First, we were contacted by the Ulster County SPCA regarding the intake of 11 Red Star hens surrendered by a caretaker who was no longer able to provide the care they needed. The hens had been free roaming on the property, which initially prevented an accurate count; when the group arrived, we learned there were 13!

The SPCA drove them here and we began unloading everyone and completing their initial exams. Next, we started testing to determine what treatment they would need. Many people don’t know this, but chickens are some of the most fragile and medically complex animals we rescue! We’re calling this group the “Star Flock.”

The Star Flock settled into their temporary space as we treated them for any parasites that came back in their testing. They’re a chatty and friendly group of birds and we’re glad to be able to provide them a safe place to live. This breed lays a lot of eggs, meaning that we will need to monitor them closely for reproductive issues.

Next, we were contacted about a sweet turkey in a sad situation. Trudy had been attacked by foxes twice, chased and harassed by children who wanted to color and decorate her feathers, and was wounded several times in fights with roosters. She was still healing from those wounds when we met her. She was also dangerously overweight and very lonely. Trudy had never lived with other turkeys and was so lonely that she would call out all day long.

Trudy is now on a diet to help her reach a healthy weight so she can be comfortable and mobile. She’s begun to lose weight and is less pale! Even more exciting: after her quarantine she got to move in with fellow turkeys Cher, Tai, and Dionne! Trudy is getting to know their group, taking time to heal, and soaking up the sun.

Lastly, we welcomed a new little bun to the Roxwell Rabbit Barn!

Lora was originally bought at auction to be used to train hunting dogs. We’ve had rabbits rescued from this situation before and it’s one of the things folks on tours find hardest to believe! Fortunately, the person who bought her had a change of heart. They tried to keep her but still weren’t able to provide proper care or shelter for Lora. She was kept outside during the cold winter months and was not fed a proper diet.

Thankfully, a kind person who was aware of the situation stepped in and contacted Henry’s Haven Animal Sanctuary to see if they could help. Henry’s Haven messaged us, and luckily we had bunny barn room! Henry’s Haven helped get Lora all the testing and vetting she needed before her journey to us.

All the new faces at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary in the past month are because YOU make these rescues happen! To donate towards the care of our newest rescues, you can send support here. Trudy, Lora, and the Star Flock are grateful for how much you care. Keep up with the latest on these residents by sponsoring one or all of them!

From May through November, guests are invited to join scheduled, ticketed Public Education tours on most Saturdays at 10 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM. The 10 AM tours are kid-friendly and designed to be educational and fun for children ages 4-10. There are also private tours offered during the week!

Woodstock Sanctuary tours showcase the living spaces of rescued cows, pigs, goats, turkeys, chickens, and sheep. During tours, visitors will have the opportunity to hear the rescue stories of the individual animals they will meet, and learn more about issues in animal agriculture and farming through those stories.

Since last season, we’ve had new rescues arrive and new friendships between residents arise. We’re excited to share stories about the unique personalities of the rescued animals and the circumstances they’ve survived. Every year is an opportunity to encourage the public to make compassionate choices with animals’ wellbeing in mind.

Some words from visitors over the last year:

“Such an amazing sanctuary. Take a tour! Friendly for family, couples, and friends. Such sweet animals and organization.”

“We had such fun getting to know about the various rescued animals at the sanctuary—both in general about the species as a whole and about each individual animal. Our group included people of all ages and backgrounds, and everyone had a wonderful time. Our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and the experience is wonderfully hands-on. I couldn’t believe how big cows are, when you’re standing right next to one! Not to be missed, if you love animals.”

“[I]…am beyond touched by the beauty and love Woodstock Farm Sanctuary carries. I love animals so much and recognize how much love everyone here has for the animals and it is truly beautiful and heartwarming…truly extraordinary.”

Every ticket sold supports the Sanctuary’s ongoing rescue efforts, animal care, and advocacy initiatives, ensuring a brighter future for animals everywhere.

Click here to get tickets today!

Ruby came to us from large-scale rescue from an illegal backyard butcher operation. She arrived at Woodstock Sanctuary pregnant and her twin babies, Moby and Jackie, were born in early 2016. Rescued from slaughter, Ruby has spent the last decade caring for her children and living with friends rescued from the same case. Her son Moby grew up to be one of the largest goats at the Sanctuary!

Ruby has also been living with a condition called caprine arthritis and encephalitis, or CAE. Over the last last few years, Ruby had begun to have marked difficulty with one of her front legs. We took her to be fitted for a custom brace, hoping it would provide the support she needed.

Unfortunately, the brace provided insufficient improvement in comfort and mobility and it was clear she was uncomfortable. There was a risk of her leg breaking and causing major complications for her. We consulted several vets to thoroughly discuss options to help sweet Ruby. One option that kept coming up was amputation. This isn’t something anyone likes to jump to, but as we weighed all the information it looked more and more like the right choice for her.

Ruby has been in generally good health the whole time she’s lived with us, despite her CAE, so she was a good candidate for amputation even at her older age. While animals on four legs tend to adjust better after the loss of a hind limb, they are still good at adapting to loss of a front limb. Ruby already wasn’t putting much weight on this leg because of her discomfort. To avoid a future break and help manage her pain, we decided to take the plunge and scheduled Ruby’s amputation surgery.

Fortunately, her surgery went well! Ruby was already up and zooming when we went to pick her up post-op, and she was demonstrating fast adjustment to her new normal. Within minutes of being home she had already figured out how to navigate around, sit to lie down, and stand back up. She has stayed in the med barn for two weeks, healing and receiving all her necessary post-op medications. She’s also gotten a lot of rest—we were worried about how she would feel being away from her friends and family but turns out Ruby has enjoyed her solo time! Being a mom is a lot of work, and in a way, this doubled as a little vacation for her!

