Farm animal sanctuaries provide refuge for rescued cows, pigs, chickens, and other livestock, with welfare practices that often model the highest standards of care.
Farm animal sanctuaries occupy a unique position in the animal welfare landscape - they provide individual care and relationship-based welfare to species usually managed as units in agricultural production. The welfare standards achievable in sanctuary settings exceed what is practical in commercial farming: individual health monitoring, veterinary care based on each animal's needs, social management that maintains stable groups, enrichment appropriate to each animal's behavioral needs, and end-of-life care that prioritizes comfort. The educational function of sanctuaries - enabling humans to interact with farm animals as individuals with personalities and stories - is also significant for shifting public attitudes toward farm animal welfare. Sanctuary animals often become ambassadors for their species, helping visitors connect emotionally with animals they might otherwise only know as products.