At The Open Sanctuary Project, we aim to provide anyone who wishes to provide compassionate care to animals with the information that they need. Many of our resources focus on subjects related to the direct care of animals, but we also offer resources on governance to give the humans of sanctuary access to organizational support! This resource is meant to offer you an index to our governance resources, which will take you from the most basic of questions you should consider when getting started, to some of the more tricky aspects of running an organization! Where relevant, we’ll include subheaders within each category linking you to downloads and media that you may find handy as well!

We Aren’t Your Lawyer Or Accountant!
The Open Sanctuary Project is not a law or accounting firm, and our resources are not substitutes for the services of licensed professionals. You should not construe any of the information in our resources as legal or accounting advice suitable for your particular situation or needs. We strongly recommend that you seek qualified professionals licensed in your jurisdiction when it comes to tackling legal or tax issues. Please review our disclaimer if you haven’t yet. 

Understanding Sanctuary Philosophy

If you’re looking for more information about what providing sanctuary to animal residents entails, we recommend beginning with the following resources. They will introduce you to some of the basic philosophies underlying the idea of sanctuary.

• So, You Want To Start An Animal Sanctuary
• What Defines An Animal Sanctuary
• What Does It Mean For Each Animal Sanctuary Resident To Be An Individual
• Why Residents Shouldn’t Breed At A Farmed Animal SanctuaryAn animal sanctuary that primarily cares for rescued animals that were farmed by humans.
• The Differences Between An Animal Sanctuary And A Petting ZooAn organization where animals, either rescued, bought, borrowed, or bred, are kept, typically for the benefit of human visitor interest.

Downloads And Media

The Open Sanctuary Project’s ‘So You Want To Start A Sanctuary’ Brochure

Developing Organizational Values And Choosing Your Structure

If you have decided that you’d like to start an organization to rescue and provide sanctuary to animals, then you should start by developing missionThe stated goals and activities of an organization. An animal sanctuary’s mission is commonly focused on objectives such as animal rescue and public advocacy. and vision statements to guide your work. You should also decide what form your organization will take! Will you be a grassroots organization, or seek non-profit status? The following two resources can help you with that!

• Understanding Mission And Vision For Your Animal Organization
• Weighing The Costs And Benefits Of Non-Profit Status

Help With Siting Decisions

If your work will involve owning property dedicated to providing animals with a forever sanctuary home, then you will have to choose your site carefully. The following resources can give you guidance on this.

• Choosing The Right Site For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Understanding Your Sanctuary’s Zoning Rights And Restrictions
• What Is A Land Survey And How Can It Help Your Animal Organization

Nonprofit Fundamentals

If you have chosen to structure your organization as a non-profit organization, there are legal and other guidelines that you must follow.  You will have to decide whether you will be a public or private non-profit, create bylaws, organize your board, and more. The following resources can help you with all these things! 

• Starting A Non-Profit Organization For Animal Sanctuaries In the United States
• Should Your Animal Sanctuary Be A Public Or Private Non-Profit?
• How Registered Agents Can Help Your Animal Organization
• NonprofitA non-governmental organization whose primary purpose is something other than selling goods or services. Board Basics For Animal Sanctuaries
• Board Resources For Animal Sanctuaries
• Creating A Strategic Plan For Your Animal Sanctuary

Downloads And Media

• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Sanctuary Board Member Job Description Template
• The Animal Defense Partnership’s Model Bylaws Template
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Conflict Of Interest Policy Template

Organizational Policies

As your organization develops, you will benefit significantly from discussing and developing policies to govern your work. The following resources can help guide your discussions on this kind of policymaking. 

