaughtering, the last existing slaughterhouses were shut down.

Still, American horses are regularly transported across the borders to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses, from where the meat is exported around the globe to the countries were hippophagy is legal. The ban is extended until October this year but people are in the favor of a permanent ban, including the prohibition of transportation of horses outside America.

No Cure For Birds

Chickens used to spend their lives together, digging for food, playing in the muddy water, roosting early morning, and lying under the sun, until their uncountable decedents spent a life to be slaughtered in the exhausted halls or kept for laying eggs. We doubt they themselves might’ve forgotten their traits. Undeniably chickens are the most abused creatures on Earth. Since the moment of birth, baby chicks are separated from their mothers where they live on their own. A majority of these animals spend their lives in complete jails.

In the United States, more than 9 billion chickens are killed each year, approximately 305 million hens are used for their eggs and the numbers increase with every year. Their meat and eggs are consumed much more than any other animals. Yet there’s no law to save them, turkeys or any other birds in “the humane rights.” When actually most of the Americans are willing to support this cause! Want to know more about the extreme disaster? More than 200 million chicks (just borns) are buried alive or left in bags to suffocate as they are neither required by the meat producing industries nor for breeding. The rest, allowed to live for a while are soon transported to slaughterhouses in small crates stuffed with many. Don’t forget the transportation continues in extreme climates for long distances, millions die of this stress and rest suffer injuries, broken wings and legs due to all inhumane handling. After reaching, their throats are cut while legs are shackled and then to remove their feathers they’re hanged under hot water! Nothing new for slaughterhouses to directly put them through hot water if the throat cutter is missing, when they’re alive!

Cows Aren’t Spared Either

How should I describe the ordeal that these friendly loving souls go through? Yes, it could get worse when they are hit with a bullet and sometimes they are hit twice even thrice and most of the times all this goes on when the poor cows are again in their senses. Surviving merely on dairy sheds and then facing the hellish rides to these slaughterhouses, the journey can sometimes take few days. Meanwhile, they stay typically without food and water and 40-50 cows with no space to move. While they collapse in hot weather, the cold climate freezes many on the sides of trucks and are pulled out with crowbars. When unable to walk out due to weakness ‘the downers’ (as they are called in the industry) are dragged from the trucks. So much pain, is the word pain even enough for something as brutal as this?

Pigs Too In The List

The pigs are no different from the rest, they stand right in the queue of injustice with the piglets kept away from their mothers since birth.“They blink. They make noises, the head moves, the eyes are wide and looking around… They die piece by piece,” one experience shared in words. Is that’s the only fate that awaits cattle? This article gave us an experience through the unacceptable reality. As we told you the story is about change and most of all about the girl, who started a wave of change from her end.

Just Another Girl

We love them, we adore them but we don’t do much for them. Caitlin Stewart, a New Jersey-raised, 32-years-old whose inspiring story we’re about to share with you was just an ordinary girl till her 20s. Caitlin Cimini was an animal lover since childhood when her summers were spent learning horse-riding. She loved them all but horses have been her first love. But something stopped her from getting too close to them. She admits that she always wanted to work for their betterment. Though something kept her stopping.

Unstoppable

Due to her own reasons that we aren’t aware of, her parents didn’t allow her to get along with animals. Yet Caitlin was unstoppable and worked with animal rescue organization and wildlife rehabilitation process. Though she had house pets and round-bellied pig and a horse she loved to ride on as a child, she didn’t have much knowledge and experience with them. The journey she started wasn’t easy at all, but Caitlin was determined to manage it all.

Not Just Another Girl?

Before we take you on Caitlin’s amazing journey it is important for you to know that since childhood she had faced a hard time with animals compared to the rest of us. “I’m just highly allergic to animals. All of them — except chickens,” Caitlin explained further, “I knew way before I started the rescue and working with animals in general that I had a terrible physical reaction to them.” Swollen lips, rashes were never enough to keep her away from animals any size big or small wild or pet she was sure to rescue them as she felt it is the mission of her life.