Ruby is doing well with her recovery and just had all her sutures removed! Bad weather has delayed her move back to the barn, so we’re hoping that things warm up soon so that she can go back to spending time with her goat community. Senior care is complex and ongoing, but Ruby is doing well thanks to the support she’s received. She is just one of the elder animals we care for here. Everyone has individualized needs and care plans, and that work is funded by your support!

Cowentine’s Day is BACK at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary! Love is in the air, and what better way to express that than with a message straight from a rescued cow?

If you’re new to Cowentine’s, here’s how it works: choose between a rescued cow e-card or a personalized video message featuring a resident of our cow herd to send to a loved one! We have three moo-velous e-cards for you to choose from this year, and an improved process for sending the card to your Cowentine!

The best part about Cowentine’s Day is that each e-card or video message gift supports the daily care of our cow herd and the rest of the 300 rescued animals who call our sanctuary home.

Its incredibly heartwarming to see you including rescued animals in your holiday traditions, year after year. Your kindness makes it possible for us to give sweet cows like Franklin, Penny, Juniper, and Judy a safe and loving home. Thank you. From all of us at the Sanctuary, Happy Cowentine’s Day! ❤️

Sanctuary and Rescue in 2025: With your help, we…

• Provided shelter and medical care for 300 animal residents

• Provided specialized elder and disabled care for over 200 residents

• Assisted with over 100 rescue requests

• Built new duck barn aviaries for duck health and safety

• Continued wildlife rescue and stray and abandoned cat rescue onsite

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Some stories from the year...

April: Peach, a young pregnant goat, was intentionally hit by a car in rural Pennsylvania. She needed intensive emergency care, but she and her baby James are now enjoying this snow in the goat barn with their new herd!

June: Local rescue Wayward Ranch was closing and couldn’t find a home for two special-needs potbelly pigs, Simba and Pinocchio. We were able to welcome them here, and though they’ve needed a lot of special time and care, they have settled in very well.

July: Two pigs who had been used as breeding mother pigs at a farm were given a chance at a new life. The owner of the farm wanted to send them to a sanctuary instead of slaughter, but he’d been looking for months with no luck. We decided to help, but tragically at the hospital where they were being vetted it was discovered that they were both in extreme pain from years of neglect and would not be able to recover. We made the heartbreaking decision to let them go there at the hospital and were never able to bring them home.

August: A few weeks later, we rescued two piglets who had both likely fallen off of transport trucks on the way to auction or feedlots in the memory of those two mother pigs who we weren’t able to save. Suzy and Jerry are still babies and are always busy exploring their new world. They’re both doing extremely well.

September: Several years ago, we advocated for the rescue of a cow named Franklin at a local petting zoo who had severe injuries and was suffering. He was sent to another sanctuary that sadly is now closing. He needed a new home again and is now here with his friend Ruthie and is fitting in so well with our cow herd.

A notable pattern in 2025 is that we rescued several animals from other sanctuaries and rescues who were closing or struggling. Because of a lack of support for direct rescue and long-term care, the economy, and inflation, we expect this to continue. It is always a tragedy for the animals involved. It is a priority of ours to try to help these animals who have already been rescued once, but we are also seeing a 20% decrease in support over the last four years and terrible inflation hitting vet care, utilities, and basic food and supplies, so we can only help as we have the resources to do so.

Public Education in 2025: We…

• Welcomed over 3,500 visitors for Public Education tours, camps, and events, including over 400 children

• Were helped by over 350 volunteers

• Hosted 24 interns for animal care and education programs

Some comments from visitors this year...

“It was perfect, thank you! I’ve been wanting to explore giving up meat and animal products for my love of animals, and this visit just solidified that. I’m excited to learn more about it and make changes. Thank you for a wonderful tour.”

“My partner and I loved the education aspect! We’re two longtime vegans and often have trouble explaining our stance during tough conversations. Today provided great ways to frame the facts of animal agriculture in a straightforward way. We’re excited to bring our (non-vegan) family members!”

And one from one of our incredible interns...

“Interning at the sanctuary has been a priceless experience. The everyday care, history, and individualized medical needs of each resident have taught me so much more about the animal agriculture industry, and about our history of domesticating and abusing animals. It is one thing to hear about this in an abstract setting, but to face the consequences of it every day is incredibly immersive. Through shadowing animal caregivers, I learned just how much medical intervention is needed to give these animals healthy and fulfilling lives. It was incredibly eye opening to the reality so many animals in the industry face every day, and just how lucky the residents are to be living out their lives in sanctuary.”

Legislation and Advocacy in 2025: We…

• Co-led a coalition to ban octopus farming in New York State resulting in a bill being introduced in the State Senate and Assembly

• Led advocacy campaigns that reached over 2.5 million people through billboards, digital advocacy, and 1-1 engagement

• Reached over 660,000 followers across digital platforms

• Reached over 200 million total people reached through all forms of media

Our advocacy and education efforts are always informed by the animals in our care who we know and we take their lead so often. We’ve lost many of those teachers this year, including beloved rooster George Harrison, brave goat David, and many of our most elder pigs...including sprite-like Olive who met and transformed thousands of people over the course of her life but lived a uniquely singular one. She was so special, and we miss her every day.

