Indigo has grown up alongside her mother, Liberty, in the freedom of our Los Angeles sanctuary. She came into this world surrounded by fear and pain, but now lovingly known by her caregivers as “the darling of our herd,” she is happy and playful as she runs zoomies around her pastures. Today, she is cared for and carefree.

To Liberty, Indigo is someone. She is a friend and a daughter. As Mother’s Day approaches, give a gift that gives back all year.  You can help rewrite Indigo’s story from slaughterhouse to sanctuary with a special monthly gift to support her lifelong care. As Indigo’s adopter, you’ll receive a beautiful certificate perfect for sharing. 

Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt a Farm Animal (AAFA) monthly giving program is a legacy initiative introduced shortly after our founding in 1986. AAFA sponsors can symbolically adopt one or more animals, like Indigo, residing at our Watkins Glen, NY, or Acton, CA sanctuaries. As a recurring giving program, ongoing AAFA sponsorships automatically renew, however, you may cancel or make changes to your account at any time.

The monthly or annual commitment of our compassionate community of AAFA supporters provides the necessary support to care for an individual rescued farm animal and continue Farm Sanctuary’s lifesaving rescue, education, and advocacy work.

Thankfully, the slaughterhouse owner, who did not believe in killing new mothers or calves, chose to surrender both Indigo and Liberty to Farm Sanctuary. When we arrived to bring them home, actor-activist Joaquin Phoenix was right there with us, just one day after winning an Academy Award.

Joaquin gently carried the small calf to our trailer and came with us to the sanctuary. Soon after, Joaquin chose to call them “Liberty” in honor of his sister and “Indigo” in memory of her son, who had sadly passed away. For the first time in their lives, the two cows had names. 

These moments not only transformed the lives of one calf and her mother but reached millions of people with a message of compassion, raising awareness for all cows.

Joaquin returned to Farm Sanctuary with his family (including Liberty!) the following year and witnessed how care and compassion had already transformed the cows’ lives. Trusting and affectionate, Indigo even walked over to greet her rescuer.

“I wanted to see them completely liberated. I wanted to see them as free as possible and with other cows,” said Joaquin Phoenix. “I was so surprised at how at ease [Liberty and Indigo] were with us and how welcoming. It was almost like being with someone’s dog or horse…I imagined they would be skittish and scarred by the experiences they had and resentful toward humans, but there was a warmth…in their eyes.”

In fact, our playful, sweet, and silly Indigo reminds us of the dogs so many people see as beloved companions. Indigo adores her mom and stays close by her side—and Liberty is always there to keep an eye on her daughter.

Together, they started a new life of family and freedom—and five years later, they’ve never had to look back.