Animal Farm Sanctuary in Ohio
Welcome to Sunrise Sanctuary, Inc.!
We are a non-profit organization that provides a loving and permanent shelter for over 170 formerly abused, neglected, disabled, or unwanted farm and companion animals. At Sunrise, our animals are our family and their needs come first.
We are run by an all-volunteer staff, and we would not exist without the dedication of all of our volunteers, corporate friends, donors and supporters.
We currently provide a loving home to a variety of special beings, including pocket pets, companion animals, farm animals, and birds and fowl. Visit the Animal stories link to get to know our wonderful family, and check out our calendar for fun events at the farm!
Meet Mindy
Mindy Mallett, Founder and Executive Director at Sunrise Sanctuary
Mindy is the original heart and soul of Sunrise Sanctuary. She started the sanctuary in 2001 to give animals a place to be accepted and loved. Mindy cares for the animals on a daily basis – she gives them healthy food, fresh water, proper vet care, and lots of love! Mindy makes sure that the animals at Sunrise are free to roam, bask in the sun, cuddle in the straw, slop through a puddle, and sleep as long as they want to. After all, they have earned it!
Message from Mindy:
Even as a very young girl growing up in Brooklyn, NY animals were my whole world. I spent much of my time in basements searching for stray and abandoned cats and dogs and saved all that I could. I used to get the Peta Magazines and cry endlessly over the thought of all of those poor farmed animals who had almost no protection from abuse and neglect.
Today, because of wonderful volunteers and supporters, we are saving as many as we responsibly can and educating everyone we encounter about the importance of ensuring that all animals are treated with the love, respect, and dignity they deserve. Thank you so much if you for being a friend of Sunrise, we only exist because you make it possible.
Mindy gives every animal at Sunrise the kindness, love and attention they all need and deserve.
Volunteer
We are always looking for new volunteers!
Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering. We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available depending on your skills, schedule, and interests. Volunteers help with daily barn and grounds cleaning from 9:00 AM to Noon. This involves sweeping barns, cleaning stalls and other farm chores as needed. Don’t worry if you don’t have experience working with farm animals or in a farm setting. We have a volunteer orientation to get you started.
The orientations are held a couple times a month where you can sign up, come to the farm and receive hands on training. This process gives you better idea of what we do and how to do it and whether or not this opportunity is right for you. After you have completed volunteer orientation, should you decide this opportunity makes sense for you, you will receive a link to sign up.com and you can schedule your volunteer days when you are available and there are openings.
You can also help out at our events (Open Barn Days, Thanksgiving for the Turkeys, and more) or just help with daily cleaning and maintenance tasks as your schedule permits. Please note that because of the nature of the work and inherent risk of farm work, all volunteers must be 18 years old unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
To get the process started, simply complete the volunteer form request using the link below. You will then receive via the email you provide a volunteer application and some additional information. Complete the form and return as instructed, via email or physical hardcopy can be mailed in as well. Please allow a couple of weeks after we receive your application and then expect to be contacted to set up a volunteer orientation.
If you have additional questions regarding individual volunteer opportunities or if you would like to schedule your Company for a corporate volunteer day, please contact Sandy Horvath sandy@sunrisesanctuary.org.
Donate
Thank you for supporting Sunrise Sanctuary
Every dollar we receive goes directly to care for the animals, whether it is feed, maintaining their living spaces, or paying their vet bills, your funds work very hard for them and make what we do possible. We do not receive any government funding. Our organization is run by donations from individuals, events we hold to raise money, donations from our corporate friends, and generous grants from our grantors. If you would like to donate to us, please Click here No amount is too small.
You can also mail a check to us. Please make your donation payable to Sunrise Sanctuary, Inc. and mail to 16730 Martin Welch Road, Marysville, OH 43040. In accordance with IRS Guidelines, we will send you a receipt for tax purposes.
Every dollar contributed, every volunteer hour given, and every can or bag of food we receive is much appreciated and needed. Please contact us if you would like to learn about more ways you can help or click on the How You Can Help Tab on this website.
Thank you for your support! We do not exist without your support!
Sunrise Sanctuary, Inc. is a Non-profit Corporation and has received 501(c)(3) charity tax status from the IRS. Tax ID Number 20-0065462
Open Barn Days
Come Visit Us!
Open Barn Days are monthly events where we open the Sanctuary to the public, allowing you to visit and get to know the animals on a personal level.
We began to receive so many requests for a farm visit that we could not accommodate everyone on an individual basis. We started our monthly open barn days to help ensure that anyone who wants to come meet the family has an opportunity. We do have a limit on the number of tickets available for each date to help ensure you and the Sunrise family has a safe and enjoyable experience. We comply with current State regulations requiring the wearing of masks and on social distancing. We wish we could open the farm up more but the main focus is on caring for special beings that call Sunrise home.
These monthly events are a major source of our funds, so we do charge admission. Ticket prices are: Adult (18+) Admission $10, Youth (4-17) Admission $5, and Children 3 and under are free. All funds raised go directly toward caring for the 182 animals that call Sunrise home. Tickets are required and we appreciate your purchasing tickets in advance so that we will have enough volunteers on hand to be able to answer your questions and help ensure a safe interaction with our animal family. We do allow you to purchase tickets the day of, if we are not sold out.
This is a self-guided tour through the Sanctuary with volunteers located throughout the Sanctuary and available for questions. You are welcome to take pictures, we just ask that you do not bring food of any kind for safety reasons. Open Barn Days are scheduled from 1-3, however, you may come anytime during that period of time that you like. We close promptly at 3:00 to allow our volunteers to depart timely. We hold this day rain or shine, and it is very rare that we would cancel or reschedule.
*Please note – Open Barn Days ends promptly at 3pm as we have limited volunteer staff and duties to attend to around the farm. We thank you for your understanding! And although we do not foresee a change to this schedule, please check the website, your email given upon registration and/or FB for rescheduling due to weather or a farm emergency. We thank you for understanding!
Tips for A Safe and Enjoyable Visit!
- Dress for the weather and no umbrellas, they scare the animals
- Wear closed toed shoes that have good tread on them
- Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
- Do not bring your pets, for the safety of your animals and yours
- Do not feed the animals or bring food of any kind inside the main gate
- All youth must be supervised at all times
- Be respectful of the animals, no running, yelling or chasing them
- Wait for a volunteer to open gates
- Please park in the grass, do not block the driveway
Open Barn Day FAQ
Q – Can we bring food for the animals?
A – We do not allow food to be given during the event, for safety reasons. Some animals are food aggressive. Feeding some animals, particularly with a larger crowd, could be dangerous. Also, some of our animals are on restricted diets. However, we do accept and love to receive produce donations for feeding during their regularly scheduled feeding times. They particularly love, greens, apples, melons, banannas, pears, pumpkins and winter squash.
Q – Can we pet the animals?
A – Yes, you are able to interact with and pet most everyone. If anyone is less than interested in being loved on, we will have a volunteer with that animal to help ensure a safe interaction.
Q – Can we take pictures?
A – Yes, pictures are welcome and we love being tagged on social media.
Q – Why do you charge for the visit?
A – We are a non-profit sanctuary for abused and abandoned farmed animals. Our animals require a lot of care, food and housing. We rely on donations, events (such as these days), other fundraising efforts and grants to support the Sanctuary and keep the doors open. We receive no government funding.
Own or work here?
