The Cow Who Changed Texas Forever | Rowdy Girl

They say everything’s bigger in Texas. Well
that’s certainly true when it comes to cows.

With a bovine population of 11.7 million,
almost two times greater than the runner-up

state of Nebraska, Texas is home to almost
13% of America’s cows.

In a state that prides itself on going big
in everything from steaks to rodeos, it’s

perhaps the most unlikely setting for this
story. But that’s precisely what makes it

so powerful: how very unlikely it is. Because
among the almost 12 million heads of catlle

across almost 250,000 farms and ranches, is
one single little cow who somehow managed

to change Texas forever.

Hi it's Emily from Bite Size Vegan and welcome
to another vegan nugget. This is the story

of Rowdy Girl, the cow who launched a revolution.
And this is Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. Not long

ago, this land was a functioning cattle ranch
owned by Tommy Sonnen and his wife Renee.

Marrying into a family of multi-generational
cattle ranchers, Renee had a difficult time

watching the calves go off to slaughter. So
Tommy made a decision, the repercussions of

which he could never have imagined: for Renee
to buy her own cow and become a part of ranch

culture. And so it was that Rowdy Girl came
into their lives.

Renee: “This is the one that I bought for
$300, six years ago. My husband wanted me

to have a buy-in as a cattle rancher’s wife
and so she was my first and only time I ever

bought any of these animals, except for when
I bought them to save their lives. And so,

Rowdy Girl’s babies have never gone to slaughter.
She was the gateway, and I really do believe

she knows it. I think she knows it.”

Rowdy truly was the gateway. Renee’s connection
to the animals on her plate and those in her

backyard began to deepen. You can hear about
her personal conversion in depth in the video

linked here and in the description below.

But today, Renee’s going to help tell the
stories of those saved by Rowdy Girl’s influence.

The most unlikely Texas residents of all.

There’s of course the original herd, all
of whom Renee bought from her reluctant husband.

Tommy: “This is the wild herd”

The sanctuary soon began to take on new residents,
including survivors of pro-farming youth programs

like the 4H Club and Future Farmers of America,
organizations firmly rooted in Texas culture.

Renee: “Rowdy Girl Sanctuary has already
started to get a reputation around 4H and

FFA. We really don’t like the fact that
they teach their kids to kill animals that

they grow to love.”
Alena Hidalgo was one of those kids, and her

animal, was Gizmo the pig. Speaking of Alena,
Renee shares,

Renee: “She’s 15 years old, she comes
every week with her mom, or her dad, and her

sister. Takes care of Gizmo, learns while taking care of things around the sanctuary.

Her andher mother, and her sister are now vegan,
as a result.”

Gizmo’s roommate Roux was also an FFA surrender after not making the cut at the County Fair.

The high school student who surrendered her has never come back to visit.

Renee and dedicated sanctuary volunteer Charles
Armstrong, who was instrumental in saving

fellow FFA surrender Penny Lane, shed some
light on the pressures upon students in the

program and why they don’t always come back
to visit.

Renee: “The kiddo that brought her here
– I think he had high hopes or intentions

of coming back to visit, but never has. And
what I heard Charles say was that they were

afraid that he was going to go vegan. (laughs) So, they didn’t want to bring him here no more!"

Charles: “My boss at work, his son got Penny, and the mother and the son fell in love with her. And couldn’t

see her go to slaughter. But, the dad really
didn’t care one way or another. He just

wanted his son to get a good grade in FFA.
Because if they don’t show, they don’t

get a grade and that means they have to retake
another class.”

Perhaps the most visually striking resident
of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary is Cinnamon:

Renee: “She’s a full-blood Brahman. Cinnamon
was actually scheduled to be slaughtered because

she couldn’t have babies. She, too, was
raised 4H and normally they don’t slaughter

these animals. They just show them and breed
them. And that’s what they do. But when

they are not productive, like Cinnamon wasn’t
– Cinnamon had some sort of issues with

her ovaries. Five years, eating their food,
and not productive. So, she was worthless

to them.”

Every one of these animals has a story. A
history. From the survivors of our food industry

we’ve met, to pets who outgrew their family’s
circumstances, like ducks Quackers, Remmy

and Berry and potbellied pig Lilly, to these
hens who were used as bait in the brutal blood

sport of cockfighting. Each individual is
a miracle, and a living reminder of the trillions

of others who were not so fortunate.

And who would ever suspect that the place
they’d ultimately find safety would be a

cattle ranch in Texas? Certainly not Tommy.

Tommy: “You know, I’ve still got a lot
of friends that are ranchers and hunters and

they don’t understand what I’m doing.
In fact, I’ve lost a lot of friends.”

Renee and Tommy have big plans for the Sanctuary
and are working on a number of improvements.

Renee: “We’re not done, we’re going
to paint flowers, we’re going to paint their

names on here. It’s going to be a dome-like
structure that we’re going to be putting

over here so they can actually come out here
and have access to the ground.”

Maintaining a sanctuary is no easy task. Unlike
a cattle ranch, where profit is the king and

animals are inventory, a farm sanctuary means
putting the animals first and hoping the finances

will follow.

Which is what brought me here in the first
place for their 2nd Annual Vegan Awareness

Festival & Fundraiser, complete with vegan
cupcakes, gumbo, booths, and speakers. Renee

is going to be traveling and speaking about
the Rowdy Girl story, and you can find places

and dates in the description, as well as how
to donate to their cause. Farm sanctuaries

are one of the most direct ways to help animals
with financial donations. When animals are

treated as individuals and not inventory,
money is always an issue. But the rewards

are unbelievable.

Tommy: “The big thing for me is, okay, I’m
real big into environmental side. Real big

into the health side. The ethics side is the
part that I wasn’t born and bred with, but

I always hated dropping my calves off at the
sale barn. And I don’t have to do that anymore.”

So that’s the story of the cow who changed
Texas forever. And I have a feeling that she’s

just getting started.

To learn more about Rowdy Girl and her fellow
residents, connect with the Sanctuary, keep

up with Renee’s speaking events, and to
help support their mission, please see the

links in the video description.

Please share this remarkable story and give
the video a like if it inspired you. Be sure

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content every Monday, Wednesday and some Fridays.

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Now go live vegan, celebrate the survivors,
and I’ll see you soon.

Emily: Can I get a wha wha?

Cooper: [turkey call]