Farm Sanctuary's lifesaving work officially began on April 17, 1986. From the beginning, President and Co-founder Gene Baur has worked tirelessly to shift the dynamic of our relationships with farm animals and has encouraged countless individuals to make more compassionate choices. Please join us in revisiting this classic interview from Farm Sanctuary's 30th anniversary. Here, Gene reflects on what the past 30 years have meant to him, and how Farm Sanctuary has evolved into the effective proponent of change it is today.

Consider this: Farm animals do not have to be farmed. Many of us grow up believing that cows give us milk, chickens give us eggs, sheep give us wool, and meat gives us protein that we need to sustain life. But the biggest misconception is that they “give” us anything: Humans take them, often at the animals’ expense.

From “Charlotte’s Web” to “Babe,” pigs have a way of capturing our hearts. These stories, along with the ones about our friends at Farm Sanctuary, champion pigs as individuals—not meat. Some are spunky, some are mischevous, others shy, but all are sentient and emotive beings who deserve lives free from harm. On National Pig Day, held annually on March 1st, we celebrate our porcine pals and pay homage to the millions of pigs still slaughtered for meat in the United States each year. Each is “some pig” in his or her own way: It’s simply up to us to pay attention.

At Farm Sanctuary, every day is a tender celebration. After escaping lives steeped in heartache, our animal residents get the chance to love again––and every bond gives us hope.

Last October, we rescued Sadie and Autumn from a neglect situation in New York’s Mid-Hudson region. More than three dozen sheep and goats were left without food, proper shelter, and care on a rented property that their owner seldom checked. Sadie and Autumn were pregnant at the time of their rescue—and in January, they each gave birth to twin boys at Farm Sanctuary.

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! ⁣

Every year in the United States, the $40 billion dairy industry uses over 9 million cows for their milk—and slaughters 3 million more for food. The only way they can do this is by turning living beings into commodities, like a shaft of wheat or a quart of oil. How does that work? This is the story of the lives that the industry has turned into machines for milk and cheese.

Learn how energy from factory-farmed animal waste reinvests in Big Ag & Big Oil

One of the greatest joys of motherhood is watching your kids grow up. Since coming to Farm Sanctuary, Cynthia goat has raised her little boy, Bruce, into a strong, kind, and vibrant adult. He’s the kind of child who’d make any parent proud, the light of her life.

A campus prank: Four chickens discovered in the bathroom stall of a frat house.