Happy Hen Chicken Rescue | Sanctuary

Chicken Sanctuary in California

Getting Started

Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary, previously Happy Hen Chicken Rescue, was founded by Zoe Rosenberg when she was eleven years old, in January of 2014. After she discovered that farmed animals were just as precious as dogs and cats, and yet no one was helping them, she knew she had to do something. Zoe became a vegan, but quickly discovered that veganism is not enough.

She wanted to do more, so she asked her mom (HHCR’s veterinarian) Sherstin Rosenberg if they could start a chicken rescue. Sherstin said maybe, and for Zoe, that was enough. She spent over a month creating a website, and eventually, her mother agreed to rescue 12 hens from Cal Poly’s egg farm. They’ve been saving all species of farmed animals ever since.

In the past 4 years, Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary has saved over 600 animals from certain death. We have shared their stories with millions to inspire public outrage over what is happening to our nonhuman friends. Zoe has traveled the country speaking, in hopes to inspire activism for animal liberation.

She spoke at the 2015 San Francisco National Animal Rights Day ceremony, the 2017 San Francisco March To Close All Slaughterhouses, the 2017 National Animal Rights Conference in Washington D.C., the 2018 Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival, and, most notably, gave a TED talk to over 1,300 people in October, 2017.

HAPPY HEN ANIMAL SANCTUARY

Where Every Animal is Free

On a 40 acre ranch between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary gives refuge to abused and abandoned farm animals from across California. With a full time veterinarian and a skilled animal care team, Happy Hen is one of the few sanctuaries in the US that accepts animals in need of urgent care and long-term rehabilitation.

We are proud to have saved nearly 1000 lives over the last 6 years, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quail, cows, pigs, goats, and sheep. Founded by activist Zoe Rosenberg when she was only 11 years old, Happy Hen has grown into one of the largest sanctuaries on the West Coast.

HAPPY ANIMALS

Are Free Animals

Here at Happy Hen, we put all of our energy into making sure our residents are happy, healthy, and free. This is especially important because so many animals that come to us have been rescued from horrible situations. Many had never before seen the sun or the sky, or walked on dirt or grass. Some had never been out of a tiny cage or crate or stall. Our mission is to make sure they can live out their whole lives, free of pain, suffering and hardship.

What We’ve Done

Our Goals

Sanctuaries Not Slaughterhouses. That is our motto, and that is our over-arching goal: to shut down every last slaughterhouse in the world, and replace them with animal sanctuaries. We believe that through the power of rescue, direct action, and story telling, we can change the way society views animals, and ban all forms of animal exploitation.

TURKEY TOWN

In 2018, Happy Hen helped organize a high-profile rescue of 100 turkeys from a factory farm in Utah. Collaborating with other organizations and celebrities, including actor James Cromwell, they negotiated the release of the animals just in time for thanksgiving. Happy Hen found homes for most of the turkeys all around California, but 21 still reside here at our facility, where they will spend the rest of their lives happy and free.

HEN HAVEN

We currently have nearly 200 chickens at Happy Hen. They live happy lives across numerous pastures, each with its own sets of coops. Most of our animals have been rescued from the factory farming industry. This includes rescued egg-laying hens as well as rescued meat chickens. We also have geese, ducks, quail, and turkeys.