Most FFA and 4-H students never question what happens after auction day. In traditional agriculture programs like FFA and 4-H, kids spend months raising an animal, feeding them, grooming them, often naming them, before selling them at a livestock auction, where the highest bidder typically sends them to slaughter. Here at Animal Place, we’ve welcomed residents like Wilma and Maggie, two pigs rescued from the FFA program by a student and a family who, like Harper, couldn’t go through with auction day.
When Harper realized she couldn’t send her sheep, Onion, to slaughter, she launched a rescue effort that connected her with LEAP (Leaders for Ethics, Animals, and the Planet), a first-of-its-kind humane education program offering high school students a compassionate alternative to traditional agriculture programs like FFA and 4-H.Â
Today, Onion is safe at Austin Farm Sanctuary, and Harper is part of a growing community of young advocates. We asked her to share her story, in her own words.
Tell us about the first time you met Onion. What drew you to her?
My school’s FFA barn was full of lambs waiting to be chosen by students. I reached out to pet each of them, but one lamb flinched away from every attempt. That lamb, of course, was Onion. I knew she would require far more patience than the other sheep. Rather than discouraging me, her timid nature made me want to earn her trust.
When did you start to feel conflicted about the auction?
The night before I paid for Onion, I cried and pleaded with my parents to let me back out. I wanted to believe my teachers when they said renting a sheep was ethical, but I couldn’t. For months, I ignored my hesitations. Then one night, I sat outside alone with Onion. She wandered over to me, curious about the snack I was eating, and in that quiet moment, I realized I needed to save her.
How did LEAP make Onion’s rescue possible?
As I tried to save Onion, Austin Farm Sanctuary connected me with the founder of LEAP, Danielle Hanosh. Danielle immediately publicized the GoFundMe I had created and welcomed me with genuine empathy. I credit much of Onion’s rescue to the support I received through LEAP. After Onion was saved, I joined LEAP at Austin Farm Sanctuary. Not only was I able to visit her every month, but I also participated in lessons about animal ethics and met like-minded students who wanted the best for all animals. LEAP became the community I had hoped to find in FFA, but never did.
What was the moment like when you knew Onion was safe?
When I finally visited her again, the sanctuary’s owner held out a hand, and Onion walked right over. The skittish sheep who once trusted only me had learned to trust someone else. For the first time, I knew she no longer needed me to be okay. You can see that trust for yourself – watch Onion’s story here.
What does Onion’s life look like today?
Onion now lives at Austin Farm Sanctuary, where she shares a pasture with another sheep, Olivia, and many friendly goats. Her pastures are larger than anywhere she explored during FFA. She spends her time grazing, resting with her flock, and lying in the shade. Onion has relaxed into the life she was always meant to have.
What would you say to another 4-H or FFA kid who’s bonded with their animal and is dreading auction day?
Be audacious. I never thought I would be able to save Onion, but I dared to try anyway. People are far more willing to help than you might expect; all you have to do is ask. I was no different from any other FFA or 4-H student who feared auction day. The only difference is that I relentlessly tried when others said I could not. If my story proves anything, it’s that one person is capable of tremendous change. Trust yourself.
Stories Like Harper’s Live Here, Too
Harper’s courage echoes through Animal Place every day. Wilma was raised by an FFA student who planned to sell her at auction for slaughter. Wilma’s student made a braver choice: releasing her to sanctuary and leaving FFA behind. Today, Wilma naps and roots around our South Pig Barn with her friends Rock, Bert, and Aly.
Maggie’s family had a similar change of heart. Raised for FFA under the name “Piggy,” Maggie so thoroughly charmed her family that when fair season arrived, they couldn’t imagine sending her to be sold for slaughter. Instead, they found her a forever home at Animal Place and began rethinking what compassion looks like at their own table.
Want to meet Wilma and Maggie for yourself? Book a guided tour of our Grass Valley sanctuary and hear their stories in person, right where their new lives began.
