The Suffolk lamb was bred at the request of a Future Farmers of America (FFA) program: a student would raise the purebred lamb for show, and then sell him at auction for meat production. Those plans fell apart within three days of Squid’s birth, though, when his mom accidentally trampled his leg.

Under normal circumstances, FFA would likely reject Squid from their programming; the break was too severe to fix, and a “damaged” lamb wouldn’t win a blue ribbon. Around this time, FFA also had to suspend programs due to COVID-19. Since Squid’s breeders couldn’t sell him to FFA—or anyone, for that matter—they would have to reconsider their options.

Typically, farmers equate an animal’s value with their ability to make profit—and those who don’t make the cut get culled and replaced by healthier animals. In this case, Squid’s breeders sympathized with the fragile lamb and did their best to take care of him.

First, they brought Squid to their veterinarian to see what could be done. His doctors believed they could fix his leg through splinting. Unfortunately, this regimen brought on other problems: the splints abraded Squid’s legs, causing sores and wounds that wouldn’t heal.

To prevent further infection, Squid’s farmers removed his splints. His leg still healed, though incorrectly, and his hind left leg is now shorter than his right. To compensate for this imbalance, Squid puts extra weight on his rear right leg—causing it to bow out.

Since Squid needed more than what they could provide, the farmers reached out to Barn Sanctuary for help. The Michigan-based team referred his case to us, as our Acton location is much closer to the farm. We agreed to help Squid get the extensive care he needs.

When our staff arrived at his former home, we found Squid hobbling alongside his mom—doing his best to keep up with her lead. Sheep are flock animals and form deep bonds with their families; mothers are especially protective of their lambs, and even use special bleats to communicate just with them. The thought of separating them—even to save his life—broke our hearts. So, we asked if the farmers might let us rescue his mom, dad, and sister as well.

The farmers declined, preferring to keep the rest of his family to continue breeding purebred lambs. These offspring would face a fate Squid narrowly escaped: show, auction, and eventually slaughter.

These painful separations happen all too often in the food animal industry. Farm animals, like any of us, want (and deserve) to have their loved ones by their side. Injuries aside, Squid is no different from the rest of his family: each sheep has a unique personality and a strong will to live. The only thing that sets them apart is their owners’ perspective: in connecting with Squid, they saw an individual rather than a commodity. They didn’t want him to die because of his injuries—even though, ironically, he would have eventually been killed had he remained able-bodied.

Choosing to help Squid was a great first step towards seeing farm animals as sentient beings—but until farmers understand that each individual is worthy, this disconnect will continue. It is not enough to value some and not others; everyone deserves the same chance at life as Squid.

Though it took a few days for Squid to adjust to life at Sanctuary, he is gradually feeling more at home. He has healed well from his infection, and is very sweet with our caregiving team. Squid currently lives in a private pen with new friend Otto—another lamb with special needs. In time, they’ll move in with the rest of our flock.

Squid will be in good company, joining sheep like Regina: a three-legged dynamo thriving in our care. Time will tell if he will need a brace like her, or special shoes to keep his body more aligned. He currently spends several hours each day in a customized cart, which takes some pressure off of his legs and helps him navigate his new home.

It’s possible that Squid’s condition will continue to deteriorate as time goes by, but right now, we’re intent on helping him make every day count. At Farm Sanctuary, Squid’s life matters—and he’s inspiring better treatment for farm animals like him.