Looking to share this information in an accessible way with other sanctuaries and supporters? Check out and share our infographic on six specific ways animal sanctuaries can foster empathy towards farmed animalsA species or specific breed of animal that is raised by humans for the use of their bodies or what comes from their bodies.. Want the full resource? Check it out!
Six Ways to Foster Empathy Towards Farmed Animals at Your Animal Sanctuary Infographic by Andie Springirth
Click Here for a Text Description of this Infographic!
Title: Six Ways to Foster Empathy Towards Farmed Animals at Your Animal Sanctuary
Title Background: There is a bright yellow sun shining and smiling in the top right corner of this infographic.
Infographic Background: The background of this infographic is sky blue. The background of each subheader with text is bright yellow.
Subheader 1: Model Empathetic Behavior
Image: Graphic of a human in an orange t-shirt and blue jeans who is kneeling on the ground on one knee while holding a white bucket full of carrots and celery in their right hand and scratching the chin of a white sheep with their left hand. The sheep is standing on tufts of green grass. There are three pink hearts floating above the sheep’s head. The human is smiling. They are both relaxed and happy.
Text Accompanying Image: As a skill, empathy can be built through modeling and dialogue. So, how you interact with your residents and your visitors matters. It’s important to physically model the empathetic behaviors you want your visitors to develop, being mindful of the way you handle, move, and transport your residents. How you talk about those actions also makes a difference.
Subheader 2: Reframe the Narrative
Image: Graphic of a bright yellow light bulb that is overlaying a pink circle
Text Accompanying Image: You can reframe harmful narratives about farmed animals by: replacing the pronoun “it” when referring to residents with he/she and they/, pointing out misinformation and sharing accurate species-specific knowledge, and helping visitors understand that farmed animals are sentient.
Subheader 3: Build Perspective-Taking
Image: Graphic of a person with long red hair wearing a dark green long sleeve shirt who is looking through a magnifying glass in their left hand. The image in the magnifying glass is a black turkeyUnless explicitly mentioned, we are referring to domesticated turkey breeds, not wild turkeys, who may have unique needs not covered by this resource.. There are two white clouds behind the person’s head.
Text Accompanying Image: Engaging visitors in experiences that allow them to consider the perspectives of farmed animals is a powerful way to build their capacity to empathize with them. You can invite visitors to do this through storytelling and role-play activities.
Subheader 4: Provide Observational Opportunities
Image: Graphic of a person in a brown shirt and dark green pants who is kneeling on the ground on one knee while they are sketching an image of a bird. There is a brown fence in front of them and a dark green bag on the ground to the right of them.
Text Accompanying Image: The more time people responsibly spend observing and interacting with farmed animals, the more likely they are to build deep connections and relationships based on familiarity and shared experiences.
Subheader 5: Provide Service Learning Opportunities
Image: Graphic of a person wearing brown overalls, a white t-shirt, and a yellow beanie. They are using a garden hoe. There is a green wheelbarrow behind them on the right that is filled with straw.
Text Accompanying Image: Sanctuaries can invite their visitors to practice their empathy for farmed animals by participating in service-learning opportunities that help them. These can include activities like cleaning resident housing structures and living spaces, and participating in workshops where visitors can learn new skills and develop creative ways to help farmed animals.
Subheader 6: Nurture Self Empathy
Image: Graphic of two dark brown hands encompassing a red heart.
Text Accompanying Image: Practicing self-empathy is linked to our ability to more accurately understand and empathize with the emotions and experiences of others, which is why it’s so important to model this kind of behavior for your visitors. This can be as simple as letting folks reflect on and verbalize their emotions as they go through your educational programming.
Text at the Bottom of the infographic: For more ways to foster empathy towards farmed animals at your animal sanctuary, read the full resource on this topic on our website @ www.opensanctuary.org. Just type in “fostering empathy” in the search bar!
Title Background: There is a bright yellow sun shining and smiling in the top right corner of this infographic.
Infographic Background: The background of this infographic is sky blue. The background of each subheader with text is bright yellow.
Subheader 1: Model Empathetic Behavior
Image: Graphic of a human in an orange t-shirt and blue jeans who is kneeling on the ground on one knee while holding a white bucket full of carrots and celery in their right hand and scratching the chin of a white sheep with their left hand. The sheep is standing on tufts of green grass. There are three pink hearts floating above the sheep’s head. The human is smiling. They are both relaxed and happy.
Text Accompanying Image: As a skill, empathy can be built through modeling and dialogue. So, how you interact with your residents and your visitors matters. It’s important to physically model the empathetic behaviors you want your visitors to develop, being mindful of the way you handle, move, and transport your residents. How you talk about those actions also makes a difference.
Subheader 2: Reframe the Narrative
Image: Graphic of a bright yellow light bulb that is overlaying a pink circle
Text Accompanying Image: You can reframe harmful narratives about farmed animals by: replacing the pronoun “it” when referring to residents with he/she and they/, pointing out misinformation and sharing accurate species-specific knowledge, and helping visitors understand that farmed animals are sentient.
Subheader 3: Build Perspective-Taking
Image: Graphic of a person with long red hair wearing a dark green long sleeve shirt who is looking through a magnifying glass in their left hand. The image in the magnifying glass is a black turkeyUnless explicitly mentioned, we are referring to domesticated turkey breeds, not wild turkeys, who may have unique needs not covered by this resource.. There are two white clouds behind the person’s head.
Text Accompanying Image: Engaging visitors in experiences that allow them to consider the perspectives of farmed animals is a powerful way to build their capacity to empathize with them. You can invite visitors to do this through storytelling and role-play activities.
Subheader 4: Provide Observational Opportunities
Image: Graphic of a person in a brown shirt and dark green pants who is kneeling on the ground on one knee while they are sketching an image of a bird. There is a brown fence in front of them and a dark green bag on the ground to the right of them.
Text Accompanying Image: The more time people responsibly spend observing and interacting with farmed animals, the more likely they are to build deep connections and relationships based on familiarity and shared experiences.
Subheader 5: Provide Service Learning Opportunities
Image: Graphic of a person wearing brown overalls, a white t-shirt, and a yellow beanie. They are using a garden hoe. There is a green wheelbarrow behind them on the right that is filled with straw.
Text Accompanying Image: Sanctuaries can invite their visitors to practice their empathy for farmed animals by participating in service-learning opportunities that help them. These can include activities like cleaning resident housing structures and living spaces, and participating in workshops where visitors can learn new skills and develop creative ways to help farmed animals.
Subheader 6: Nurture Self Empathy
Image: Graphic of two dark brown hands encompassing a red heart.
Text Accompanying Image: Practicing self-empathy is linked to our ability to more accurately understand and empathize with the emotions and experiences of others, which is why it’s so important to model this kind of behavior for your visitors. This can be as simple as letting folks reflect on and verbalize their emotions as they go through your educational programming.
Text at the Bottom of the infographic: For more ways to foster empathy towards farmed animals at your animal sanctuary, read the full resource on this topic on our website @ www.opensanctuary.org. Just type in “fostering empathy” in the search bar!
