Forty years ago, Farm Sanctuary planted the seeds of a movement—the first farm animal sanctuary—with a mission of rescue, education, and advocacy.

We started as a small, all-volunteer organization, raising funds by selling veggie dogs out of our VW van outside Grateful Dead shows, where we also reached an audience open to our message. Our first rescue, Hilda sheep, was saved from a stockyard. We found her discarded on a pile of dead animals, and she would go on to live 11 happy years with us. She is buried at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, and her name and legacy live on in everything we do.

From those humble beginnings, a global sanctuary movement has grown, and awareness about the harms of factory farming and the benefits of a vegan lifestyle continues to expand.

Today, Farm Sanctuary cares for hundreds of rescued farm animals at our shelters in New York and California, sharing their stories to inspire compassion for all. Our award-winning humane education programs have reached over a quarter of a million students, and our groundbreaking advocacy is shaping policy and building a more sustainable food system.

We’ve accomplished so much together—and we’re just getting started.

Since those early days, we have rescued thousands of farm animals and helped them heal. We’ve also placed animals in homes across the country where they can live out their lives in peace and freedom.

Since 1986, we’ve educated the public about the harms of factory farming and the lives of rescued animals, reaching hundreds of millions through mainstream media with a powerful message of compassion. And, we’re providing free educational resources to students around the world and equipping teachers to inspire a kinder future for animals and our shared planet.

Visitors connect with animals at our sanctuaries in Acton, CA, and Watkins Glen, NY, and learn what they can do to help. We’ve recently opened a vegan café serving delicious, locally sourced meals—including produce grown right in our own garden—at our Watkins Glen farm.

And we’re driving meaningful policy change—advancing protections for farm animals, expanding equitable access to healthy plant foods, and helping shift funding away from factory farming and toward sustainable, plant-based agriculture.

And we’re not slowing down.

With your continued support, Farm Sanctuary will continue to push boundaries, strengthen our impact, and fight for a more compassionate world. As we celebrate this major milestone year, we’re doubling down on our commitment to animals, people, and the planet—and we can’t wait to share what’s ahead.

This year, we invite you to join us in celebrations and collaborations across the country as we mark our 40th anniversary—and continue building on everything we’ve achieved together.

We’re also excited to introduce Sanctuary Day, a shared moment for sanctuaries worldwide to honor this milestone and the mission that unites us all.

Together, we honor the legacy, continue the work, and imagine what’s possible now and for the next 40 years of hope and healing.

Thank you for your support—yesterday, today, and always.

Sincerely,

Gene Baur
President & Co-founder
Farm Sanctuary