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A Heart At Hells Gate

Writer's picture: Rachel MayfieldRachel Mayfield

Animals express themselves in brave ways. I read an article once about several young cows, a water buffalo and a small flock of sheep, who escaped from an illegal slaughterhouse on Stratford Road in Birmingham. Onlookers were enthralled as they ran out into the busy, chaotic road. Laughing children followed the herd as they trotted fretfully alongside the number six bus. They had dashed for their lives while being injuriously trafficked off hot lorries and forced into a makeshift butcher’s yard behind a care home. Two ten-foot wooden black gates had been unable to contain them during a discussion between the butcher and the care home manager. It wasn’t the bellowing of animals being trodden on, having their throats cut and left to die slowly in front of one another that concerned him. The stench from the unwanted parts and offal had been trashed into a skip and, over time, created a river of blood that flowed onto the pavement. Their residents were being inconvenienced by the smell this created. This episode alerted the Birmingham Animal Action group to create a Facebook event, a call to gather and have the unsanitary space exposed and closed. I decided to attend and it remains one of the saddest days of my life. I expected a crowd of protesters all equally moved and insisting on change to be present, but it didn't work out that way. There was only one person. A petite, attractive woman named Jennifer. She had covered the huge gates with roses, set up a table full of information flyers, and single-handedly dealt with threats from adjacent business owners who wanted her to move away, promising them she would be peaceful in her vigil. There was a letter box-sized gap in the gate. We were able to look inside and see the old tarpaulin, rotting strips of wood, a drain, filth, and darkness. She thanked me for coming and asked if I would read a remembrance speech for the deceased innocents, which I did. Afterwards, I asked Jennifer how she came to terms with knowing so much about how animals suffer. I don’t eat meat, but she is a constant warrior on their behalf. She said she doesn’t dwell on the terror anymore and that she just wants to continue to be a heart at Hell's Gate. I took this as good life advice.



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