Joaquin Phoenix Urges Us to Adopt a Mother Cow for Mother's Day

This Mother's Day animal rights advocate and outspoken vegan Joaquin Phoenix suggests we all adopt a mama cow and her calf, in honor of Mom.

When the Oscar-winning actor used his acceptance speech for Best Actor at the 2020 Academy Awards to advocate for ditching the meat and dairy, he celebrated the next day by visiting a California slaughterhouse with his fiance Rooney Mara in a mission to rescue animals. The actor released a video of himself talking to the proprietor of Manning Beef to convince the owner that what he called "harvest" was in fact "murder." Phoenix, pictured above with his mother Arlyn, then rescued a mother cow and her new-born calf.

Now he is not only urging people to give up dairy and help end all animal cruelty, but also consider 'adopting" the rescued duo by donating to a fund to keep them happily in the hay.

Liberty and Indigo are reminders, says Phoenix

Phoenix and fiance Rooney Mara, also an activist vegan, adopted the mother cow and her calf and named them Liberty and Indigo, as symbols of how we need to change the way we think of our food system, end animal cruelty and drink plant-based milk and dairy.

Nothing was more award-worthy a scene than Phoenix carrying the not-so-small calf in his arms out of the slaughterhouse and to a waiting trailer to send the duo off to the rescue farm.

Said Phoenix: "It’s impossible not to smile at the love that radiates from Liberty for her calf, Indigo, or the marvelous curiosity they share for their new life roaming spacious land in the permanent sanctuary. Thanks to generous supporters like you, Liberty is able to nurse Indigo, bond with her, protect her, and watch her grow up—just as nature intended,” Phoenix said. “Although we cannot rescue our way out of animal agriculture, I hope you will always know Liberty and Indigo as living embodiments of liberation and as ambassadors for a compassionate vegan lifestyle.”

Phoenix negotiated the release of the animals from the slaughterhouse with a group of activists that included Mara, both of their mothers, alongside Earthlings director Shaun Monson, Los Angeles Animal Save Founder Amy Jean Davis, and Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur.

Liberty and Indigo now happily live at the Acton, CA location of Farm Sanctuary. If you would like to make a donation this Mother's Day in honor of your Mom, send $35 of any amount you'd like to this farm.

Liberty and Indigo

Earlier this year Phoenix and Mara shared their views in an op-ed published in The Washington Post.

“China is hardly the only country where live animal markets and other squalid operations are common,” the duo wrote. “Some 80 of them operate within the five boroughs of New York City alone… They are near residences, schools, and public parks.”

In March, Phoenix worked with two animal rights organizations, LA Animal Save and Animal Alliance Network to post anti-meat billboards and ads in Los Angeles to raise awareness.

“With help from actor and activist Joaquin Phoenix, we welcomed the pair to our Southern California shelter,” a statement released by Farm Sanctuary said. “This is Liberty’s first Mother’s Day, and we look forward to many more to come!”