If you can help contribute to this work, today is the day! We can’t do it without help and we want to be able to do more in 2026 as the need only continues to increase. All donations until midnight on December 31st are being matched. So, give today if you can for Suzy and Jerry, for Franklin and Ruthie, in memory of wonderful Olive, and for all of those who need sanctuary through all seasons.

For the animals,

Rachel McCrystal, Executive Director

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In the darkest months of winter, we turn to sharing gifts with our friends and family to brighten our days. If you’d like to support rescued animals while you find gifts for your loved ones, you’ve found the right list!

First, giving gifts doesn’t always have to mean giving physical items! Many of us are trying to cut down on clutter, and for the person in your life who doesn’t want a knick-knack, the gift of EXPERIENCE might just do the trick! Give the gift of care by sponsoring a resident in your loved one’s name! Gift includes a beautiful photo of the chosen resident, their rescue story, and a personalized sponsorship certificate. Check out sponsorship options here! To simplify things even more, you can also give a general gift to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary in honor of your loved one. We’ll send them a message via email or card, notifying of them of your donation.

For those local or able to travel here, you have even more gift experience options. Consider surprising someone with the gift of a private tour of the Sanctuary! A private tour is a special and intimate experience up close with the inner workings of the Sanctuary and the homes of the rescued animals. Private tours are a great gift for anyone in your life who wants to spend more time around rescued goats, pigs, sheeps, and other animals.

And of course we have gift certificates to our on-site inn, The Gray Barn, for the friend in your life who has dreamed of staying AT an animal sanctuary! The Gray Barn is an award-winning bed and breakfast right at the front of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, where guests wake up to a homemade vegan meal each morning and get to stroll the Sanctuary grounds during the day. No matter what season you book in, it’s guaranteed to be a special stay. Grab a gift certificate for the person in your life who deserves a vacation and never takes one. Now’s the time!

But of course, for the traditional gift giver who needs something to wrap up and put in their friends’ hands, we’ve got lots for you to choose from, too. Whether it’s a warm sweatshirt, a mug for hot chocolate in the morning, a candle that smells like fresh hay, a calendar to keep track of the year ahead, chicken footprint socks, or something else in our store, these gift selections make everyone smile!

And if you’d like to get a gift FOR a rescued animal this year, they have their own wishlist! Take a look and see what the pigs, cows, sheeps, chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats, and rabbits might need this season and grab them something off the list! Our animal care team has curated these lists to help cover the resident’s daily needs, stock up on medical supplies, and provide fun enrichment activities for their barns, coops, and pastures.

The team here at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary hopes you have a warm and cozy holiday season!

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Evie’s caretaker sat with her all day to make sure the bear didn’t return and continued calling contacts. She reached Goats of Anarchy in New Jersey, and GoA called us to see if we could take in this goat in need of medical care. A GoA volunteer picked up Evie and she arrived at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary late on the evening of the 29th.

When Evie arrived, we took her to the available isolation barn. She was still in shock from the bear encounter, and we were as gentle as possible examining her and determining what treatment she needed. She had puncture wounds that needed regular cleaning but was initially too scared to allow the blood draws needed for further testing. Evie needed time to adjust to her new surroundings and to come out of the shock she was experiencing.

Another point of concern was that her rumen seemed to be functioning slower than normal, so she was started on fluids, and supplements in addition to the antibiotics and pain medication she was receiving. We kept a close eye on her as she adjusted during her first few days with us. Once she had time to decompress and let the medications do their job, she began perking up. Evie seemed relieved to be out of danger and excited to get to know the staff and volunteers here who brought her treats.

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Right now, Evie is in quarantine while she recovers, and she will be seen by our regular vet for follow-ups. She is coming out of her shell and we’re very glad her injuries were treatable. She will have some bald patches for a while, and we are still waiting on results from her bloodwork, but we’re optimistic about her recovery. The caretaker from her previous home has even been able to come visit her.

Getting this sweet older goat to a safe place, and then getting to know her silly personality, has been a huge joy. We appreciate everyone who has sent in a donation to help with her care. We’re looking forward to her healing, finishing quarantine, and then making new friends here. If you’d like to contribute to Evie’s recovery and ongoing care, you can give here — any amount is appreciated!

If you lived in a rural area growing up, your other first experience with turkeys might be seeing a wild turkey stuffed and mounted at the hardware store. You might know when turkey hunting season is, and even participate in the hunt when you’re old enough. You learn about turkeys a little bit—enough to know their vulnerabilities. You might own a turkey call so you can lure turkeys to you. But you still don’t get to know them.

And you might have encountered turkeys on a farm, or at a petting zoo. You may have seen them in this situation and, knowing where they’re headed, chosen not to strike up a relationship. You may have been the recipient of pecks from a turkey who is trying to protect his area, or feels threatened by you. You may have seen turkeys who have been fed a great deal so that they are large enough by slaughter time, struggling with mobility.

You probably haven’t seen them at the larger scale farms, crowded in on each other, unable to sort out a social order that makes sense, with their toes and beak tips removed. You probably haven’t seen the turkeys at smaller scale farms who are sick and receive no medical treatment. But between the turkeys you have and haven’t seen, it’s still likely you don’t really know a turkey.

We’re able to exploit a species when we separate ourselves from them, create myths about them (turkeys are frequently dismissed as “unintelligent’ due to tetanic torticollar spasming, a condition resulting from humans’ selective breeding of them), and ensure that no one is able to forge real relationships with them.

