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Strategic Planningsustainability

Animal Sanctuary Sustainability: Defining and Implementing Plans For Resiliency

How can a sanctuary cultivate organizational sustainability?
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audio resourcecontingency

The Open Sanctuary Podcast: Contingency Planning Basics For Your Animal Organization

Our staff discusses contingency planning basics!
Forrest and Friends is a farmed animal sanctuary and pig shelter established by two veterinarians, Sofie and Dimitri, in Belgium in 2017. Dimitri spent his childhood on a farm, but growing up, he saw that the lives of farmed animals and companion animals, such as dogs and cats, were valued completely differently by society. Not accepting this distinction for himself, he eventually became vegan and involved himself in animal rights. After volunteering at animal shelters since childhood and becoming veterinarians, Dimitri and his partner Sofie established the Forrest and Friends sanctuary and shelter, offering homes to animals rescued from the livestock industry or who were neglected or dumped. As of 2020, Forrest and Friends had approximately 30 animal caretakers committed to over 300 animals residing on their 11-hectare property. Many of the chickens, ducks, geese, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and other species living there are permanent residents of the sanctuary. Forrest and Friends is also recognized as a pig shelter by the Belgium government, and they take in unwanted or neglected pigs and roosters, often former pets, offering them a safe home while seeking out new, caring and responsible homes for them. Forrest and Friends believes that all animals deserve a life like the animals at the sanctuary and works towards a future where animals are not used for human purposes. Forrest and Friends conducts tours and educational outreach to the general public based on the guiding principle that we can live happily and healthily without harming others.
goat careherding

Excerpts From The Compassionate Care Classroom: Calmly Herding Sheep And Goat Residents

Tips for calmly herding sheep and goats.
The Smallest Flock Sheep Sanctuary is a small sanctuary in Somerset, England dedicated purely to the rescue and happiness of sheep. For more than 20 years, founder Charlotte Reynolds has been running the sanctuary, giving love and affection to each and every sheep she has under her care.
goat careherdingsheep care

Understanding Flight Zone, Pressure Zone, And Point Of Balance In Sheep And Goats

An overview of flight zone, pressure zone, and point of balance in sheep and goats.
Mabel-Sheep-Poof
shearerssheep caresheep shearing

Excerpts From The Compassionate Care Classroom: Shearing Woolen Sheep And Goat Residents

A brief overview of the importance of shearing and how to accomplish this for small ruminants.
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Additional Care Recommendations For Older Geese

A few tips to keep older geese happy and thriving at your animal sanctuary!
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elderly ducksgeriatric duckssenior ducks

Additional Care Recommendations For Older Ducks

A few tips to keep older ducks happy and thriving at your animal sanctuary!
A wild turkey in flight. Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
domesticationexploitationlarge breed turkeys

Domesticated Turkeys: How We Got Here

A short article on the history and current challenges of the domesticated turkey.
Farm Sanctuary hosts an annual summer “Hoe Down”, an event that draws hundreds of visitors for a weekend of education, comradery, good food, dancing, and time spent with rescued animals. Each year the event boasts a lineup of popular speakers on the topics of animal rights, activism, plant-based eating, sociology, and health. On Saturday evening, there is a country dance in the education centre. Farm Sanctuary was the first sanctuary of its kind, founded in 1986 for the purpose of rescuing and advocating for farmed animals. Learn more at https://www.farmsanctuary.org.
goose diseasesgoose healthgoose illness

