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Girlie the Duck
elder caregeriatric caresenior care

The Golden Years: How An Aging Resident Population Can Impact Your Sanctuary’s Capacity And Create Opportunities To Expand Your Narrative

An overview of the needs and opportunities of resident senior care.
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Join Friends Of Open Sanctuary Today!

Will you help sustain our mission?
Safe duck handling is a crucial element of compassionate duck care!
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Gentle Handling And Restraint For Ducks

A short guide to safely picking up and handling ducks!
Farm Sanctuary was co-founded by Gene Baur and Lorri Houston in 1986 when they rescued Hilda, their first sheep. It was the first sanctuary of its kind, focusing wholly on rescuing and advocating for animals farmed for food. Farm Sanctuary’s website states its mission is to “fight the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on animals, the environment, social justice, and public health through rescue, education, and advocacy.” Today, they have sanctuaries in New York and California and at any given time are caring for almost 1,000 animals. The sanctuaries attract thousands of visitors, interns, and volunteers each year. The New York shelter boasts over 275 acres of rolling pastures, forests, an education centre, and accommodation for guests, and the Southern California shelter has 26 acres. Educational events about animals are held at each sanctuary throughout the year.
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Spot The Difference: Distinguishing Between Sheep And Goats

A quick guide to some of the most obvious physical differences between sheep and goats.
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The Open Sanctuary Podcast: Helping Downed Cows At Your Sanctuary

We discuss how to address cows who cannot stand
Founded in 2005 by a veterinarian and pig enthusiast, GroinGroin & Co. Refuge is a picturesque 12-hectare farm animal sanctuary located in Neuvillette-en-Charnie, France. Though GroinGroin's focus is on giving refuge to pigs and raising awareness about these sensitive animals, other species such as turkeys, chickens, goats, cows, horses, donkeys, dogs, and cats also call GroinGroin their home. Almost 100 animals currently live at GroinGroin. Some were abandoned. Others came from abusive or neglectful situations on farms or were rescued from slaughterhouses. Starting with a single farmhouse and a small property, the sanctuary now consists of three farmhouses, six meadows, and specialty housing for each species of animal. GroinGroin will be adding another five hectares of meadowland for the animals in 2023. Through their education center, special events, and school tour programs, GroinGroin engages in teaching the public about animal exploitation, helps them develop empathy and respect for animals, and encourages the public to live an animal-friendly life. GroinGroin also acts as a pig-information center and runs a relocation program for abandoned and unwanted pigs, a situation to which "miniature pigs" are particularly susceptible. Since its inception, GroinGroin has found homes for over 2,000 animals and has published a freely available online guide to the care of "miniature" pigs.
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An Introduction To Turkey Care

An overview of important aspects of turkey care
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Aboutinternal policy

The Open Sanctuary Project’s Nondiscrimination Policy

Read OSP's nondiscrimination policy here!
Close up of a rescued sheep resident at Farm Sanctuary Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals
Sheep Experiencesheep sensesSheep vision

The Ewe-nique World of Sheep Sight

In this resource, we explore how sheep see the world around them, how that may differ from our own experience, and how this can inform care practices.
Farm Sanctuary was co-founded by Gene Baur and Lorri Houston in 1986 when they rescued Hilda, their first sheep. It was the first sanctuary of its kind, focusing wholly on rescuing and advocating for animals farmed for food. Farm Sanctuary’s website states its mission is to “fight the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on animals, the environment, social justice, and public health through rescue, education, and advocacy.” Today, they have sanctuaries in New York and California and at any given time are caring for almost 1,000 animals. The sanctuaries attract thousands of visitors, interns, and volunteers each year. The New York shelter boasts over 275 acres of rolling pastures, forests, an education centre, and accommodation for guests, and the Southern California shelter has 26 acres. Educational events about animals are held at each sanctuary throughout the year.
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Caring For Hens Rescued From Large-Scale Egg-Laying Facilities

A guide to caring for hens rescued from large-scale egg-laying operations.
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Preventing Disease With Vaccination: An Overview For Animal Sanctuaries

An overview of how vaccines work, the types used, and how to create a vaccination program for your residents.
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Take A Gander! The New Goose Arrival Guide

Everything you need to consider when taking in a new goose!
Since it was established in 2004 by Jenny Brown and Doug Abe, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary in upstate New York has welcomed over 3,000 animals and helped save thousands of others. As of 2024, the sanctuary is home to nearly 400 rescued animals, including cows, pigs, goats, rabbits, chickens, sheep, turkeys, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl. Woodstock’s mission is to end animal use in agriculture, provide sanctuary and lifelong care to rescued farm animals, and educate the public about the harms of animal farming. Rescued animals at Woodstock are respected as individuals and live dignified lives in peace, freedom, and joy. The sanctuary advocates for animal rights in unison with other social justice movements, collaborating with dozens of local and international organizations, and travelling throughout the USA to rescue farmed animals from neglect, abuse, and death. It has educated thousands of people about the realities of modern animal agriculture through public tours, educational programs, and online content. During tours, visitors are encouraged to meet the kinds of animals commonly exploited in animal agriculture, learn the rescued residents’ origin and rescue stories, and see how they have thrived at the sanctuary. Woodstock advocates for veganism and the reduction of suffering for all.
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Creating A Vaccination Program For Rabbits At Your Animal Sanctuary

A brief look at rabbit vaccination recommendations.
The Igualdad Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Santiago de Chile, in a commune called El Monte. This non-profit foundation provides shelter for farm animals who have escaped from the meat, dairy, or egg industry. As of 2022, more than 80 chickens, cows, goats, sheep, and pigs live in harmony at the sanctuary. For more than ten years the sanctuary has rescued, cared for, and protected farm animals who are victims of abuse, cruelty, and abandonment. At the same time, they raise awareness about the complex emotional lives of these animals through storytelling, inspiring people to be more compassionate and kind to animals. While rescue and awareness work is an important part of their mission, Igualdad Sanctuary focuses its efforts on providing a safe space where each of the animals who arrive is protected for life.
duck intakeduck quarantineduck rescue

A Welcome To Waterfowl: The New Duck Arrival Guide

Everything you need to consider when taking in a new duck!
Kylo nursing from Blossom at Tiny Hooves Sanctuary
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A Goat’s-Eye View: How Goats See the World

In this resource we focus on vision—what goats can see, how their vision differs from ours, and what this means for the care we provide
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