Rescue Stories

It's not often that a natural disaster can be viewed as a lifesaver, but for 17 lucky chickens, a deadly tornado that tore through a Georgia factory farm in September 2020 ultimately spared them from cruel treatment, terrible conditions, and eventual slaughter.

Mickey was born unable to stand up or walk. He came to Farm Sanctuary, and with the help of splints and physical therapy, his mobility has been gradually improving! ⁣

These are some of our most notable rescues in 2021.

This wasn’t a one-sided relationship: Aggie needed Paula, too. Each came to Farm Sanctuary alone, afraid, and yearning for companionship. Here, they found love, safety, and healing side by side.

Shani and his guardian both needed a safe place to land. However, when the pair reached a houseless shelter, staff had to turn the tiny chick away. They couldn’t accommodate his needs — but when we learned about Shani, we knew we could help!

Jenny pressed her snout against the walls of the crate, choking through the blazing heat for a breath of fresh air. She should have spent this kind of day rolling through the cooling mud, coating each outstretched limb with nature’s sunscreen. But her throat was dry; her cramped legs ached. And nobody knew the little pig needed help.

Dogs are “man’s best friend.” Cats rule our homes—and the Internet. So where do turkeys fit into our lives? Some might argue, “on a plate.” In 2019, the United States slaughtered and processed nearly 230 million turkeys as food. Roughly 20 percent—46 million—were killed just for Thanksgiving, a.k.a. “Turkey Day.” It’s a fate we would never subject to our companion animals. But Thor, Lady Sif, Freyja, Brunnhilde, and Sheila turkeys were companions. Their former owner, a small hobby farmer, refused to let any harm befall them—even though most other farmers would raise them for meat.

It was the weekend of the 92nd Academy Awards when two cows scored the victory of a lifetime. Liberty, a three-year-old Wagyu cow, was about to face slaughter at a California beef plant. Instead, she gave birth to a baby girl: a life-affirming event that wound up saving them both.

The Sanctuary movement has a hand in transforming the way people view and treat farm animals. Since Farm Sanctuary’s inception 35 years ago, we’ve placed thousands of animals, including Lily, Opal, and Jyn cows, with families who value them as companions—not commodities.

Hans was a young goat, wandering the streets on his own—likely after escaping slaughter. Like the billions of farm animals killed for food each year, Hans did not want to die. Something had lit the fire in his belly, causing him to flee from the life he knew. Maybe he found loved ones on the chopping block. Maybe something felt off and he took that as a sign to bolt. He was worlds away from the comforts of a warm, clean barn and protection from his herd. But he was alive.