Joaquin Phoenix rescues cow, newborn calf from meat processing facility in Pico Rivera

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Saturday, February 22, 2020
Joaquin Phoenix rescues cow, calf from Pico Rivera meat facility
Just one day after Joaquin Phoenix advocated for animals in his acceptance speech for best actor at the 92nd Academy Awards, the actor took action by rescuing a cow and a newborn calf from a meat processing facility in Pico Rivera.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KABC) -- Just one day after Joaquin Phoenix advocated for animals in his acceptance speech for best actor at the 92nd Academy Awards, the actor took action by rescuing a cow and a newborn calf from a meat processing facility in Pico Rivera.

In partnership with the activist group LA Animal Save, Phoenix visited the Manning Beef Company where the cow, who was named Liberty, had recently given birth to her calf, Indigo. It was the fifth mother-child bovine that the group rescued from that facility.

Both animals will now live their lives at the Farm Sanctuary in Acton.

"My hope is, as we watch baby Indigo grow up with her mom Liberty at Farm Sanctuary, that we'll always remember that friendships can emerge in the most unexpected places; and no matter our differences, kindness and compassion should rule everything around us," Phoenix said in a written statement.

Phoenix touched on the importance combating injustice as he accepted the award at the Oscars for his role in "Joker."

"I think, whether we're talking about gender inequality, or racism, or queer rights, or indigenous rights, or animal rights, we're talking about the fight against injustice. We're talking about the fight against the belief that one nation, one people, one race, one gender, or one species has the right to dominate, control and use and exploit another with impunity," he said during his speech.