09/21/2026
"I am not a marketing prop." - little Bruce
I would like to provide more information on why we posted about little Bruce and to clear up any misinformation on the fundamental differences between a farm and a sanctuary, and to address the active marketing campaigns across social media to normalize the exploitation of little Bruce.
Little Bruce was born and currently lives at Maple Ridge Bison Farm (the Farm). The Farm breeds bison for the sole purpose of profit. This involves bison being torn from their families, sent to a horrific and violent slaughter, and having their bodies torn apart and sold to area restaurants for unnecessary and mindless consumption. The Farm is NOT a sanctuary-type setting; they actively and violently kill bison for profit.
In addition, little Bruce—an emotional, vulnerable, trusting, and sentient individual—is being exploited by both the Farm and the Buffalo Bills organization as a marketing stunt and prop for the sole purpose of generating profit for both institutions.
Asha’s Farm Sanctuary (the Sanctuary) is a true 501(c)(3) animal sanctuary. We do not exploit, breed, shoot, or send any of our animals to a third-party slaughterhouse. We do not sell anything that comes from the animals, such as wool, eggs, feathers, or manure. We never bring any of our animals to offsite events like mobile petting zoos, parks, festivals, or exhibits (the way Bruce is being forced to do). The animals provided refuge at the Sanctuary live out their entire natural lives here and will never be shot or slaughtered. When we open the Sanctuary to the public, the animals are never confined, haltered, or tethered; they remain in their habitat, free to retreat to the privacy of their barns or the fields they live on.
The Sanctuary only learned about little Bruce when we saw footage of him being forced to experience hours of stressful transport, walk through loud crowds with nowhere to retreat, and sit confined in a promotional enclosure to be treated as a marketing prop.
Witnessing many Bills fans comment across social media that the treatment of little Bruce was wrong, the Sanctuary decided to post about him on our official social media pages. Our goal is to create further awareness of the unethical treatment of little Bruce, provide a safe space for compassionate people to vent and express their concerns, and publicly offer Bruce a forever home at our Sanctuary.
We hope the earlier thread is doing just that, and we will continue to make it a safe place for all those that care about little Bruce.
Tracy Murphy-Cipparone
founder - Asha's Farm Sanctuary
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The Hidden Cost of Entertainment: Why Promotional Events Threaten the Life of Bruce the Bison Calf
Ongoing promotional transport can cause severe, dangerous stress for little Bruce, a 5-month-old bison calf. Born this past April, his body is at high risk of not being able to handle repeated stadium visits. Stacking these high-pressure trips can damage his fragile health.
Why Travel Can Harm Bruce:
Weakens immunity: Long rides spike stress hormones.
Pneumonia risk: Travel triggers fatal lung infections.
Weight loss: Trailer balancing drains fat stores.
Gut damage: Anxiety causes severe, dangerous diarrhea.
The Panic of Stadium Crowds:
Sensory overload: Roaring fans terrify young calves.
Trapped instinct: Wild bison naturally flee danger.
No escape: Crowds trigger continuous mental panic.
Zero recovery: Stadium noise prevents needed rest.
Full Regulatory and Medical Sources:
A Greener World Bison Standards: agreenerworld dot org/certifications/animal-welfare-approved/standards/bison-and-calves-standards/
National Bison Association Low Stress Handling Guide:
nationalbison dot org/low-stress-bison-handling/
RVS Vet Bovine Respiratory Disease / Shipping Fever Guide: rvsvet dot com/understanding-bovine-respiratory-disease-protecting-your-herd-in-clarkston/
