Sanctuary Models for Farm Animals Evidence Review

Farm animal sanctuaries provide refuge for rescued animals while generating evidence about the long-term welfare needs and recovery potential of formerly exploited species.

Key Facts

Farm sanctuaries provide lifelong care for animals rescued from agriculture and neglect situations
Pigs at sanctuaries demonstrate complex social dynamics, play behaviour, and individual personalities
Former battery hens often require months of rehabilitation to develop normal ranging behaviour
Sanctuaries document welfare outcomes that challenge assumptions about farmed species' adaptability
Cow-calf bonding studies at sanctuaries have informed understanding of dairy welfare
The number of accredited farm sanctuaries globally has grown significantly in the past decade
Sanctuary-based research is increasingly published in peer-reviewed welfare science journals

Welfare Considerations

Farm animal sanctuaries serve multiple welfare functions: providing refuge for individuals, demonstrating the complexity of farmed species to the public, and generating evidence about welfare needs that commercial systems cannot ethically produce. Supporting well-run sanctuaries is both a direct welfare contribution and an investment in welfare science.

What You Can Do

Visit or support a reputable farm animal sanctuary in your region
Share sanctuary content that reveals the individual personalities and capacities of farmed species
Donate to sanctuaries that conduct and publish welfare research
Advocate for sanctuaries to receive recognition and support in animal welfare policy frameworks
Engage with sanctuary-based evidence when advocating for improved farming standards