Why A Visiting A Vegan Animal Sanctuary Will Change Your Life
Have you ever experienced a warm hug from a gentle giant such as a cow? Leaned into the neck of a horse and drank in their sweet scent? Been bossed around by a pig who demanded more belly rubs? I sure have.
These experiences are special, simple, and sweet – yet still very uncommon to the general population. Everywhere that I travel (and that has been a lot of places!) I keep my eyes and ears open for vegan sanctuaries nearby. While other folks flock to zoos, aquariums, and animal shows, I know that these are places of exploration and suffering. I look for places that treat nonhuman animals as the autonomous people that they are and believe in animal rights and liberation.
What Is A Vegan Animal Sanctuary?
While vegan sanctuaries can look like normal farms to someone passing by, the makeup of the two are completely different. The core of animal farming is based on exploitation and profiting off of nonhuman animals while sanctuaries provide refuge, safety, and a forever home for nonhuman animals.
Each Sanctuary Has A Unique Story To Tell
All of the animals that end up at sanctuaries or in need of rescue have different stories and backgrounds. Some of the most common stories that you hear told of their residents are dark ones; their previous lives lived on farms, whether factory or “family owned”, “local, or “small” ones, often did not provide fresh water, food, or stimulation, allowed little room to move around, separated mothers and babies, practiced forced impregnation, and sent animals to slaughter after a life of exploitation. Other stories are usually tales of abuse and neglect from folks who thought it would be fun to have a pig or chicken in their house, only to realize that they don’t always make the best roommates.
There are so many rescue stories out there and so many deserve the spotlight for the interesting, inspirational, or moving feelings that they bring to those who lend an ear. We understand that some may want to not go visit sanctuaries in person yet due to COVID-19, and have another way for you to explore sanctuary life and animal rescue from the comfort of your own home.
Unruly Interviews With Animal Sanctuary Founders
Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to visit over a dozen vegan animal sanctuaries. Surprisingly, there are many in North Carolina, despite the fact that we are a hotspot for animal farming. Because there is so much animal abuse and exploitation that happens here through factory farming and even small, family-owned farms, we need even more hands on deck as we create a more humane, balanced future for humans and nonhumans alike.
2 Podcast Episodes You Don’t Want To Miss
While touring animal sanctuaries in North Carolina and beyond, I’ve gotten to hear the remarkable stories of the human and nonhuman residents and have shared them with the public for free via the Unruly Podcast.
SARA Sanctuary Episode
In this podcast episode recorded in rural Texas at SARA Sanctuary, I was one of the first people to stay in their new barn AirBnb… and what an experience it was! Take a special audio tour with me at the beginning of the episode, and then listen to my discussion with Tracy, the founder of SARA, about all things feral pigs, Texas living as a vegan, and intense animal rescue.
4Them Sanctuary Episode
In this compelling episode with Leslie Naylor, founder of 4Them Sanctuary, we sit down in a cow pasture in Tennessee where she tells us about her small starts of hiding injured animals in her closet as a young girl in hope to help them recover. Leslie takes us on a journey and recounts how she became an inspiring, bad-ass and dedicated activist who takes care of cows, chickens, goats, a donkey, a duck, pigs, dogs, cats, and more.
How To Find A Vegan Animal Sanctuary Near You
If you are able to get out and visit a vegan animal sanctuary in person in 2023, it will most likely be one of your most special adventures of the year! It should be on the top of the bucket list for vegan and nonvegan travelers alike. You can search for a sanctuary in your area by googling “vegan animal sanctuary near me”, checking this directory, or by joining a vegan facebook group local to the area and asking there.
Be sure to reach out to the sanctuary ahead of time and make sure that they are accepting visitors. They sometimes give guided tours for free or a small donation and most likely accept volunteers. Some sanctuaries are also now offering overnight stays and experiences through Airbnb or VegVisits.
Sanctuaries Change Our World For The Better
So many animal lovers have only met the most typical family companions, such as cats and dogs, in their lifetime. Collectively, as a society, we do not consider the consequences that farming animals for food will have on those individuals when it comes to their mental health, emotional well-being, and physical safety. This is because of internalized specisiem; we do not give animals farmed for food the same status and protection as we do for cats and dogs.
Animal sanctuaries are working to change this. By telling intriguing stories that bring farmed animals, who are often ignored, into the spotlight and letting their full personalities shine through, we can shift how society views the very animals that we claim to love but exploit relentlessly.