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Forging a connection with farmed animals is part of the process of liberation. And sanctuaries create a place where that can actually happen. Here at Woodstock Sanctuary, we get messages all the time about the connections people have made with the turkey residents who live here, either in person or by learning about them online and seeing them living here in a non-exploitative context. People continue to tell us about the impact that Beatrice, who lived 11 years, had on them. People were amazed when we talked about current resident Dani’s 10th rescueversary that we just celebrated. And people continue to make connections with our other current residents—Tai, Cher, Dionne, Zillah, Shirley, Tiny, Lesley, and Drew.

No species is a monolith. You may have heard stories from humans who have had unpleasant encounters with turkeys. You may have heard stories from humans who have close turkey friends that they love and have bonded with. What may be most important is to recognize and internalize is that each turkey out there is an individual with their own thoughts, desires, comforts, and fears. When you see a turkey’s body on the store shelf, remember that. Tell others to remember. And share the connections you have with turkeys in sanctuaries so that others can start to recognize the individual.

Sponsoring a rescued turkey during this season means contributing to their care and making a real connection with them—something many people never do. You can meet all the rescued turkeys here and choose one (or all) to sponsor! Give the gift of care to a rescued turkey this year.

The last time we saw Franklin in person, he was still at the petting zoo, and we’d been very worried about his future. It was so different seeing him when we went to pick him up this month, confident and with a friend by his side. The sanctuary owners told us that Franklin initially struggled when trying to socialize with other cows, but eventually he and Ruthie became very close.

Ruthie was born on a dairy farm but was surrendered to sanctuary when she was just 3 days old because she was too small to be useful to the farm. She wouldn't have been able to produce enough milk for them to profit, so they did not want to keep her. Her small stature is what saved her life. We’ve heard this type of story many times and have residents here with similar stories, who narrowly avoided slaughter due to being too small for profit, including pig resident Marsha. Ruthie joins the company of our fellow dairy cow rescues like Heathcliff, Woody, Juniper, and Colin.

We arrived at the sanctuary property and loaded Franklin and Ruthie into our rescue trailer—and fortunately they were comfortable going in together, so we didn’t have to make two trips and cause additional stress to the two of them! Anyone driving behind us on the journey back to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary saw two curious pairs of eyes peering out from the trailer as we traveled. Franklin and Ruthie saw the sights and, before they knew it, we’d arrived at the entrance to Woodstock!

Franklin and Ruthie took their time exploring their new pasture and stall, locating the water troughs, and finding the best spots to graze. They seemed comfortable right away, despite the brand new surroundings. Slowly, other cows started coming up to the fences and greeting them. We are not sure which group these two will join, but they’re doing really well settling in!

Franklin will need a lot of specialized care due to his health conditions, and the cost of cow intake is major due to their size and space needs. Your help covers some of the costs of intake for Franklin and Ruthie! Right now, a generous friend of the Sanctuary is MATCHING all donations towards their care, meaning your donation goes twice as far. Help cover Franklin and Ruthie’s intake costs today!

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1. Senior goat Fern can never get enough snuggles. She reminded us to tell you that this Saturday is the last chance to go on a public tour here until October!! We will be OPEN for public tours THIS SATURDAY, September 13th, and then NO public tours the following two weekends due to the Harvest Picnic! Hope to see you this weekend! You can get tour tickets here.

   2. Who says only piglets play with toys? Caregiver Olivia caught Sarah bobbing around with her treat ball recently making sure she got ALL the peanuts out.

   3. Caregiver Madilyn filmed little James playing with his new friend Ralphie, another of our most social goat residents. He’s teaching James all about how to maneuver those quickly-growing horns! Do we think James with get taller than all the other goats in his group?

4. Vet visits continue every week as usual. Caregiver Ally sent these photos of resident cornish cross chickens Dot and Etta at the vet. We love sharing images of our bird friends at the vet because we still live in a society that views chicken medical care as very foreign! Thanks to access to medical care, Dot and Etta are both around 8 years old.

5. Upcoming events!! We will be tabling at Albany Vegfest this year, come up and say hello if you’re attending! And don’t forget: EARLY BIRD PRICING for the Harvest Picnic ends soon, so grab your tickets ASAP!

   

6. Zillah and Dani want to remind you all that as fall gets underway, you’d better be NICE TO TURKEYS! Caregiver Agaphen snapped this portrait and passed the message along.

   

   7. Two new exciting items in the store: our 2026 Calendar is finally here, with photography by Caregiver Olivia! And we also have a cozy candle in stock that smells like the sweet hay our residents munch on when the weather gets cold. Go get yourself a calendar, candle, or both, and support the rescued animals here when you shop!

   8. Bruce has ups and downs with his health since returning from the hospital in July but it’s nice to see him sitting and humming like he has always loved to do. He is such a silly guy!

9. Remy might be looking at some wheelchair adjustments in the near future, and he’s also been wearing a jacket to help prevent pressure sores. Fashion first as always.

10. The NY State Fair waited until after the fair was over to list their 2025 sponsors on their website, but as we knew, Wegmans’ was still one of the sponsors. We are almost ready to send our petition to Wegmans asking them to withdraw their support from the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, but we still need a few more signatures!

    

11. Suzy appreciates all your well wishes! She continues to be super bored on stall rest but it won’t be too much longer before she can go back outside and play again. Thank you all for support as she recovers from her spay surgery!

    This concludes this Woodstock Weekly! The rescued animals you see here are all cared for thanks to YOUR support. To continue supporting, subscribe!

We knew we had the experience to take care of this little piglet so we opened our medical barn and little Suzy arrived. She started treatment right away, but it took time to get a clear picture of her health. We stocked up her stall in the med barn with the blankets and dishes that Sylvia and Marge used when they were her size.