• Determining Your Animal Sanctuary’s Capacity For Responsible Care
• Avoiding HarmThe infliction of mental, emotional, and/or physical pain, suffering, or loss. Harm can occur intentionally or unintentionally and directly or indirectly. Someone can intentionally cause direct harm (e.g., punitively cutting a sheep's skin while shearing them) or unintentionally cause direct harm (e.g., your hand slips while shearing a sheep, causing an accidental wound on their skin). Likewise, someone can intentionally cause indirect harm (e.g., selling socks made from a sanctuary resident's wool and encouraging folks who purchase them to buy more products made from the wool of farmed sheep) or unintentionally cause indirect harm (e.g., selling socks made from a sanctuary resident's wool, which inadvertently perpetuates the idea that it is ok to commodify sheep for their wool). To Animals At Your Animal Sanctuary
• The Importance Of Language Choices At Your Animal Sanctuary
• The Challenges Of Responsible Animal RescueAn organization that helps secure animals from dangerous or unacceptable situations. As organizations, rescues may or may not have dedicated permanent infrastructure for housing animals.
• How To Create An Effective Rescue Policy For Your Animal Sanctuary
• 25 Questions To Help Guide Responsible Intake Decisions At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Establishing A SurrenderThe act of transferring guardianship of an animal to a person or organization, especially via legal contract. Policy For Your Animal Sanctuary
• A Forever Home? Adoption Program Considerations For Animal Sanctuaries
• Managing Requests To Take In And Help An Animal Outside The Scope Of Your Sanctuary’s Mission
• Crafting Compassionate EuthanasiaThe act of ending someone’s life to spare them from suffering or a significantly reduced quality of life that cannot be managed. Policies For Your Animal Sanctuary

Downloads And Media

• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Sanctuary Resident Adoption Contract Template
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Placement Request Form Template
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Euthanasia Model Policy Template

Recordkeeping And Accountability

Keeping good organizational records is not only important for legal compliance but also from a standpoint of transparency and accountability to your supporters! The following resources can offer you guidance on that front!

• Accuracy And Transparency: Two Critical Responsibilities Of Your Farmed AnimalA species or specific breed of animal that is raised by humans for the use of their bodies or what comes from their bodies. Sanctuary
• Animal Sanctuary Organizational Record-Keeping Basics
• How To Create, Maintain, And Organize Permanent Records For Your Residents
• How To Set Up A Free And Secure Record Keeping System For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Animal Sanctuary Visitor Surveys: An Easy Way To Get Started With Data Capture

Downloads And Media

• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Sanctuary Record Retention Policy Template
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Sanctuary Resident Adoption Record
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Transfer Of Guardianship Record
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Controlled Substance Log
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Free Visitor Survey For Animal Sanctuaries

Addressing Potential Liability

Managing your liabilities as an organization is an important concern, and can include everything from creating waivers for visitors to getting appropriate insurance, and crafting your contracts carefully. The below resources can help with some of the liability concerns that your organization may encounter! 

• Getting The Right Insurance Coverage For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Crafting An Accident Waiver For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Breaking Down An Independent Contractor Agreement For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Long Distance Resident Transportation Safety And Legal Considerations
• Understanding Zoonotic DiseaseAny disease or illness that can be spread between nonhuman animals and humans.: An Overview For Animal Sanctuaries
• Understanding Legal Mechanisms For Conflict Resolution For Your Animal Organization

Downloads And Media

• Accident Waiver And Release Of Liability Template For Animal Sanctuaries
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Free Visitor Waiver & Sign-In System
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Comprehensive Independent Contractor Agreement Template
• ZoonosisAny disease or illness that can be spread between nonhuman animals and humans. Flyers For Your Animal Sanctuary

Budgeting And Fundraising

For most organizations, fundraising is critical to keeping operations running smoothly. There are legal considerations associated with that of which you should be aware. Also, budgeting is crucial to making sure that you know where your resources are going, and what you might need ongoing! We have a number of resources available to help you with all these issues!

• State Fundraising Registration Requirements For Nonprofit Animal Organizations In The United States
• How To Develop A Fundraising Plan For Your Animal Sanctuary
• How To Raise Money For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Creative Fundraising For Sanctuaries Infographic
• Year-End Fundraising For Your Animal Organization
• A Complete Guide To Major Donor Fundraising At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Understanding Donee Acknowledgment Letters At Your Animal Organization
• Developing A Grant Program At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Possible Grant Opportunities For Your Animal Organization
• Cultivating Resilience At Your Animal Organization In The Face Of Inflation
• Estimating Species Lifetime Care Costs At Your Animal Sanctuary

Downloads And Media

The Open Sanctuary Project’s Gift Acceptance Policies & Procedures Template

Volunteer And Worker Considerations

Taking care of your team of workers and your volunteers is key to ensuring long-term organizational success. The following resources can help you learn about your legal obligations, how to promote a healthy workplace, and how to help your team thrive!

