Recent Events at the Farmed Animal Sanctuary – September 2025
As the seasons shift and the days grow shorter, the sanctuary is brimming with stories of hope, hard work, and community. From rabbits finding safe new homes, to students learning about compassion in action, to big barn transformations that make life better for our animals—there’s so much to share. We’re grateful for your support in helping us create a world where every rescued animal can live with safety, dignity, and love. Read on to see what we’ve been up to this fall and how you can join us in the work ahead.
Adopt-a-Rabbit!
Cotton Candy at Breakfast
With more than 130 animals at the sanctuary, our rabbits bring a special kind of joy to our daily work. Many of our rabbits came from being dumped in a field following Easter, and now enjoy soft hay beds, fresh greens, and gentle human company. We currently have 9 adoptable rabbits who are ready for loving homes—find our page on PetFinder.
Rabbit Outdoor Play Area
Whether caring for a companion animal or a farm animal, it is important to allow them the space and conditions so that they may engage in natural behaviors. That is why we’ve been working hard to design an outdoor play area where our foster rabbits can explore, run, and dig. Like any sanctuary project, this comes with risks (predators, disease exposure, stress), but our team has studied best practices, consulted experts, and put mitigations in place—secure fencing, predator guards, supervised time, and rotation schedules. This area will not only enrich the lives of our residents, but also serve as a point of education for rabbit adopters. All nine of our current rabbit friends are available for adoption.
Farewell to Gideon
Gideon feeding Big Bird Rooster
We bid a heartfelt farewell to Gideon, who has been a cornerstone of Herd & Flock for the past 2.5 years. He helped us grow from a small team into an organization with 6 employees and over 130 rescued residents. His leadership touched every part of the sanctuary—from our adoption program to our HR systems. We know Gideon will carry his compassion and leadership into whatever he does next, and he’ll always be part of the Herd & Flock family.
LEAP kickoff!
Three LEAP students say hi to Finn Steer
We are welcoming 8 high school students to participate in an educational program about the humane treatment of animals and the harm caused by factory farming to workers, animals, consumers, and the planet. We will meet them once a month through the school year for workshops and they will volunteer four hours per month doing farm chores. Two students will win $500 scholarships at the end of the school year.
If you are interested in sponsoring a scholarship, please email info@herdandflockanimalsanctuary.org
Click this link to find out more about LEAP.
Rescuing chickens bred for meat
Moneek and Dr. Galusha of Winged Wellness treat Deebo Rooster.
Two Cornish X roosters–Deebo and Sherman–have had constant struggles with life-threatening infections in their feet, but they continue their inspiring progress. Their breed is designed for rapid growth, which comes with health challenges—but with care and compassion, they’re living fuller, longer lives. These particular Cornish X were rescued from an annual religious ritual in NYC known as “Kaporos”.
We’re preparing to foster new Kaporos rescues this season, which means extra bedding, feed, and medical supplies. During this annual ritual, thousands of Cornish chickens are used as live sacrifices on city streets, often left in inhumane conditions before being discarded. Together with our rescue partners, we’re able to provide a home for survivors. For the last three years, we have served as the West Coast hub for Kaporos refugees, fostering them until their forever homes are ready for them.
Your donations directly support this life-saving work. Stay tuned for their star turn on our social media in early October.
Check out this article calling for more humane alternatives.
In Other News…
New Blue Barn: We recently won a contest to have our Red Barn painted—a project that couldn’t have come at a better time. The barn’s paint was long overdue for a refresh, and this makeover has given new life to one of the sanctuary’s most beloved spaces. Thank you to Brooks Painting of Davis for selecting Herd & Flock for your 2025 Charity Paint event.
The iconic Red Barn in the center of the pasture before the upgrade.
Our new Blue Barn thanks to Brooks Painting of Davis.
Drainage: A Big Thanks to our neighbor Mike, the man with the plan. The last few winters we have had mud, mud, mud, so Mike and his tractor have been moving all kinds of earth around so that water will drain down to the creek instead of into our pastures.
Pigeon Palace: thanks to Mark, Marco, and the “Pigeon Pals”—Nicole, Leise, and Adrienne—for their energy and commitment to a new aviary project. Our flock of 55 pigeons will be moving from a 10×30 foot space to a barn that is 30×40 feet, giving them more room to fly, perch, and socialize. [BTW – did you know that pigeons can live 30 years and they mate for life?]
Our Board Needs You
H&F Advocacy Committee is now accepting volunteers. If you’ve ever wanted to turn your compassion into action, this is a great entry point. Choose to work on a single project while learning how our Board works to create lasting meaningful change. Reach out to Katie at katie@herdandflockanimalsanctuary.org for more info.
Come Celebrate with Herd & Flock This Fall!
We’re excited to be part of these fantastic fall festivals—mark your calendars and come say hello!
📍 Sonoma VegFest
September 27 | 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa
📍SacTown VegFest
October 11 | 11:00 AM-4:00PM
Consumnes River College, Sacramento
📍Trick & Treat Vegan Halloween Market
October 25 | 11 AM-4:00PM
Fair Oaks Village
📍SF World VegFest
November 1 | 11:00 AM-5:00PM
1111 Gough St., San Francisco
📍Animal Run 5K Tofurkey Trot
November 27 | 9AM
San Leandro Marina
Donations in Kind
Did you know we could make great use with a few gently used items? If you’d like to donate any of the following, please contact Meghan at meghan@herdandflockanimalsanctuary.org.
- Metal Cabinets, 2-4 needed
- Metal Wire Shelves, stand alone
- Yard tools and workshop tools