Just as we were getting into the swing of things with Suzy, we were contacted again about ANOTHER piglet. A little spotted guy who wandered into someone’s yard with a lot of scrapes and cuts on his body. It’s most likely that both he and Suzy fell off transport trucks or escaped the farms they were born at. Fortunately the people who owned the yard wanted to see this piglet go somewhere safe — and after nobody local to them claimed this piglet, they called us. We got a stall ready and drove to pick up this little pig. He was staying in a makeshift enclosure in their backyard that they had put together hastily to keep him safe. It was pouring rain when we arrived, and the little piglet who we named Jerry was confused and alone.

Jerry and Suzy have now both been here at the Sanctuary for several weeks, and once Suzy gets spayed and heals they can finally meet each other! It’s been a month of big changes for the two of them. Imagine being born into a chaotic and confusing farm environment, being separated from your mother, and then somehow losing your way entirely. Losing their way is what saved them, though - each piglet now has the chance to grow up.

This is just the beginning of these piglets’ lives - and your support helps us give them a lifetime of care. You can donate towards their new beginnings here at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary here or on Venmo at Woodstock-Sanctuary.

In recent months, we’ve said goodbye to several of our senior residents here at Woodstock Sanctuary, like pigs Amelia and Olive. With spaces in the pig barns available, we said yes to two pigs who had been used as breeding pigs for years and normally would have been sent to a slaughterhouse. We started setting up all the things we’d need to welcome these two girls home—preparing the barn and wooded yard they’d be staying in, readying transport, and coordinating their journey to the hospital for assessment with a rescue partner. Here you can see the two of them emerging from a hiding spot on the farm and being loaded onto a van so they could finally get to safety.

Unfortunately we got terrible news once these girls made it to the hospital. Both of them had serious abscesses from lack of hoof care, which had lead to bone infections that had likely been festering for several years. Their infections were too far advanced for treatment, so after coming so close to their forever home we had to take the vets’ recommendation to euthanize both of the pigs. These are the hardest moments of animal rescue sometimes...getting almost to the finish line with someone who has endured so much loss and suffering and not being able to bring them home at the end.

But we still feel the obligation to tell their story. These pigs were raised for their reproductive systems to be exploited. They had litters for years and never got to raise any of their children, continually seeing them sold off to be slaughtered. And they were never provided the medical care that they deserved. Small farm, large farm, it doesn’t matter: we see this over and over again.

So here are a few moments from when these pigs were in the hands of people who cared about their futures and wanted the best for them...and the moments when we hoped they were on their way to a new life with us. We will keep rescuing as long as you all are here for us— for these two, and everyone else who didn’t make it out. Thank you for caring about and remembering two pigs who we will never know.

1. Our new bun friend got a name! Thank you to everyone who donated to suggest a name - this girl is officially named Franny! Franny is in the process of getting to know Frankie so they can eventually move in together. See more about Franny’s arrival here.

2. Peach and James have officially moved into the big barn and have been slowly meeting some of the other goats! They have also showed us that they're interested in meeting visitors tool! We only take visitors in with groups of animals who enjoy human socialization, and it seems like this duo is very into that. Check out Peach's ears flaring when she headbutts with Chris! You just might get to meet Peach and James if you visit on a Saturday for a Public Education Tour! Tours are held at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm!

3. This summer we had the unique opportunity to partner with Wild Earth NY for their kids' summer camp! The woods of the Sanctuary had lots of littles learning about the wilderness, gaining outdoor skills, and enjoying time in nature. We really loved being able to host this camp and are thrilled that the camp staff helped us with work on the nature trails around the Sanctuary!

4. We have lots of fun events coming up! Wednesday, August 20th, we're hosting a meetup at Unicorn Bar in Kingston; Friday, August 22nd, we have a Twilight Tour happening in the evening; and September 27th is our big HARVEST PICNIC! Tickets for all of these events are available on our website!

5. Don't forget that a great way to support the rescued residents here is by rocking Woodstock Farm Sanctuary merch! We have items for every personality, and all the proceeds go towards the care of the animals. Look at our amazing volunteers!

6. Newly rescued piglets Suzy and Jerry’s health continues to improve! They haven't met yet, but we'll let you know when they do! Thank you so much to everyone who's been supporting their care. See Suzy and Jerry’s rescue stories on IG.

As the Humane Education and Outreach Intern this summer, I’ve participated in nearly every children’s tour over the past four months. It’s been a privilege to lead the morning activity and guide visitors through parts of the sanctuary. One of the most rewarding aspects has been watching how children interact with the animals and approach them with joy, curiosity, and often a surprising degree of empathy. They listen to the animals’ stories, ask thoughtful questions, and begin to see each animal as an individual with distinct needs, preferences, and personalities.

As I observed and photographed these interactions, I began reflecting on how the environment itself—its physical space and social norms—shapes children’s perceptions of farmed animals. In order to better understand how different settings might influence our relationships with animals, I needed to observe interactions outside of farmed animal sanctuaries. With the Ulster County Fair approaching, I saw an opportunity to broaden my perspective and I decided to attend several 4-H livestock events.

I spent three days at the fair, taking photos, jotting down field notes, and asking quiet questions. The contrast with the sanctuary was stark. Animals stood tethered to fences or confined in small pens, each one marked with a plastic ear tag, reminding everyone that in this context, their identity had been reduced to a number. Some cages bore “For Sale” signs that provided information about each animal, such as their breed and birthday. Other pens were decorated with handmade posters, proudly displaying the names of the animals inside. At first, these signs, which were decorated with glitter and construction paper hearts, felt like glimpses of individuality and connection. But names like “Squirt” or “Bittersweet” often hinted at the industry the animal was destined for. By the fair’s end, many of these signs were barely visible, covered by ribbons and awards that identified champions and “Best of Breed” winners.

