What is an Animal Sanctuary?

Animal sanctuaries are literally just that – a place of sanctuary - where an animal can go at a time of crisis. Animal sanctuaries exist because there are, sadly, many situations when an animal may require a place where they can stay - permanently or temporarily - and be safe. Places of sanctuary for an animal may describe themselves either as rescues – usually for acute or immediate care for instance when a dog or cat is given up by its owner – or sanctuaries which usually offer longer term care for animals in need.

What is a VEGAN Animal Sanctuary?

There are many hundreds of animal sanctuaries around Australia, with the vast majority doing an incredible job in extremely trying circumstances. Unfortunately, the regulation of self-identified ‘rescues’ or ‘animal sanctuaries’ is either lacking at best, or completely absent. Therefore, vegans must often rely on their own research about which sanctuaries they wish to visit and/or financially support.
Vegan animal sanctuaries also play a key role in advocacy and education so that humans
(vegan or otherwise) can experience the individuality of animals, especially animals who are usually exploited for food or other human desires.

To be considered a vegan animal sanctuary they must offer temporary or permanent safe haven and provide excellent care without exploitation of animals.

Why are vegan animal sanctuaries important?

Criteria to be considered a Vegan Animal Sanctuary

1. Ideally, they will have a stated mission with vegan aims

2. There must be no human consumption of animal products on site

3. They will do their best to enable and encourage animals to have autonomy, including the right not to engage with human visitors

4. There will be no intentional breeding of animals in captivity

5. They are usually run by committed vegans

Rescue • Educate • Advocate [Farm Sanctuary, NY]
There are three key functions of vegan animal sanctuaries:

Rescue

Animal sanctuaries are places where people have the experience and knowledge to rescue animals who are actively in danger, who are unsafe or who have nowhere else to go. Rescues and sanctuaries provide food, shelter and veterinary care
to a wide range of animals
and usually rely on the generosity of the public to support their (often significant) ongoing costs.

Education

Animal sanctuaries are often uniquely situated to educate people about particular aspects of the plight of animals. Sanctuaries or rescues may provide education on the particular species they focus on, or a sector such as formerly – or commonly – farmed animals. This education may be offered as formal education programs such as school tours, or it may be done through writing and photography spreading wider understanding of the individuality of animals via social media or websites.

Advocacy

There is a particular role for vegan animal sanctuaries to advocate for, or to speak on behalf of, animals. Sanctuaries may have formal or informal programs where people are able to see and experience animals as unique individuals. There are countless examples of people meeting a gentle ex-dairy cow or looking into the intelligent eyes of a pig and realising that humans can, and must, do better.

Non-Vegan Animal Sanctuaries

There are a number of sanctuaries around Australia who work with wildlife or who are more explicitly based in conservation where many vegans do feel comfortable visiting. However, if these rescues or sanctuaries are involved in breeding programs or if animal products are allowed to be consumed on site, we do not consider them to be vegan sanctuaries.

Interaction with the animals is the most challenging category and many vegans are split on the ethical acceptability of human interaction with animals in sanctuary. We broadly support the position that vegan animal sanctuaries are likely to be grappling with the balance of providing a vital opportunity for education and advocacy, especially regarding formerly – or commonly – farmed animal species, and allowing animals to fully disengage with humans if that is their wish. There is a spectrum from petting zoos, which are likely to always cause stress to animals and often result in animals being slaughtered (or bred and then slaughtered to perpetuate the cycle of juvenile animals) through to fully vegan animal sanctuaries which offer occasional open days or tours which may result in some stress for some animal inhabitants.