On a late winter’s day, two young steers trekked through mud and melting snow towards a sunny patch of earth to warm their backs. They paused—one in front of the other—and closed their eyes to drink in the rare light. Then, the taller one leaned over his friend to plant slow, cleansing kisses along his neck and back. Grooming is a way that cows show trust and affection—and for these two, a sense of belonging at long last.

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.

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.

We've reached the end of the "but I couldn't give up cheese!" era. Today, vegan cheeses offer all the flavors, textures, and aromas we crave––without the cruelty.

A Library of Resources for Pre-K to College and University Educators

Join Farm Sanctuary for our virtual Sanctuary Speaker Series: Inspiring discussions with the change-makers and thought leaders whose ideas and actions move our mission forward.

On July 20, 2020, a massive fire razed a New Jersey egg farm—killing almost 300,000 trapped hens.

On August 5, 2020, Farm Sanctuary hosted a virtual symposium that brought together a group of experts to discuss the interconnected social justice issues stemming from our modern food system and the industry’s negative effects on workers, communities, animals, and the environment—particularly now in the midst of a global pandemic.

With every animal we rescue and care for at Farm Sanctuary, there also comes the difficult time when we have to say goodbye.