In addition, there was very little unstructured time. Families and children moved quickly from one task to the next—grooming, preparing, and presenting their animals for the judge. The schedule seemed carefully choreographed to keep everyone in constant motion. Even during breaks, the fairgrounds provided a steady stream of distractions, leaving little time for quiet and questions.

Before each showmanship event, children put on stiff white lab coats and picked up a blank score card to be filled out by the judge, signaling a transition. Moments before, they were laughing with friends and hugging their animals; now they stood poised and focused, ready to follow protocol. Their expressions often turned blank or anxious, eyes downcast and waiting for approval from the judge or crowd. Instead of hugging their animals, they fluffed them in front of the judges, turned them over to be examined, or held them with a tight grip to keep them still. In those moments, I was struck by how the structure of the setting suppressed curiosity and intimacy, replacing connection with detachment and tension.

When I returned to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, I noticed how everything about the environment, from the open pastures and individualized care to the way animal stories are shared with time for questions and reflections, encourages empathy and connection. Visitors are invited to slow down, to observe animals on their own terms, and to recognize them as sentient beings rather than commodities.

Comparing the 4-H events at the fair to the sanctuary and its various programs has only deepened my belief that the environments we create profoundly shape how we relate to animals. It's important to examine these spaces closely and to ask how they influence empathy, awareness, and the capacity for connection, especially in young people. If we hope to foster more compassionate relationships with animals, we must pay attention not just to what we teach, but to the settings in which learning takes place.

Words and photos by Natalie W.

County and state fairs across the country are gearing up to promote animal agriculture and normalize cruelty and confinement in the name of entertainment. We’ve been advocating, documenting, and speaking out for the animals who are used at fairs for years, with a specific focus on the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair.

The Birthing Center is funded by corporate sponsors like Wegmans, a family-owned grocery store chain and a Western NY institution. They have been sponsoring the Birthing Center for several years, and it's time to send them a strong message that their ongoing support of the Birthing Center is wrong. Woodstock Farm Sanctuary is calling on the Wegmans corporation to end their sponsorship of the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair for good.

Why is this so important to us? Every year at the New York State Fair, heavily pregnant cows are transported from dairy farms across the State to give birth in front of an audience in the Birthing Center. Minutes after birth, their babies are taken from them and put into a pen out of sight to be fawned over by the crowd.

The Birthing Center's purpose is to present dairy farming in a positive light and provide palatable explanations and justifications for common practices in the dairy industry, such as the separation of moms and babies, the discarding of baby boys, forced impregnation, and confinement of cows.

Through their sponsorship, Wegmans is endorsing the stressful transportation of pregnant mothers, stressful births in front of a crowd, and forced separation of moms and babies in the name of “education.” They are also co-signing the misinformation spread by the Birthing Center about dairy farming's impact on climate change and the environment.

We need your help to send a strong message to Wegmans that their sponsorship of the Birthing Center needs to end. We want to get 2,000 signatures before the New York State Fair begins in August. Will you sign our petition today?

WHERE DO THE ANIMALS COME FROM?

Fairs are an opportunity for local farms to display their animals and advertise their businesses.

Most of the animals you see have been transported from farms and will either return to the farm or go to slaughter after the fair. Other farmed animals have been raised by children who are part of 4H and FFA programs.

These programs have contests and demonstrations where animals are judged in categories based on their species and their utility to humans. Some will be sold to buyers at the fair, which means they will either go directly from the fair to the slaughterhouse, or to a farm to be used for breeding.

4H and FFA programs normalize the consumption of animals and teach children to ignore the bonds they create with the animals they spend so much time raising.

HOW ARE ANIMALS EXPLOITED AT FAIRS?

Fairs usually have a wide range of animals who are being used for entertainment.

Farm Displays

Being on display as a herd or flock animal is extremely stressful. These fairs are loud and crowded, and the smells and sounds of other stressed animals are everywhere. This stress begins with the ride to the fair, where animals can be transported long distances in trailers. This journey can be hot, bumpy, and crowded, and is yet another form of unnecessary confinement.

These animals are used to present an idyllic image of the local family farm to fairgoers, but they are not true representatives of the way farmed animals are treated on production farms. The fairgoers see a sanitized and clean depiction of animal farming that doesn’t accurately show the mutilation, suffering, harm, and death that is common practice on farms.

BIRTHING TENTS

In many state and county fairs, pregnant cows who are in labor are put on display so that humans can watch them give birth. Often these are dairy cows, whose babies will be separated from them so that their milk can be taken for human consumption, which is standard practice in the dairy industry.

These calves are on display as just another cute attraction, but they represent the fundamental injustice of the dairy industry — babies do not get to know their mothers or drink the milk their mothers make for them. They are often separated at the fair after the moms gave birth in front of loud spectators.

In the photos below you will also see a veal hutch, where male babies born in the dairy industry are confined before being killed at just a few months old. The cheerful signage leaves out the reason that the calf is in the hutch in the first place—to keep them from moving around and growing muscle before they are slaughtered for veal when they are still a baby. The signage also doesn’t explain what is happening to the calf’s mother who just gave birth to them.

Members of our team visited the New York State Fair for several years to gather footage and investigate the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, an annual event designed to promote dairy consumption and garner public support for the dairy industry. What they witnessed was deeply troubling: cows in labor, forced to give birth in front of large noisy crowds, mothers and calves separated within an hour of birth, and volunteers downplaying the harsh realities of the dairy industry to curious onlookers.

