Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

We rescue farmed animals and gives them care and sanctuary

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Vegan Farm Sanctuary in New York

Our Mission and Vision

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We rescue farmed animals and give them care and sanctuary, connect animals with people to advance veganism, and advocate for animal rights in alliance with other social justice movements.

We welcome visitors to come and meet animals who are most commonly exploited, abused, and killed in animal agriculture. Our animal residents are given lifelong sanctuary and are treated with respect as individuals. By giving farmed animals the chance to live their lives with dignity and by sharing their stories, we advocate for veganism and aim to reduce suffering for all.

Our History

Perfectly situated in Woodstock, NY, couple Jenny Brown and Doug Abel began the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in late 2004 with a small group of rescued chickens from a factory farm, and a rooster who had been dumped in a NYC schoolyard. Their wedding in October of 2004, the first fundraiser for the sanctuary, took place on what is now the new pasture and barn for rescued goats and sheep.

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Starting with an empty, unfenced hay field, in a few short years we grew faster than we ever imagined.  We’ve raised funds to build two large barns, two sheds for the cattle, five chicken coops, a duck/goose shed and pond, a modest animal hospital/treatment room and visitor center–and almost a mile of fencing. This has allowed us to rescue hundreds of animals who either stay here for life or are adopted out to loving homes that meet our strict criteria.

The shelter regularly takes in, or works to place, other farm animals that are victims of cruelty and neglect. Most of these animals are rescued during investigations of farms, stockyards, auctions, and slaughterhouses; others arrive from humane societies and SPCA cruelty cases. A surprising number of our rescued animals come from the streets of New York City. For the first time in their lives, these animals that have only known fear, isolation and pain now enjoy warm and clean barns, nourishing food, veterinary care and love.

Apart from our visitor hours on the weekends, we host regional school groups on field trips and other large groups. These days, children seldom have the opportunity to see these animals up close because the small family farm is largely a thing of the past. Few organizations exist that provide shelter and care to farm animals as opposed to the many that exist that focus on companion animals. Seeing these animals in the environment that they were meant to be in is a rare and rich experience. Visitors walk away having learned that these animals are not unlike the animals we call pets—they each have unique personalities and can be as affectionate and loyal as a dog or cat.

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VOLUNTEER

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Volunteers have been an essential part and contributor of Woodstock Sanctuary’s success in providing our 380+ animal residents with the proper care that they need. Whether you are cleaning out coops and barns or stuffing envelopes, your help allows us to continue working towards our mission of rescuing farmed animals, giving them care and sanctuary, connecting animals with people to advance veganism, and advocate for animal rights in alliance with other social justice movements.

To make sure everyone is as safe as possible while COVID-19 persists, we are now requiring that all volunteers be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination prior to their volunteer date by sending a picture of their vaccination card to volunteer@woodstocksanctuary.org.

Mask-wearing when outside, which includes barns and coops, is optional for all volunteers. All volunteers must bring a mask and wear them while indoors.

If you would like to volunteer with us, please sign up here!

Sign up here to volunteer!

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VOLUNTEER FAQ

We are currently only accepting sanctuary cleaning volunteers, which includes sanctuary cleaning and enrichment projects outside alongside the rescued animal residents.

  • Due to COVID-19, office volunteering is temporarily closed.
  • Mask-wearing when outside, which includes barns and coops, is optional for all volunteers.
  • All volunteers must bring a mask and wear them while indoors.
  • Volunteering is from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM on the available sign-up dates.
  • Please bring a vegan lunch, water, sunscreen, working gloves, and boots! *All food products must be vegan out of respect for the animal residents and our organization’s mission.
  • To volunteer, you must be 18 years or older, or accompanied by an adult if you are under 18 at a minimum of 16 years of age.
  • Companion animals are not permitted on the property due to the safety of our animal residents.

Animals Used for Food

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Farmed animals are the most exploited and least protected group of animals in the world. Over 22 million land animals are killed in the United States alone each day, nearly 16,000 per minute – equating to a tragic total of at least 8 billion animals per year. And this is without counting fish and other aquatic animals killed in the U.S. – counting them would bring the yearly count up to well over 55 billion land and aquatic animals killed annually.

Over the past 50 years, animal agriculture has evolved from small, family farms to large corporate factory farming systems. Modern agribusiness corporations are built upon the cutthroat attitude of increasing profit margins at all costs – which has had devastating consequences for the animals in their care.

Farmed animals lead a life of misery from the moment they are born to when they are slaughtered. Every day, everywhere across the globe, millions of these animals are mishandled, kept in confinement, mutilated as part of routine husbandry practices, and deprived of basic necessities.

There are so many issues and problems in today’s modern world, but there’s one problem that you have the power to easily address — with each meal you eat. The small bite of food at the end of your fork has big impacts on the environment, your health, and the lives of billions of animals. This section of our website explores every category of harm related to the consumption of animal products, and provides lots of information on making compassionate food choices– from plant-based nutrition and recipes, to veganic farming and gardening. We encourage you to explore it all.

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