We provide a safe forever home to farm animals in need.
At Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary, we take in animals of all ages, from a variety of backgrounds. Some have been rescued from truly dire circumstances, while others have enjoyed happy lives with loving owners who simply found themselves unable to care for their companion.
Some examples of where animals may come from are:
- Trading Standards who have confiscated animals being treated cruelly.
- NGOs and rescue facilities that don’t have the capacity to care for farm animals.
- Private individuals handing in pets (e.g. when owners are unable to cope with the growth of ‘micro’ pigs).
- Individual farm animals who have been found straying or injured.
- ‘Retired’ laying hens and other animals who are no longer commercially profitable.
- Farmers who have decided to change career or retire.
Animal care
Upon arrival at our sanctuary, all animals are checked over to assess their health and general condition, regardless of where they have come from. We work closely with a knowledgeable veterinary team to put any necessary treatment or rehabilitation plans in place.
Once their initial quarantine period is over, we’ll think very carefully about where to place the new arrival(s). With every animal, we take time and care to ensure they’re integrated sensitively into sanctuary life, for example, situated with other animals of a similar age or temperament. While some animals thrive on social interaction, others do not. In these instances, we’ll finder a quieter area of our sanctuary, away from visitors, where the animals can settle in.
We keep a very close eye on all our residents, carrying out daily health checks and consistently monitoring their wellbeing to ensure they are happy, healthy, and well settled.
Our sanctuary
When you come to Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary, you will see that it simply doesn’t look like a cramped farm – instead, our animals have ample space to enjoy their new lives. Every resident has a warm, sheltered place to spend the night, and the freedom to enjoy days frolicking around large pastures, rooting in native woodland, or exploring the sanctuary yard and garden.
We are passionate about providing better lives for rescued animals. This means that we will never overcrowd our sanctuary, and we will always ensure each resident is cared for as a valued individual. All of our animals are known by name and we take the time to get to know each of their unique personalities. Many of our animals come from difficult backgrounds, so our Animal Care Team make sure that care is tailored to each individual depending on their needs.
We know that feeding animals and keeping them healthy is not enough. Just like ourselves and our pets, farmed animals need fun and intrigue in their lives too. As a result, we provide a range of enrichment for our residents to make sure they stay curious and stimulated throughout their lives.
Beyond rescue
Rescue alone is not the solution. We must change the public perception of animals and urge others to opt for more compassionate and sustainable lifestyle choices – ones which do not result in the exploitation of animals.
We’re delighted to be able to help so many animals in need, but we know that there are millions more animals trapped in the cruel settings. That’s why we’re expanding our education, outreach, and campaigning work. By providing the public with well-researched, trustworthy information, we hope to raise awareness of the plight of animals and help people to move away from driving demand for animal products.
Education & Outreach
By providing reliable information in an accessible and engaging way, we aim to help everyone think more clearly about their choices and the way we treat some animals.
Advocacy Work
We back campaigns that expose areas of cruelty and neglect in animal farming, sometimes highlighting breaches of the law and the need for better animal welfare legislation.