Many calves are born at the fair, only to be taken from their mothers and put on display. Many will be sold to meat farms, and some of the female calves will be bottle-fed and raised to endure the same cruel cycle as their mothers.

We continue taking action to try and end the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair. If you haven’t signed our petition and are in NYS, click here to show New York State legislators that the public does not support this event.

PIG RACES

Piglets and young pigs can be chased by children or used in races against other pigs. When they are chased, you can hear the piglets screaming in fear and pain. These pigs will either be killed soon after this abuse, or transported to other fairs to race until they aren’t of use anymore.

HORSE RACES

Many fairs also feature horseracing or other contests involving horses, practices which confine, injure, and kill horses every year.

Click here to learn more about horse racing.

EXOTIC ANIMALS

Some fairs have exotic animals for sale, display, or in petting zoo type set-ups. The New York State Fair and others also displays large exotic animals like giraffes, kangaroos, and zebras in small enclosures in a petting zoo. Visitors are encouraged at the NY State Fair to feed the giraffe and zebra carrots (signage pictured below). This is extremely harmful and is only done for profit as there is no educational or even agricultural message. These species are not domesticated so they have a very low tolerance for humans, and this sort of display causes a lot of suffering and harm. This sort of display and loud environment is the opposite of natural and is extremely harmful and abusive.

FAIRS ARE BUILT ON ANIMAL EXPLOITATION.

We hope to encourage more people to forego attending their local state and county fairs, and to encourage local businesses to withdraw their support from these events. The future could be full of anima-free fairs if we work together!

We have a coalition of many animal focused organizations spreading this information annually now and you can find out about all of them at the bottom of this page.

No matter what the weather is, our rescued animals need to be fed, their homes need to be cleaned, and many of them need medication and other treatments. But not only do we need to look after 300 rescued animals, but we also have to look after ourselves! If any of us are out of commission we can’t effectively care for our residents. So during weather like this we have to strike a balance between getting everything done that needs to be done in a timely manner, and taking breaks to hydrating and pace ourselves.

Passing out ice and high water content produce is one of the time consuming tasks that gets added on to the list when it’s this hot. We freeze a lot of water, prepare frozen treats, chop up melons, and go up and down the Sanctuary making sure all the groups who need some get some.

We care for many pigs in a range of ages, from very young (not yet 2!) to VERY old (20!) and the heat can really affect these sweet residents. Though many of the pigs use the wallows to cool off, not everyone covers themselves in enough mud and some pis have mobility issues that prevent them from getting to a wallow as often as they’d like. (And some pigs just don’t like to share!) So we need to ensure that no one is showing signs of overheating, and making sure we’re there to provide aid when they need it.

The cows have a choice during heatwaves: stay in the barns near the fans, or retreat to the edges of the pasture where they have some access to the woods. While the younger group tends to stay indoors, the older crew opt to seek out those shady spots far away. We also need to ensure their troughs are filled — cows drink A LOT!

We’ve had some major malfunctions in the bunny barn this week, with the rabbit AC continuing to go in and out throughout the day each day. We’ve been doing our best to repair it continually and relocate rabbits who need it to other barns where they can be monitored. But this is the struggle of being an organization located where the AC is only needed a fraction of the year—it’s tough to know how functional everything is when you store it most of the year and just drag it all out for these hot weeks!

The bird residents, especially though rescued from the meat industry, have a particularly hard time with the hear and so we sometimes need to move and rearrange groups so they are all cool enough and have enough air circulation.

During prep for all of this heat, we were also running our annual Woodstock Giving campaign. Usually after Woodstock Giving Week each year, we get excited about coming onto social media and celebrating hitting our matched funds goal. Summer is usually a pretty relaxed time of year where we can reach people and share our work, but as we’re sure everyone’s kind of aware at this point—this summer has been very different. Everyone is just trying to stay afloat, and so unfortunately despite our best efforts, we finished the week very far behind.

We’re so appreciative of every single person who’s contributed to the care of the rescued animals here, and we want to ensure you’re in the loop about how everything’s going here. We spoke to the people matching funds and they’ve agreed to extend the match until the end of the month, so we’ll keep working hard. You can donate here and have your donation MATCHED until the end of June. And of course we will continue giving around the clock care to the hundreds of rescued animals here at Woodstock. We hope everyone is staying safe, cool, and taking care of themselves. Things are hard for everyone right now but we’ll weather it together.

Simba, who is 10, and Pinocchio, who is 13, are bonded potbelly pigs who needed a place to go after the rescue who took them in, Wayward Ranch, made the hard decision to close. They were very concerned about these two finding a home that met all their needs, and we knew we had the knowledge to care for these friends.

In their lives before rescue, both of these pigs were misrepresented as “teacup” pigs who would stay tiny forever. Because teacup pigs don’t exist and Simba grew to the size of a regular potbelly, he was passed around to a number of different homes who did not care for him properly. When Simba finally arrived at Wayward Ranch, he had a hard time adjusting to life with other pigs until he met Pinocchio.

Pinocchio had a more stable life but when his human got sick and could no longer care for him, the nearby neighbors said they planned on eating him. Fortunately Wayward Ranch was able to get him to safety. Simba and Pinocchio really bonded and comforted each other at the rescue, but when the rescue had to close their doors there was concern about these two being able to stay together.

With potbelly pigs as old as 20 living here, we knew we had the experience to take care of Simba and Pinocchio and we’re so grateful that when we asked for your help taking them in, you responded.

