Animal Sanctuaries
Farm animal sanctuaries provide lifelong care for rescued farmed animals, such as cows, pigs, chickens and sheep, and often serve as centres for education about veganism.
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are cared for for the rest of their lives, rather than being used, sold, bred or killed. In the context of veganism, the term usually refers to farmed animal sanctuaries (or farm sanctuaries), which house animals rescued from or surrendered by the meat, dairy and egg industries. Sanctuaries are distinct from zoos, petting farms and rescue centres that rehome animals, although some overlap exists.
History
Shelters for working and farmed animals have existed in various forms for centuries, but the modern farmed animal sanctuary movement is generally traced to the United States in the 1980s. Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 by Gene Baur and Lorri Houston and became one of the best-known organisations of its kind, operating sanctuaries in New York and California. Since then, hundreds of farmed animal sanctuaries have been established in North America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere, ranging from small volunteer-run properties to large charitable organisations.
Principles
Farmed animal sanctuaries typically follow principles such as:
- Lifelong care – animals are not slaughtered, sold or used for products. Eggs, wool and milk are generally not sold.
- No breeding – sanctuaries usually prevent animals from reproducing, so that resources are directed to animals already in need.
- Individual care – residents are treated as individuals, often named, with veterinary care for age-related conditions that would not occur on commercial farms, where animals are usually slaughtered young.
- Natural behaviours – animals are given space and opportunities to graze, root, dust-bathe and socialise.
Many sanctuaries adopt a vegan ethos in their own operations, for example by serving only vegan food at events and avoiding the use of animal products.
Residents and origins
Animals arrive at sanctuaries through a variety of routes, including:
- Rescues from cases of neglect or cruelty, often in cooperation with authorities.
- Surrender by farmers, including some who leave animal agriculture.
- Animals who escaped from transport or slaughterhouses.
- Hens rehomed from commercial egg farms at the end of their productive period (see egg industry).
- Male calves from dairy farms (see dairy industry).
- Animals displaced by natural disasters.
Caring for farmed animals presents particular challenges. Many breeds have been selected for rapid growth or high production, which can lead to health problems later in life. For example, broiler chickens may develop leg and heart problems, and former dairy cows may suffer from udder conditions. Sanctuaries often need specialist veterinary knowledge for species that are rarely treated beyond a young age.
Accreditation
The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), a non-profit organisation founded in 2007, offers accreditation to sanctuaries that meet standards for animal care, governance, financial stability and ethics. Accreditation is voluntary, and many sanctuaries operate without it. Prospective visitors and donors are often advised to check whether a facility breeds, sells or allows interactions that may stress animals, as some facilities use the word “sanctuary” without following these principles.
Role in advocacy and education
Sanctuaries play a significant part in vegan outreach. Many offer tours, open days, volunteering and residential programmes, giving visitors the opportunity to meet farmed animals as individuals. Supporters argue that this helps people connect with animals they might otherwise only encounter as food, which is linked to arguments about speciesism and the selective concern for certain species. Sanctuaries also commonly produce stories, videos and social media content about their residents.
Some sanctuaries also undertake investigations, campaigning and policy work related to factory farming, while others focus purely on care.
Funding and sustainability
Most farmed animal sanctuaries are run as charities or non-profit organisations and depend on donations, sponsorship schemes in which supporters sponsor individual animals, fundraising events and volunteers. Because farmed animals such as cows and pigs can live for many years and require substantial land and veterinary care, long-term financial planning is a recurring challenge, and many sanctuaries have waiting lists or limited intake capacity.