No summer camping trip is complete without fireside tales of the land’s local legends—from Bigfoot to Moth Man to Glen: a long-horned creature roaming through a New York state park! Glen wasn’t easy to spot. He was an expert at hiding—even with his giant horns. Hikers reported seeing flashes of white as Glen darted through the woods. Others caught glimpses of him on the outskirts of town. But unlike mythical creatures, Glen was real. He was cautious, curious, and shy—and he was in desperate need of help.

In a huge win for transparency and accountability, the US Department of Agriculture has agreed to publicly disclose on its website records related to the treatment of animals in US slaughter plants to settle a lawsuit filed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Farm Sanctuary.

Most people wouldn't opt to celebrate their birthday at a slaughterhouse. But Sophia Deluz, a longtime vegan and seasoned rescuer, has spent years marking holidays and other special occasions by including farm animals in her festivities—not as food, but as a friends. And in early 2020, on her 27th birthday, she inspired an employee at a New York City live market to set free three hens—Helena, Misha, and Priyanka—so that they, too, could live to see another birthday.

In the cold winter of 2021, a case of “fowl play” landed four ducklings in jail.

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.

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.

At Farm Sanctuary, we’ve worked for 35 years to bring to light the horrific treatment of farm animals and to end their exploitation. We also acknowledge the interrelated harms caused by today’s exploitative food system on farmworkers and food chain workers across the United States. In honor of World Food Day, let’s take a moment to better understand farmworkers’ experiences.

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.