More good news: It’s still Woodstock Giving Week this week, and so ALL DONATIONS ARE STILL MATCHED! Any donations make it possible for us to continue doing rescues like this. Please give and have your donation DOUBLED before Sunday at midnight!

WAYS TO GIVE and support the Sanctuary:

https://secure.everyaction.com/NY6UUJyG7ECbDMQTRI-0Gg2

VENMO: Woodstock-Sanctuary

PAYPAL: paypaldonation@woodstocksanctuary.org

It seems like not a day goes by without headlines that are directly impacting the queer community in our country. And unlike years past when many businesses sponsored Pride events, we’re seeing news of businesses pulling their sponsorships, proving how little of a stake they have in the rights and needs of the LGBTQ+ community. For these businesses, Pride is a strategic decision that they can renege on at any time. Here at Woodstock, we don’t feel that way. We celebrate a Pride year-round, in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community members. Gender, sexuality, and orientation are a vast spectrum both in humans and other species. And we believe that collective liberation includes all species. Our community is large and diverse, and we will always stand up for the LGBTQ+ individuals in it. Queer love is everywhere.

This year is also the six year anniversary of the day little piglets Marsha and Harvey came to us - we drove to pick them up at Rancho Relaxo, after they’d been discovered in a box labeled “discarded runts” by an activist and taken there.

Marsha is named after Marsha P Johnson, a key Black queer activist who participated in Stonewall in 1969. Marsha’s friend Harvey was named after Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. Naming the rescued piglets after these prominent figures in queer history was our way of honoring the activists who have done so much to fight for the human liberation of LGBTQ+ individuals. Harvey passed away in 2020 from medical complications, a devastating loss for the Sanctuary and all the staff here who loved and cared for him. We miss Harvey every day but are so grateful to be watching Marsha thrive with her best friend Ari, and look forward to caring for them both for many more years.

Then of course we have Sylvia pig, rescued after falling off a transport truck in the summer of 2023. We named her after Sylvia Rivera, another prominent trans activist figure at Stonewall. And then we have Angela sheep, named after lesbian political activist, philosopher, and academic Angela Davis. And in the future we’re sure we will try to honor other changemakers like these.

But not everyone is happy to see an animal sanctuary uplifting other causes.

It’s 2025 and we still get comments like this:

Why do so many people push back against the idea of including multiple marginalized groups in their animal activism? After all, we are all animals. And nonhuman animals both in the wild and in domestic situations have been observed to have their own queer communities. Collective liberation is a big part of our values—thought we work mostly with nonhuman animals we know that no one is free until all of us are free, from all backgrounds, orientations, and species.

We cannot achieve animal liberation without also fighting for the liberation of other communities because we are all connected.

The systems that keep species like pigs confined and exploited are the same systems that target Black and Brown neighborhoods with their pollution of the air and water. The systems that try to convince us that other sentient beings are less worthy of life than humans are the same systems that try to convince us that some human lives are worth more than others. The systems that normalize the commodification of cows’ reproductive systems are the same systems seeking to control the reproductive rights of humans. We need to pay attention to these connections or we will get nowhere.

P.S. If you are looking for Pride gear this year, don’t get it from a company who might just decide to look the other way next year when it’s not profitable for them anymore. Purchases from our store benefit the hundreds of rescued animals here, and wearing these messages reinforce the idea that liberation is intersectional. Be proud all year.

A young cow from a Paterson, New Jersey, slaughterhouse managed to run for his life, following his instincts as he charged onto the streets. The scene that unfurled was covered by live TV: police cars trailed him, with officers shouting out and news helicopters hovering above. People watched as he dodged cars and sped past windows. He lost his ear tag during his dash to freedom.

He didn’t have his own name yet. He still wanted to live.

Newspapers from around the country covered the incident, and thanks to the coverage Woodstock Farm Sanctuary was able to get involved. And thank goodness – with the help of a volunteer, the “owner” of this cow agreed to surrender him to the Sanctuary.

Soon, a trailer was on its way to this cow to bring him to his new home. A new life and a new opportunity were waiting for him! Though the negotiations were tenuous – with threats of still sending this cow to “another farm” hanging in the air – at the end, the cow got on the trailer safely and was able to start his journey to safety. The public cheered at his release, and it was even shown on Fox and Friends!

The cow – now named Mikey - had not yet regained his composure when he reached Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. Animals who are intended to be slaughtered often have both physical and emotional wounds. Still, when he had time and comfortable bedding, his hardened edges started to melt away. We helped him recover, gave him healthy meals, a cozy bed, and allowed him to feel safe.

That was followed by introductions. Of humans on staff – and of course, other rescued cows.

We introduced Mikey to Kayli and Maybelle, two cows who had survived, recovered, and learned to trust again. A wonderful thing happened: they became fast friends. Mikey discovered his group.

These events are not unique in the sanctuary world, but they are significant every single time. Every saved life stands for all those who did not make it, but every survivor is why we carry on. The cow whose story fascinated so many didn’t only escape; he was going on to something even more purposeful: representing those who didn’t make it.

Mikey didn’t realize when he ran that he would find safety here at Woodstock. But he did.

Many years later, he still enjoys being with his family, resting peacefully and exploring the young green grass he almost never got see. You can't see fear in him now. He can live as he pleases. The lessons from his rescue story still inspire resistance and strength in others who hear it.

We believe that every animal should have the opportunity for a safe life in places like Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. They are sentient beings, not objects.

🧡 If you want more animals like Mikey to get support and safety, please get involved. You can donate monthly, be a sponsor for a resident or help spread this story to as many people as you can. All of us are working towards a world where there is more compassion.