• Overview Of Animal Sanctuary Staff Positions
• Staff Hiring Tips For Your Animal Sanctuary
• Exempt Vs Non-Exempt Employee Classifications At Your Animal Sanctuary In The United States
• Independent Contractors Vs Employees At Your Animal Sanctuary In The United States
• OSHAThe United States Occupational Safety And Health Administration, a government department that ensures workplace safety, or the Occupational Safety And Health Act, the law that governs workplace safety. Compliance For Animal Sanctuaries In The United States
• Respect In The Workplace At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Care Staff Retention At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Recognizing And Managing Compassion FatigueA form of Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder that can affect anyone serving individuals who have experienced or are currently experiencing trauma. At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Recognizing And Preventing BurnoutA physical and emotion reaction to prolonged, unmanaged workplace stress. At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Guide To Utilizing Shelter Shifts At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Utilizing Whiteboards For Communication At Your Animal Sanctuary
• The Value Of Staff Cross-Training At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Creating A Rewarding Internship Program At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Running A Successful Volunteer Potluck Program

Downloads And Media

• The Open Sanctuary Project’s OSHA Compliance Checklist
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Code Of Ethics Policy Template
• Caring For Sanctuary Care Staff Infographic
• Prevent And Manage Compassion Fatigue Infographic
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Volunteer Interest Form And Application Template
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Volunteer Policy Handbook
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Internship Agreement Template

Sanctuary Growth And Transitions

Your sanctuary’s growth and evolution over time can present unique challenges. The following resources can help support you through these challenges, and also assist you with planning your organization’s future!

• A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries
• Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management

Cooperation And Collaboration

Every organization will need to, at some point or another, collaborate with others. This set of resources is meant to assist you in creating cooperative relationships, whether they be with your vet, another sanctuary, or even between individuals in your own organization. 

• Building And Maintaining A Good Relationship Between Your Animal Sanctuary And Veterinarians
• Fostering Positive Relationships Between Animal Sanctuaries
• Agricultural Cooperative Extension Services: What Can They Do For Animal Sanctuaries?
• A Starter Guide To Understanding And Working With Animal SheltersOrganizations, either government-funded and maintained or not-for-profit and funded by charitable contributions, with a physical infrastructure in which homeless animals are cared for and offered for adoption. For Animal Sanctuaries
• Conflict Support For Your Animal Organization Part 1: Understanding Dominant Culture, How It Shapes Our Behaviors And Envisioning Alternatives
• Conflict Support For Your Animal Organization: Part 2 Building Transformative Relationships: Tools For Challenging Dominant Culture In Everyday Interactions
• An Introduction To Navigating Media Coverage For Your Animal Organization

Downloads And Media

The Open Sanctuary Project’s Press Release Template For Animal Sanctuaries

Contingency Planning

Even the most meticulously organized sanctuaries can encounter unexpected challenges. Our resource on contingency planning, as well as our contingency planning workbook, are there to help you anticipate and plan for the unexpected!

• Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook

Accessibility

Accessibility is not only a legal consideration for sanctuaries, it’s something that should be a valued goal for anyone working towards a more compassionate and inclusive world. The following resources can help you make your sanctuary a more accessible space!

• ADAThe Americans With Disabilities Act, a law that governs accessibility requirements for organizations in the United States. Compliance And Accessibility For Animal Sanctuaries
• Accessibility For Folks With Physical Disabilities At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Accessibility For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Community Members At Your Animal Sanctuary
• Accessibility For Blind And Visually Disabled Community Members At Your Animal Sanctuary

Downloads And Media

• Accessibility For Folks With Physical Disabilities At Your Animal Sanctuary Infographic
• Accessibility For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Community Members At Your Animal Sanctuary Infographic
• Accessibility For Blind And Visually Disabled Community Members At Your Animal Sanctuary Infographic

We hope that you find the above resources helpful! If you have requests for other governance resources, feel free to reach out to us to suggest them!