When you think of the term “Animal Sanctuary”, many images or fond memories of past visits may come to mind. You might have an idea of what a sanctuary does and does not advocate for, how they treat visitors, or the level of care provided for their residents. However, reality does not always align with our expectations!
As a term, “animal sanctuary” does not carry a strict legal or regulatory definition. This is especially true for farmed animal sanctuaries. The United States federal Animal Welfare Act doesn’t recognize or suggest unique “farm sanctuary” standards. Thus, farmed animal sanctuaries fall under basic USDA agricultural guidelines in the United States.
Perhaps due to this lack of definition, there are a wide variety of organizations across the world that have chosen to use “Animal Sanctuary” as a description for their mission.
Many organizations who may have near-identical missions might use completely different words to describe themselves, and many organizations that have vastly different missions and philosophies might have almost identical names! When looking at an organization that involves animals, it’s important to critically look at their mission and practices, rather than solely the words that they use to label themselves.
So when we at The Open Sanctuary Project talk about sanctuaries, how are we defining an animal sanctuary? And what kinds of organizational decisions may fall short of our criteria? Here are some guiding philosophies to think about:
Animal Sanctuaries Should Be A Place Of Non-Exploitation
The most important thing an animal sanctuary needs is a culture, philosophy, and strict policies in place to ensure that their residents are not subjected to exploitation. By “non-exploitation”, we mean that residents (or other non-resident members of their species), and anything that comes off of or out of them, are never used either to generate profit or to perpetuate a culture of animal exploitation or harm.
Some specific examples of this exploitation may include:
- Selling or giving away a bird’s eggs for human consumption
- Selling or donating the wool of residents bred for their fiber for human use
- Advocating for or allowing humans to ride residents
- Commodifying resident visits or photo opportunities
We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to find public support for animal sanctuaries, and that it may be tempting to generate funding for an animal sanctuary with what may be perceived as “lesser” exploitation. If there’s ever a question of whether an activity is inherently exploitative, a sanctuary should ask themselves, “Who does this action primarily serve?”
If the answer is “humans,” it’s very likely exploitative to a resident. Even if this action generates income that goes directly back to a sanctuary’s residents, does the perpetuation of a species’ commodification ultimately serve that resident’s species outside of sanctuary grounds?
For more information about how an animal sanctuary can avoid harm to animals, check out our resource here.
Animal Sanctuaries Should Not Be Motivated By Profit
Animal sanctuaries, whether legally incorporated or not, should not be profit-driven enterprises. The primary purpose of a sanctuary should always be to provide sanctuary to animals in need. If a sanctuary does sell non-exploitative products, the profits should be used for the benefit of the animals and others like them rather than personal gain.
Animal Sanctuaries Should Put Their Residents’ Needs First
Residents at an animal sanctuary must be prioritized wherever possible and practicable. This philosophy should be one of the guiding principles of how a sanctuary develops, organizes, and operates. Some examples of prioritizing residents at sanctuaries include:
- Committing to lifelong care of each resident (including providing appropriate veterinary care) or crafting a responsible adoption program
- Providing them with homes that will maximize their health and comfort, protecting them from predators
- Ensuring that residents who share space are not bullied or injured
- Providing appropriate nutrition and enrichment for residents
- Not taking residents out of their home or away from their family for non-medical reasons
- Treating residents as individuals with their own personalities and needs
- Not taking in so many residents that it negatively impacts the care of existing residents
Animal Sanctuaries Should Take In Residents Responsibly
Sanctuaries should prioritize taking in animals who are in immediate need of a safe place to live out their lives, with a well-crafted internal rescue policy to help guide the decision-making process.
Sanctuaries Should Not Breed More Animals
There is an overwhelming need for sanctuary across the world. An animal sanctuary should not breed or allow residents to become pregnant on sanctuary grounds. Residents should be spayed or neutered shortly upon arrival to the sanctuary unless it is too risky to perform the procedure, and additional precautions must be implemented so that these unaltered residents do not have babies. The exception would be taking in residents who are already far along in a pregnancy.
For more information on this topic, check out our resource here.
Animal Sanctuaries Should Have Responsible Visitor Policies
Animal sanctuaries are by no means required to allow visitors on their premises, but should they choose to allow for tours or visits, they must be crafted with the residents’ best interests in mind. A sanctuary should be a resident’s home, where they feel safe, not a place where they’re exhibited to the public for entertainment. All residents should be allowed to ignore tours or visitors, should they choose to do so. They should not be coerced into interacting with visitors, as a sanctuary is not and should never be a petting zoo. Resident living spaces should be designed with the residents in mind, rather than a potential visitor’s enrichment (though there are certainly ways to give visitors a good experience while prioritizing residents!).
If providing tours, residents should always have their personal stories shared when appropriate, and be talked about as individuals rather than strictly as an anonymous collective. There should be an educational component to sanctuary tours, so that visitors have a clear idea of what has necessitated the creation of the sanctuary and how they can help be a part of the solution!
SOURCES:
The Truth About Sanctuaries | Global Federation Of Animal Sanctuaries
Why We Need Animal Sanctuaries | Live Science
