Every year, farm animal rescue takes place all across the United States. In this article, we’ll take a look at some incredible farm rescue sites across the country.
In the United States alone, there are over 50 American Sanctuary Association (ASA)- accredited animal sanctuaries. Some of these include farm animal rescue sanctuaries, alongside organizations that deal with wildlife and domestic animals. The ASA ensures that these facilities meet higher standards of animal care than required by the law in the US.
Why Are Farm Animal Sanctuaries Necessary?
All across the United States, you’ll find swathes of farm animal sanctuaries. Farm animal rescue sites help to provide a safe sanctuary for abused and neglected farm animals. Often these animals are saved from horrible conditions, such as abusive owners or factory farms.
However, these sites are also important for a variety of other reasons, including:
- Developing compassion: When an individual is exposed to farm animals from rescue sites, it may help them to form the connection between the meat on their plate and where it comes from. This may also help with the cognitive dissociation that some individuals possess regarding the origins of meat.
- Support: These sites provide much-needed support for animals so they can receive the care and attention that they need.
- Stabilizing populations: Rescue sites help nurse their animals back to full health.
- Changing perspectives: Showing individuals that there is an alternative to factory farming may help change their feelings towards the way animals are treated.
Now you’re aware of the advantages of these rescue sanctuaries, we’ll take a look at some of the coolest farm animal rescue sites in the US.
1. Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary
Happy Trails Farm is an ASA approved farm animal sanctuary based in Ohio. Their mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home the farm animals that they rescue. Some of these animals include:
- Horses
- Goats
- Pigs
- Chickens
- Hens
The sanctuary offers weekend tours and events to the public, where you can interact with some of the animals. Looking for more ways to help out? Volunteer, or sponsor one of their animals.
2. Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is based in both New York and California and is home to more than 900 rescued farm animals combined. Their New York sanctuary is the biggest of the two, sporting a large 275-acre pasture where the rescued animals, including sheep, pigs, cows, and ducks reside.
The sanctuary puts a large emphasis on helping animals to be free from harm and suffering in an ‘unjust food system’. Their vision is ‘a world where sanctuary replaces exploitation’. Their five values include freedom, understanding, compassion, integrity, and transformation.
Both New York and California sites are available to visit. You can book guided tours and private tours, or even stay onsite overnight. The guided tours run through May till October, and typically last around an hour – there’s also the opportunity to interactive with some of the farm animal rescues.
3. Catskill Farm Animal Sanctuary
Catskill Animal Sanctuary is based in New York and aims to be a safe haven for a variety of different farm animal rescues that have been abused or fallen into other unfortunate circumstances. This sanctuary in particular actively encourages veganism and reports that many of its visitors walk away with the intention to reduce or eliminate animal products from their diet — proof they are doing a good job!
Their aim is ‘to help each and every rescued animal understand what love feels like’. They put a strong emphasis on the fact that animals feel emotions – just like we do. This farm animal sanctuary rescues a variety of animals including goats, horses, cows, pigs, and hens, among other feathered friends.
You can make donations to the sanctuary or pay a visit to the rescued farm animals. They host digital events as well as weekend public tours, which must be booked in advance.
4. Pigs Peace Sanctuary
Pigs Peace Sanctuary rescues a variety of different pigs from farms, which you may have already guessed from the name alone. However, they also rescue other types of farm animals where possible, including llamas, dogs, cats, chickens, sheep, and turkeys.
Founded in 1994, the organization aims to provide a safe home for unwanted, abused, or neglected animals and wants to help spread a message of compassion and respect for animals to the wider public. They also aim to educate the public on the characteristics and needs of pigs.
They are located one hour north of Seattle, Washington. If you’d like to visit this farm animal sanctuary, you will need to schedule an appointment in advance.
5. Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge
Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge is located in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Their mission is to provide lifelong care to rescued farm animals, educate people about the realities of animal agriculture and promote veganism through education and support. The farm encourages ‘cruelty-free living’ by offering vegan cooking classes as a way to educate people about veganism.
This 20-acre animal rescue farm takes in a wide variety of animals, including:
- Sheep
- Goats
- Ducks
- Geese
- Chickens
- Turkeys
They are ASA-accredited and rescue many of their animals from neglect, abuse, and abandonment and are planning to expand to rescue pigs, geese, and cattle in the future. The farm is open to visitors for tours and other events. In addition, you can even meet, feed, and interact with the farm animals, as long as they are relaxed and at ease.