Potential Goose Health Challenges

An introductory guide for common goose health issues, illnesses, and diseases. When in doubt, always contact an expert or veterinarian for evaluation!
The 9,000-acre Skydog Ranch and Sanctuary in Oregon, USA, a Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries accredited organization, rescues wild horses and burros from kill pens and auctions where they face slaughter in Mexico or Canada. Home to approximately 300 equines, the sanctuary's mission is to restore their health, safety and freedom while raising awareness about wild horse and slaughter issues. According to a 2022 poll conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), most Americans oppose the slaughter of U.S. horses for meat. Despite this, many thousands of horses, including wild mustangs rounded up from public lands by the USA Bureau of Land Management (BLM), continue to be shipped across borders for slaughter. Skydog is also home to several equine families that were reunited after being separated during BLM roundups. These roundups, where horses are chased for miles by helicopters into small catch pens, are extremely traumatizing for the horses, frequently resulting in severe injuries or deaths. Some animals break their necks trying to escape or return to their families. Once rounded up, many horses reportedly slip through the cracks, ending up without basic care. As of 2024, the BLM reports 66,000 wild horses and burros in holding facilities, with no domestic capacity to house them elsewhere. At Skydog, rescued equines roam freely across thousands of acres in seven main herds. While some require special care in rehabilitation facilities, most live naturally on the vast property. The sanctuary provides these formerly displaced animals the opportunity to live in freedom, with reunited family bands together as they would in their native habitat.

Guide des soins aux ânes

Our donkey care basics guide in French!
Dean Farm Trust is a non-profit charity in South Wales based on 62 acres of pasture and woodland and is currently home to more than 180 animals. The residents of Dean Farm Trust come from a variety of backgrounds: Some were unwanted pets, others were neglected, abused, or abandoned, and some were rescued from slaughter. Many of the animals at the sanctuary are extremely vulnerable and need extra care and support. Recognizing this, Dean Farm Trust cares for each animal’s individual physical needs as well as their psychological well-being. Pig residents Jeff, Billy, and Linky are real standouts. Living together in their own “Bachelor Pad” due to their various health challenges, including blindness, deafness, foot issues, and anxiety, they all look after each other and love a good cuddle.
duck diseasesduck illness

Potential Duck Health Challenges

An introductory guide for common duck health issues, illnesses, and diseases. When in doubt, always contact an expert or veterinarian for evaluation!
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large breed chickenvolunteer translation

Considerazioni su come prendersi cura di galline di razze grandi

An Italian translation of Large Breed Chicken Care Considerations
Open Sanctuary Rabbit Rescue Brochure 1
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The Open Sanctuary Project’s “So You Want To Rescue A Rabbit” Brochure

Our free rescue brochure for rabbits!
Ośrodek Jelonki (loosely translated as Jelonki Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre) is an animal rehabilitation center and sanctuary in Poland that helps wild and domesticated animals. Founded in 2013 by Ania Kamińska, their primary mission is to help abandoned, abused or injured animals and return wild animals to their natural habitats. Donations and grants fund the organization, which currently cares for more than 300 animal residents. These include large mammals such as moose, cows, and goats; birds such as storks and owls; and smaller rescued wild and domestic animals including dogs, cats, geese, pigs, foxes and raccoons. A small team, including Ania's partner Mateusz Kananowicz, takes care of the animals and maintains the property.
cow emergencycow healthdowned cowsdowner cow

When Cows Can’t Stand: Understanding Causes And Making Sure You Are Prepared To Help

A guide to preparing to assist cows who cannot stand.
It takes a lot to grow a sanctuary!
santuariovolunteer translations

Aprire o no un santuario per animali considerati “da fattoria”

An Italian volunteer translation of "So You Want To Start A Farmed Animal Sanctuary"!
Red and light blue square beads spell out "FUNDRAISING" on a mustard yellow background.

Protected: An Introduction To Open Sanctuary Project’s Nonprofit Fundraising Guide for Animal Sanctuaries

This guide covers everything from donor acquisition to revenue stream options and how to measure your success and adjust your strategies.
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audio resourceThe Open Sanctuary Podcast

The Open Sanctuary Podcast: The Differences Between Animal Sanctuaries And Petting Zoos

Our staff discusses how sanctuaries and petting zoos differ
A sample of our end of life record
animal caredownloadeuthanasia

The Open Sanctuary Project’s Sanctuary Resident End Of Life Record

This is a free printable form to document end of life events at your sanctuary
Photo by Anton Darius | @theSollers on Unsplash
burialcremationdeatheuthanasia

Saying Goodbye With Respect and Safety At Your Animal Sanctuary

What to consider at the end of a resident's life at your animal sanctuary

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