2010, The Begining Of Change

And it began in 2010 when Caitlin made up her mind to rescue one animal from slaughtering. A wild Mustang was being transported from Nevada, by the U.S. government, most probably to be sold. Caitlin with her friend Amy, an animal advocate was getting into this without second thoughts which were very unlikely of them. “I suppose one would say that fate is not held back by natural human instinct in most cases,” said Caitlin.

She was getting into a chain that’ll keep moving for a lifetime and will positively affect many souls at the same time. In this picture, Halona, the white horse Caitlin rescued, is in a far better situation than she was found in. Caitlin named her Halona, which means ‘beautiful choice,’ who was about to give Caitlin a hard time.

A Double Success

Caitlin was looking for a place where Halona could live with her in the backyard and get the proper attention she needs. She looked for more than 50 properties and found nothing relevant. She took a break from everything and right at that moment she realized she should look for more horses that needed to be rescued and she was willing to adopt. This would result in Halona having many friends with her in the perfect backyard.

She got to know about a beautiful Gelding, who retired early from the racing and was recently rescued from being slaughtered. She called the owner and soon went to New Jersey to meet Jake, the Thoroughbred, whose one overwhelming eye contact was enough for Caitlin and she said, “I would love to give him a home. Please. Yes.”

Here To Live!

Halona now had a companion Jake but no place to live yet. Caitlin enquired if Jake’s caretaker Lisa can let Jake stay a little longer until she finds a good place. The reply from the other side she got was strange and Caitlin didn’t believe Lisa when she said, “We can work out the details. Are you looking for a farm? You should buy mine!” But Caitlin was sure that Lisa’s property looked quite unaffordable for the budget. However, the same evening Lisa emailed a makeshift offer, enlisting all the required information about the farm. In no time, Caitlin managed to buy her farm and adopt Jake.

Regretted

Adopting wild horses might look an adventurous task. But what everyone forgets is, with adventure comes danger and hardships too. “She was the ultimate test for me, I had broken fingers. She cracked my ribs. It was really intense. I will admit I regretted [the adoption] at first. I don’t think I fully understood how wild she was. I cried all the time. I felt so defeated because she was so difficult, Caitlin explains how hard it was for her and Halona to get along as she was in trauma it was hard for her to believe in Caitlin and added, “She was a wild mustang running the wild plains. And She was rounded up by the government and I rescued her from going to slaughter.”

Never Give Up!

“Whenever a helicopter would fly over, she would freak out because that’s how they spot and capture wild horses, It was really scary and it was just trauma. All trauma,” Caitlin talked about Halona’s condition, who was not yet ready to give up on her ‘beautiful choice’. The results of her efforts are now visible.Today, Halona is the most affectionate animal, closest to Caitlin.

Rancho Relaxo

Caitlin named her new farm Ranch Relaxo as it denotes a place for mental relaxation. She has managed to be it true to the name. She works for animal rights and every animal staying in Rancho Relaxo is treated with respect and generosity. Caitlin has never looked back since her first rescue. According to her, she realizes that it’s not enough and someone out there is still in need of her help and hence she gave it a wonderful start with Rancho Relaxo.

The Symbolic Flags

The red, blue, yellow, white and green Buddhist prayer flags hanging in Rancho Relaxo are very meaningful for Caitlin. As it depicts peace and spreads the prayers everywhere with the wind. Caitlin is surely a person who lives a reasonable life and follows her ethics which definitely made her win hearts of many, who saw the honesty and appreciated her work.

Just the Beginning

Since the day she started her farm life and engaged in it completely, she began gaining more knowledge about horses that are bound to get slaughtered. She started knowing the situations of other animals too. Also, her amazing neighbors Donna and Clarence gave her a trio of old hens as her housewarming gift. Soon she learned chickens are very social animals with strong instincts.

