Goodbye, Moses: A Sudden Farewell After a Lifetime of Joy
Our precious Moses, our beautiful spotted boy with giant floppy ears that masked huge golden eyes, is gone. He was 7 ½ years old.
Moses arrived in 2013 from a hoarding case, along with Miriam and Ginger, his presumed sisters, and nine goats. The piglets, just a few months old, reveled in their spacious pasture, where we joked that surely they were digging to China as we watched them root—hour after hour, day after day, intensely, fiercely. They’d stop for a visit, racing to us when we called their names and flopping over, often in our laps, for belly rubs, and then return to rooting. China was a long, long way away, after all! How we loved them.
For years, Moses was our “spa pig” during Camp Kindness, chosen for his gentle and relaxed nature. And Pig Day was often cited as the “best day ever” by children attending camp—no surprise given that part of the day was spent bathing and grooming Moses, who outweighed each child by 700 or so pounds, but who grunted his appreciation throughout the process.
“We love you, Moses,” the kids whispered.
“Mmmmph,” Moses responded.
Several months ago, caregivers found Moses lethargic, constipated, and vomiting. We rushed him to Cornell, where bloodwork and a battery of tests, including an ultrasound, proved inconclusive, though the possibility of cancer was raised. The team brought him home, showered him with love, and ensured his diet contained extra fruits and vegetables, Metamucil, and canned pumpkin—everything he needed to keep his system moving!
Until last Thursday, Moses seemed well: his weight, his appetite, his energy, and his attitude were all, well, normal. He ran to us when we called his name, he ate with gusto, he snuggled in the straw with his sister.
That is, until Thursday morning. On Wednesday night, our most experienced caregiver, Crystal Green, put Moses to bed: his appetite and his affect were “perfectly Moses.” On Thursday morning, however, Crystal found him with the same symptoms we’d seen months ago: he was lethargic, he wouldn’t eat, and Crystal smelled vomit. Once again, Moses climbed the ramp of the trailer, settled down into a deep bed of straw, and made his second trip to Cornell.
This time, the findings were grave: the vet discovered a large free-floating mass in Moses’ abdomen, and his white blood cell count was ominously low. She strongly suspected lymphoma, and did not feel that Moses would survive exploratory surgery. Even if he did, treatment options were extremely limited. None of this was what we wanted to hear, of course, but when caregivers gathered to discuss options, there was only one choice: letting him go would be our final act of love.
And so, we did.
Moses’ ashes will be spread in his pasture. His spirit will live in every blade of fresh spring grass, and when we welcome our next batch of rescue piglets and watch as they, too, dig to China, we will smile, remembering….
To care for an animal for his entire life is a profound privilege. We’re grateful to all of you who believe, as we do, that their lives are important, and whose generosity enables hundreds just like Moses to experience comfort, love, and the touch of kind hands.
Onward.
animal, animal rescue, animal sanctuary, Catskill Animal Sanctuary, farm animal rescue, kathy stevens, Love Spoken Here, pig, pig rescue, pigs, vegan
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Thank you for giving him a life filled with love and respect, soft green fields and juicy watermelons. I’m sure he’s romping around with all the CAS stars who light up the night sky now.
What a beautiful story of Moses. The sentence, “to care for an animal for his entire life, is a profound privilege” really affected me. I have had that privilege too. Thank you,
So sorry to hear of his passing. Loved seeing him every time we visited – out in the pasture with Ginger or nuzzled under a mound of hay. Sending love.
Thank you for the wonderful story of Moses and for giving him a wonderful life. I lost my golden retriever, Buddy, on Friday night, very suddenly and probably to a similar, undetected tumor. The shock and loss are devastating and I send you my sincerely sympathy.
Beautiful Moses … thank you everyone for loving & caring for him – your sanctuary is on my bucket list to visit once this pandemic is over & us, from Canada can cross the border ❤️🐖
Thank you too for including the tender video of them as kids. You delight in their sweet happiness rooting away is so deeply felt. Thank you for loving him and honoring him.
Thank you ALL for the amazing care and love you bestow upon the better version of us flawed humans.
Your work is truly a vocation vs. a “job”.
Moses was blessed to find a forever home and my heart tells me he’s happy and healthy in his new incarnation. We are all the better for these beautiful souls having entered our lives.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve stopped and smelled the roses of these beautiful stories of all the rescues and their love given to us; so today, I open my eyes to once again try and feel whole again as these past years of stress, sadness and struggling to get thru the next day; I set aside that part of life, even if it is temporary to read the stories of what lifts my heart, brings Peace to my Mind and Soul and its where I can dream of what I’ve wished my entire life, to be around all these animals, me loving them and them accepting me; and I read about “MOSES”; I cry because I missed a part of his life and I say “how lucky I am to have been with such a deep love and devotion inside me for those who give us so so much, without words, but with grunts, moo’s, licks, nose butts, rubs and a few hairs left behind on our clothes.” How fortunate we are to be able to mingle with the innocence of animals. CAS is a place where all fear they have once known is gone; legs no longer quiver, hearts beat at a normal beat except for the excitement of them seeing who they love. Good Bye for now Moses; one day I hope I meet all the animals at the gate; what a glory day that will be.
On behalf of all of us here at Catskill Animal Sanctuary, thank you for your beautiful words. Our hearts are with you—this has been a trying and most difficult time. The animals are a balm for the weary mind. This Sanctuary is not just a refuge for animals, but also for humans. We miss Moses with all our hearts, but we’re comforted knowing how many folks loved him. Love Spoken Here.