Joaquin Phoenixpractices what he preaches.
Just one day after Phoenix, 45, advocated for animal rights during his Oscarsacceptance speechfor best actor on Feb. 9, theJokerstar helped liberate a cow and her newborn calf from a Los Angeles slaughterhouse and brought them to Farm Sanctuary in Acton, California.
The video starts with an explanation that the rescue mission “was not planned” and then shows Phoenix meeting with Anthony Di Maria, the CEO and president of the slaughterhouse.
“I don’t need really any science to see with my owns eyes and hear how an animal responds to pain,” Phoenix says while sitting in Di Maria’s office.
“An animal will perish in less than 60 seconds — it has to. That is the most humane, human harvest process in the country,” Di Maria explains.
“You’re the only one that you know of that has a process that you have, so that means a majority of them don’t have that,” Phoenix says, adding that other slaughterhouses separate mothers from their calves.
While Di Maria assures Phoenix that he tries his best to use the most humane practices, Phoenix interjects, explaining that all the cows on his property will still ultimately be “murdered.”
“You have to understand my side, like I understand yours,” Di Maria asks before giving Phoenix a tour of the property.
As they approach the area where Liberty and Indigo are resting, Phoenix learns that the calf was born just “about a week ago.”
Because of Di Maria’s belief in not killing mothers and babies, Phoenix is allowed to take Liberty and Indigo from the slaughterhouse.
Farmsanctuary/YouTube
The clip shows the truck driving off into the mountains before arriving at Farm Sanctuary — a meadow-like destination where animals, that have previously been in captivity, can roam the miles of fields and pastures uninterrupted.
A Farm Sanctuary staffer explains that animals brought from slaughterhouses are checked for diseases before being integrated with the other animals living at the Sanctuary.
“Oh my love,” Phoenix says as they unload Indigo and Liberty from the truck.
Liberty and Indigo are then let go on to a field.
Little Indigo is seen running wildly as Liberty takes in her new surroundings.
“Although we will continue to fight for the liberation of all animals who suffer in these oppressive systems, we must take pause to acknowledge and celebrate the victories, and the people who helped achieve them,” he continued.
Phoenix has long been an advocate for animal rights.
Joaquin Phoenix.
Back in June, he and his fiancéeRooney Maramarched togetherduring the National Animal Rights Day demonstration in West Hollywood, California.
The actors, who are both vegans, wore black T-shirts and pants as they held dead birds in their gloved hands during the demonstration.
The nonprofit Our Planet. Theirs Too. created the annual day of observance in 2011 in order to give all animals a voice.
source: people.com