Saving From Miserable Lives

Later, she started working with other rescue organizations and started helping with transporting. Caitlin devoted her life completely to the animals that she rescues every now and then. She gives them their rights in this place ie, nourishment and love. She looked into kill shelter puppies and kittens as well before they landed forever homes. “My mission was clear the day I drove out to a man’s home who had two potbellied piglets listed on Craigslist, headed to an auction – advertised as food for exotic animals. When I arrived, his children were throwing rocks at the babies – laughing about it as if it were normal to behave that way toward innocent creatures.” The piglets were scared and Caitlin felt miserable and says that was it for her, “Animals needed a voice somehow – and I was going to be the one to give it to them … until the day I die. That was what I was going to do.” Pictured, The Britney Spears!

The Double Wedding

Britney Spears, a pony ie; a little horse was rescued by Caitlin when she was informed through social media by one of her followers about her underweight and pathetic living condition. She wasn’t fed and Caitlin successfully proved it on the basis of the medical report. As it was clear, now Britney was legally adopted by Caitlin over her previous owners. Britney, now married with Pepito lives a lavishing life just as she looks.

Husband To The Rescue

Leonard Cimini, treasurer of board and animal caregiver was always supporting with Caitlin’s work and recalls, “after reconnecting with Caitlin, the founder of Rancho Relaxo, Leonard came to realize how imperative it was to advocate for animals.” He was a physics student but his unpredicting and determining nature kept him going. After his first rescue with Caitlin of Pepito ( a miniature donkey) who was to be sent for slaughter,his whole life changed but just like Caitlin, he wasn’t ready to give up.

How To Finance

“I remember working non-stop and I didn’t even have $100 in my savings account. I lived on veggie Ramen noodles,” remembers Caitlin. She was doing what she was born to do, yet she lacked sponsors and was left with nothing of her own. But as it is said, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” She was sure to figure out a way and soon she did and the response that she was soon to receive was more than she ever expected. In the picture, is the calf named, Chester, whom they had rescued.

Helping Hands

United

The team was growing and so was their support, a group of people working together for a better future of these animals was the best example world could get at this time. Karen and Gustave Stewart, Caitlin and Justin Bast and few more were now working for a sole aim. Henry Fisher, who added on his part by using his carpentry skills. Jessica Andrelevich worked as a content writer for the farm spreading the word all over. Erica Smargisso, who works 20 hours weekly for the animals, who in return love her the most. Eric Johnson, who worked for saving dogs, came all the way from Florida and not just joined in help but took complete responsibility of Elmer, a piglet and both took few weeks before they became best buddies.

Overcoming Obstacles

“I just couldn’t stop. I didn’t stop. I just filtered all the money into the rescue and surprisingly we have become self-sufficient as a rescue thanks to all of the good people that support us. It’s phenomenal. It’s strength through numbers.” Caitlin worked day and night for her animals who are treated as her kids. They expanded and got more land to rescue more and start an adoption center.

From One To Thousands

The journey that began with a wild mustang was now expanding every day with her increasing efforts and her kind nature that touched a huge number of donors with the help of GoFundMe awareness website. The effect was so much that they exceeded their fund’s target. Making Caitlin a heroic figure.

And Counting

“It means more than I can ever say, I tell people that if you like what a non-profit does, give them $1. They have no idea how far $1 can go. We are so grateful for every penny we get,” overwhelmed Cimini expressed her emotions. She has an expense of $4,000 monthly just for food. From millions of little heartbeats growing and playing in Rancho Relaxo, few are quite famous among all. That’s on the next slide.

Miraculous Lamb!

Clover was a rescued lamb with severe health conditions, weak eyesight, with a crooked jaw and unfortunate bow legs, that made it more difficult for her. But Caitlin gave the neglected Clover a second chance to live. The couple drove 90 minutes every week to a vet who could help Clover with her leg problem. Caitlin recalls her progress and how everyone was impressed. Sadly, one night during a thunderstorm and as the thunder frightens most of the animals and especially Clover’s heart was even weak due to all the illness, she couldn’t survive and died of a heart attack. Three weeks later, Caitlin noticed clovers growing at the same spot where Clover spent her last night. “I feel like Clover’s energy left that for me, and was like, ‘OK. Go on another rescue mission and shut up,” says inspired Caitlin.

