Vegan Sanctuary in New York
Mission
Entrance to Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary
Our mission is to rescue abused and neglected farmed animals, to restore them to health, and to provide them with a safe and loving forever home. In doing so, we hope to raise awareness about the plight of animals raised for food and the benefits of a vegan diet for the animals, human health, and the environment. We are dedicated to spreading compassion and respect for all living beings.
Look around our website and visit us if you can. If you like what you see, please donate to help us provide a life of comfort and peace for these brave ambassadors for farmed animals everywhere. We are grateful for everything you do to help animals and spread compassion.
We are dedicated to compassion toward all animals. Below you will find a list of some of the things we do:
- We rescue farm animals, restore them to health and provide a safe home in which they can live out their lives.
- We develop educational materials for the public to increase awareness of the treatment of animals on factory farms, the impact of hunting on wildlife, and impact of our treatment of animals on the environment and human health.
- We advocate for the protection of all animals and provide opportunities for the public to meet animals in a welcoming farm setting where they can interact with the animals freely and appreciate their personalities.
- We provide resources and support for individuals wishing to try to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
- We advocate for the protection of the natural environment.
- We work with other organizations with similar missions or goals to provide care and rehabilitation for animals, preserve open space, and educate the public.
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Introduction
Safe Haven tours help visitors learn about farmed animals in a fun and personal way.
Visitors can learn about the treatment of factory farmed animals so they can make informed decisions about their personal food choices if desired.
The tours are leisurely so visitors have time for questions and to get to know our animals. Tours take about an hour with additional time for questions and discussion at the end.
Dates and Times
Scheduled tours take place the first and third Saturdays and the second Wednesday of each month from May through October at 12 noon.
Sign up as early as you can since reservations are capped at 10 visitors.
Prices
We depend on donations, animal sponsors, and tour revenue to help us care for our rescued animals. We hope you will donate what you can. Minimum suggestion donations for our tours are:
Adults: $15 per person.
Children: $10 per child.
Children < 2 are free.
Donations can be made by check or cash, and we also accept credit cards.
FAQs
Do I need to reserve a spot ahead of time?
Please make a booking/reservation for one of our tours so we can ensure an enjoyable experience for all.
Visit this page, choose the date you want to visit, and make your booking.
Is there parking available on site?
For parking, drive past the Safe Haven sign and driveway and park on the right side of Gardner Hollow Road, in the limited parking spots, or, if necessary, on the side of the road just beyond the parking area.
You can easily walk back to the driveway to come up to the sanctuary or walk up the grass path next to the parking area.
What is the recommended attire for the tour?
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, appropriate for the weather on the day you visit. Most of the tour is outdoors and you will be walking and standing for about an hour. Sturdy shoes and clothing you can wash after your visit is recommended.
Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary is a farm. There is lots of mud, straw, and dirt on our tours. Some of our friendly animals like to come close to visitors.
Can I bring food?
There are 2 picnic tables where you can have food after your tour.
Please respect our animals by bringing only vegan, plant-based food (no milk, eggs, cheese, or meat). Please do not feed the animals with outside food; some are on special diets. We will try to have treats that you can safely give the animals who are allowed treats.
What is Safe Haven’s policy on companion animals?
Much as we love all animals, please leave your own companion animals at home for the safety of everyone who lives at Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary. This includes service animals.
Some of our animals have had traumatic experiences int he past and we would like to keep Safe Haven a peaceful and safe place for everyone.
What is the tour cancellation policy?
We reserve the right to cancel scheduled tours for any reason and will do our best to contact you if this happens. Inclement weather or other issues may require us to cancel a tour.
If you need to cancel your booking/reservation, please call us at (845) 724-5138 or email us at safehavenfarmsanctuary@gmail.com.
Are tours appropriate for children?
Children love to get close to our animals. There seems to be a special emotional bond between children and farmed animals.
We ask parents to watch their children closely to avoid injury to others (both human and non-human).
While there are not graphic photos of factory farmed animals or slaughter houses on our facility, we often talk about where the things on a dinner plate come from. For example, pigs are often killed to become bacon or pork. Turkeys are killed in great numbers, especially at Thanksgiving.
What if I have special needs?
Please call us ahead of your tour if you or anyone in your party faces unique physical, emotional or intellectual challenges at (845) 724-5138.
We try to be accommodating, but sometimes we do not have the resources to ensure a safe visit for everyone. Please call to discuss your needs.
May I touch the animals?
Many of our animals are friendly and curious. They will approach visitors and appreciate a gentle scratch or pat. Other animals are naturally shy or have experienced bad behaviors from humans in the past. We ask that you respect each animal’s preferences.
