Sanctuary Standards for Farm Animals

Farm animal sanctuaries provide refuge for rescued animals, but standards vary enormously and the quality of sanctuary care significantly affects animal welfare.

Key Facts

Hundreds of farm animal sanctuaries operate in the US and Europe, ranging from small operations to large accredited facilities
The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries provides accreditation for farm animal sanctuaries with welfare standards
Sanctuary animals including pigs, cows, chickens, and goats can live decades when provided proper care
Inadequate sanctuaries may rescue animals from farms only to provide poor care in new settings
Veterinary care, appropriate species grouping, and enrichment are key quality indicators for farm sanctuaries

Welfare Considerations

Farm animal sanctuaries serve an important welfare function for rescued animals, but the sanctuary label does not guarantee good welfare. Small operations may rescue animals enthusiastically without the resources or knowledge to provide appropriate long-term care. Animals rescued from factory farms may live for 10-20 years in sanctuary, making the quality of that care enormously important to their total lifetime welfare. Accreditation by organizations like GFAS provides meaningful assurance of sanctuary standards. Donors who support GFAS-accredited farm animal sanctuaries can be confident their contribution translates into genuine welfare improvement for rescued animals.

What You Can Do

Support GFAS-accredited farm animal sanctuaries rather than unverified operations
Research sanctuary financial transparency and welfare practices before donating
Volunteer with accredited farm animal sanctuaries to learn directly about farm animal welfare needs
Advocate for farm animal sanctuary standards to be developed and regulated at the state or national level