Batman

Another caring and soulful creature, Batman could be rightly said “a therapy piglet” at Rancho Relaxo. “Batman is our rescued orphan piglet. He is less than two weeks old now. He has been extra attached to Sriracha today. I swear he knows she has had a bad couple of days and feels the need to comfort her.” The kitten was suffering from feline cerebellar hypoplasia since her birth due to which she gets breakdowns that last for days which are painful. Batman, a piglet came for her rescue. Unfortunately, when Batman died due to inherent issues, someone else stood by Sriracha.

Dragonlord

“As (Dragonlord) warmed up to me over the last 24 hours, I realized that he is his own little person, and although he is blood-related to Batman, he is completely different. Dragonlord took to Sriracha even better than Batman did.”Caitlin shared this message on social media. Dragonlord is Batman’s orphaned sibling and now continues to look after the kitten just like his brother.

Grandpa Pancakes!

A 30 years old, starved senior horse was being sent to slaughter when the couple intervened. They just looked at his picture and his old bony body cried for the love and attention he needed. The couple drove an hour and successfully took him in their Ranch by evening. As he didn’t have many teeth left, Caitlin soaks his food grains every day to help him and named him as Grandpa Pancakes, a senior member of the Rancho Relaxo family.

Alba

Caitlin explained, “She spent eight weeks being tested on, from 1 week old to 8 weeks old, she was burn-tested on. When you agree to take an animal from these laboratories, you’re basically agreeing to nondisclosure, I’m not allowed to say what kind of product [was tested], whether it was a cleaning product or medical-based. I’m not even allowed to say what state she came from.”

Alba who is a happy pig, Caitlin says “If she did have trauma, you would never know it,” Cimini said. “Her personality is just unbelievable. She’s so loving, and still so trusting of people. She’d met three of the pigs who live at our sanctuary — Elmer, Martha, and Linda. She’s gotten along great with Elmer, the little male potbellied pig, but Martha and Linda have been a little bit snooty. They’re like, ‘Who’s this girl?’” Caitlin further adds, “The dogs love her, and she loves the dogs, she loves all of our caretakers. Her personality is so powerful but so soft. She lays on her side and asks for belly scratches. She’s just amazing.”

Mother Denied Love

Dean, joined Rancho Relaxo when his mother rejected him as she was unable to produce milk due to her old age. Dean was very weak when first arrived. But the little one showed improvements with every new day. Now he is loved by every animal on the Ranch. And he himself goes to meet all his farm friends roaming around.

A Huge Support

Good deeds never go waste, and so Caitlin was receiving support not just from Americans but from across the oceans. Her efforts were being appreciated and donations are continuously made by people for whom she became a source of inspiration. The girl even started the goat yoga idea!

GoFundMe

In an interview Rob Solomon, GoFundMe CEO said,“Caitlin is doing incredible, selfless work with animals in need, and I’m thrilled she’s been chosen as our latest GoFundMe Hero. As a fellow animal lover, it’s been inspiring to see how Caitlin has used GoFundMe to further her mission of giving abandoned animals the second chance they deserve.”

A Better World

“What they do to my spirit outweighs what they do to my skin.” while Len Cimini adds, “We’d like to have a volunteer center. And just have it be an educational experience as well, and the people can come, volunteer, they can do tours.” The couple stands together in tough times and is hoping to expand their 16-acre property.

Against All Odds

Now, Caitlin is regularly on heavy medication due to her allergies. In the past, this led her to the situation of being hospitalized in ER twice. Her asthma attacks make it worse for her as she couldn’t breathe at all. She had blisters because of her allergies. But she keeps her spirits up and is finding ways to deal with it now that she takes care of herself, as staying away from her farm family isn’t an option for her. She sure has made an impact of kindness in the world, running behind money. In her words,“You’re born with a life mission, and it’s just been imprinted in me. And I didn’t realize it, until I woke up one morning and I’m like, oh I basically started a rescue.”