4 Reasons Why You Should Sponsor A Turkey For Thanksgiving

Turkeys know their names, recognize their friends, and will run with excitement to their favorite people. Turkeys are love on two legs. Their amazing capacity to express warmth and compassion blows people away— we see it all the time! Just like any other animal, turkeys feel joy, pain, fear, and love. This is why we … Read more

“If hens lay eggs anyway, why is it unethical to eat them?”

We get this question a lot. And with idyllic images of hens exploring grassy fields plastered on egg cartons and in grocery stores, challenging that notion can be difficult. However, even the happiest hens in the world (yes, even the ones in cage-free farms or your neighbor’s backyard) will suffer unnecessarily from egg production. It … Read more

8 Things We Didn’t Know Until We Went Vegan

At Catskill Animal Sanctuary, we often say that the animals are our teachers, and over the past 20 years, we’ve learned a lot from them. Even better, we’ve watched as thousands upon thousands of visitors have their “Aha!” moment as a chicken like Travis falls asleep in their arms, as a turkey like Imogen purrs … Read more

Farewell To Michael, An Unforgettable Girl

Michael. Our people-loving, heart-opening, sassy-girl turkey. She passed quickly and unexpectedly in her sleep after a day filled with her favorite things: roaming the Sanctuary, stealing snacks, getting hugs from her humans, doing her dinosaur run, and monopolizing the fan. Words cannot capture the scope of our grief. “Mikey” liberated herself at an early age, … Read more

Laverne’s Story: A Mother’s Strength — Seen Through A Caregiver’s Eyes

At Catskill Animal Sanctuary, caregivers are often the first to witness new breakthroughs, life milestones, and everyday miracles. They say the first “hello, welcome home, you’re safe” to new rescues and to those born at Sanctuary. They’re right by an animal’s side, working through tears when it’s time to say goodbye. We recently lost Laverne … Read more

Earth Day 2021: Connecting & Taking Action

It’s been 51 years since the first celebration of Earth Day. We’ve had 51 opportunities — and more — to contemplate our relationship with the planet. We’ve seen what has been accomplished, and where we have fallen short. Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for all of us to responsibly inhabit this planet. ... Read more

Onward, Bruised But Resolute: Reflections For A New Year

From the horrors of a pandemic to those inflicted by climate change; from the hideous realities of systemic racism laid bare before our eyes to a sitting president’s attempt to overthrow an election, 2020 was one prolonged punch to the gut. George Floyd, and before him Eric Garner, and so many others, pleaded “I can’t … Read more

Opening Postponed— But We’ll Keep You Updated!

We know you’re as eager as Sister Mary Frances to gather around our Tours sign and visit the animals! When we made our decision to postpone our visiting season, we thought the world might have enough time to sort itself out. Yet there’s still so much uncertainty, and we’re not quite ready to reopen. We … Read more

A Downed Cow And A Determined Team: We Are Stronger Together. 

A Glimpse of Sanctuary Life From Animal Care Director Kelly Mullins: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller “Sanctuary time” isn’t like time anywhere else. So much can happen here in a single day that it feels like a week has passed. Sunday was one of those … Read more