Sometimes, it is helpful to squat down so you look into an animals eyes and appear closer to his or her size. It may be easier for an animal to be friendly when he or she can see more of you than your feet and legs.
Can I just drop by any time for a tour?
We are unable to respond to drop-in visits. Please make a booking at the top of this page or call us at (845) 724-5138 with at least 24 hour notice. Click on the date of interest for your tour and you will be able to make your reservation/booking.
Can I wander around freely during the tour?
For your safety and the safety of our animals, we expect all visitors to stay with their tour guide throughout the tour. There will be plenty of time for visitors to interact with our animals and to ask questions.
Do you provide custom tours in addition to the regular, scheduled tours
With enough advance notice, we often can make arrangements for tours of groups of at least four (4). Please call us at (845) 724-5138 to discuss your requirements.
Volunteer
All seasons are busy for us here at Safe Haven.
We are always looking for volunteers to help with cleaning, socializing the animals, gardening, outreach, and various other projects going on around the farm.
If you are interested in helping out, please call 845-724-5138 or email us at farmanimals.crain@gmail.com to set up a time!
Click here to tell us about your volunteer skills and interests!
Our variety of Volunteer opportunities include: Sanctuary and Animal care, Social Media Outreach, Business Administration, Fundraising, Web Site Content Management, Photography/Videography, Graphic Design, General Outreach, and Ongoing Projects.
Sanctuary and Animal Care
We need volunteers to assist with the day-to-day needs of the sanctuary which include: cleaning stalls and chicken areas; raking outdoor areas; cleaning ponds and pastures; general cleaning around the sanctuary; brushing goats and bunnies. We offer a flexible schedule for volunteers – sign up for a few hours once a week or once a month.
Social Media Outreach
We need volunteers to help us increase our online presence and number of followers on social media. Tasks may include regularly posting pictures or videos on our social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) and sharing recipes, news articles, special national holidays and fundraising posts as needed. We also need people who have knowledge of social media analytics and effective use of social media ads/promotions.
Business Administration
Administrative volunteers provide support with tasks such as: preparing mailings, assisting with letter writing, email drafting, newsletter assistance, organizing informational pamphlets, and assisting with gift-shop inventory.
Fundraising
We are looking for skilled individuals to donate their professional services in the following areas: Donor Acquisition and Stewardship, Grant Writing, Promoting Crowdfunding, Sanctuary Development, etc. Note that this volunteer work can be done from your home.
Web Site Content Management
We are looking for tech savvy individuals with experience in Word Press and/or Classy platform to assist with managing web site and fundraising content. Note that this volunteer work can be done from your home.
Photography/Videography
We are looking for volunteers with experience in photography or videography to assist with photos and videos for various purposes (examples: events, fundraising).
Graphic Design/Marketing Materials
We are looking for volunteers with graphic design experience to assist with creating marketing materials.
General Outreach
Outreach volunteer activities typically include: helping to plan our on-site events, searching for outside events, posting and sharing flyers for our events as needed and attending and representing Safe Haven at outside events such as parades, festivals and conferences.
Ongoing Projects
Safe Haven is often in need of volunteers to help with ongoing maintenance such as: machine maintenance, carpentry, electrical, painting and landscaping, etc. These tasks are often only on an as-needed basis. If you have an interest in volunteering your skills, please fill out the Volunteer form with your skill-type and we will contact you as the need arises. Or you can take a visit to the Sanctuary to see if there is anything you can spot that needs some attention! You can also help us by building play structures for animals that you can then deliver here!
Age Requirement to Volunteer
For safety reasons, volunteers must be 14 or older. Younger aspiring volunteers please check back when you get a little older!
Special Needs Volunteers
If you have any special needs or a service animal, please specify this on the Volunteer Interest form and we will do our best to find the right volunteer task fit for you.
Volunteer Groups
Please fill out the Volunteer Interest Form and list the type of group as well as how many will attend. We can then schedule something that fits everyone’s needs. We cannot accommodate groups larger than 8 at one time.
Tips for Volunteers
We suggest wearing clothing and boots or sneakers that you do not mind getting dirty or damaged. During the winter months please dress appropriately for outdoor work including bringing gloves and wearing plenty of layers to keep you warm. If you plan to stay for more than a few hours we suggest bringing a vegan lunch to enjoy while here. We have a refrigerator and microwave available to our volunteers. You may want to check the weather the days you plan to be at the sanctuary and plan accordingly (i.e. raincoat, sunscreen, hat, bug spray).
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