6. Animal Place
If you live in California, then the farm animal sanctuary Animal Place may be the perfect spot to visit. Located in Grass Valley, this sanctuary rescues a wide variety of animals both large and small. It was founded in 1989 and is one of the oldest and largest animal sanctuaries in the nation.
Animal Place rescues the following animals:
- Rabbits
- Cows
- Pigs
- Turkeys
- Goats
- Chickens
- Sheep
- Donkeys
Like many of the other sanctuaries, Animal Place rescues abused and neglected farm animals from slaughterhouses, research facilities, as well as small and large farms. They believe that all animals should have their individual quirks respected, and their main focus is rescuing farm animals.
They also seek the appropriate placement and adoption for many of their ‘needy’ animals, alongside providing permanent sanctuary. Actively encouraging adoption means that Animal Place can ensure that the animals are going to the correct homes where they will be looked after. You can book a visit or even volunteer if you desire and much like the other sanctuaries, tours are available.
7. Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary
After adopting a pig named Petunia off Craigslist, Aimee began to research pigs. The more she learned, the more it inspired her to eventually launch Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary.
The mission for her small but growing sanctuary is ‘to stand up for animals without a voice’. Aimee also wants to rescue, rehabilitate, re-home and spread awareness of farm animals in need while creating a healing environment for differently-abled humans, as stated on her website.
In fact, Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary is home to a very special goat named Scooter, a paralyzed goat that she took in when no other sanctuary would. She has also provided sanctuary for 67 other livestock animals, including:
- Alpacas
- Donkeys
- Pigs
- Cats and dogs
- Ducks
- Goats and sheep
- Horses and ‘mini-horses’
- Rabbits
- Turkeys
- Sheep
Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary is located in Queen Creek, Arizona, and is open to visitors, offering a variety of fun activities. Tours include fun and interactive activities including ‘cow hugging’ and ‘piggy belly rubs’.
8. The Gentle Barn
Since 1999, The Gentle Barn has been home to farm animal rescues of all shapes and sizes. Their mission is to create a kinder world through rescuing animals. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and house twelve different types of animals including:
- Emus
- Dogs
- Llama
- Goats
- Horses
- Cows
- Donkey
- Pigs
- Sheep
- Turkeys and chickens
- Other birds
The Gentle Barn is passionate about opening people’s hearts to the connections with nature and reconnecting with our natural surroundings, and part of this is changing the way we treat and interact with the animals around us. The farm animal sanctuary aims to end the suffering of animals and fight back against earth-destructive food production methods. The Gentle Barn accepts visitors and even offers ‘cow-hugging therapy’. They are open to the public on Sundays.
9. Out To Pasture Sanctuary
The Out To Pasture Sanctuary is a farm animal rescue sanctuary that primarily focuses on providing a permanent and loving home to animals who had been abused, neglected, or abandoned from various backgrounds, including slaughterhouses and scientific laboratories. They have a small team who is responsible for the running of the non-profit organization.
In addition to providing a permanent home to an array of livestock animals, they promote a vegan lifestyle, and work with several animal welfare groups to investigate reports of animal neglect and help any animals where they can.
You can sponsor any of the animals that reside at the sanctuary. Some of the animals that stay there include:
- Donkeys
- Llamas
- Pigs
- Goats
- Chickens
- Rabbits
- Pigeons
Some of their animals even come in pairs. You can visit the Out To Pasture Sanctuary, but only during events. Tours tend to be seasonal, so it is best to check the event calendar to find a suitable visiting time if you wish to make a trip to this Oregon-based sanctuary.
10. Rowdy Girl Sanctuary
The Rowdy Girl Sanctuary is a niche organization, catering only to cows. While they have taken in a few other animals such as chickens, pigs, and goats, cows remain their primary focus point.
Although this sanctuary was only just founded in 2015, it has already had a large impact and seen substantial success. The founder of Rowdy Girl, Reenee King-Sonnen, went vegan in 2014 and went on to raise $36,000, which she used to buy her husband’s herd of cows. She donated the herd to Rowdy Girl, becoming the first beef cattle ranch conversion in Texas.
Her husband, who once used to be a rancher, has now converted to the vegan lifestyle and supports his wife’s sanctuary. The sanctuary is home to a variety of different cows, each with their own individual names who have all been through their own personal journeys.
While the Rowdy Girl Sanctuary doesn’t offer tours, they do sometimes host vegan barbeque picnics. To attend, you must purchase tickets through their website.
Read more:
- Easy Everyday Sustainable Living
- Are French Fries Vegan? McDonald’s Fries Aren’t
- What Is Sustainable Agriculture? 5 Examples and Its Benefits
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