Animal Resident Program
Our Animals
Join our Sponsor-a-Farm-Animal program
We invite you to become part of the Herd and Flock family by sponsoring one of our beloved permanent residents pictured below with monthly payments. When you sponsor an animal, you’ll receive a personalized card in the mail featuring your chosen friend’s photo and story, along with quarterly email updates about their life at the sanctuary.
Your sponsorship helps provide fresh feed and hay to keep our animals healthy, soft bedding to keep them warm and clean, and enrichment activities that keep them curious and happy. You will also be offered a free visit to the sanctuary to meet your sponsored animal as well as the rest of our residents.
Most importantly, your support sustains our mission to provide lifelong refuge for animals rescued from the meat and dairy industries, to celebrate the individual worth and dignity of every animal, and to inspire compassion through education and the promotion of a plant-based lifestyle. 
How to Sponsor Your Animal
1️⃣ Click the “Sponsor” button next to your chosen resident’s photo.
2️⃣ Choose your monthly donation amount & fill out payment information
Finn’s life started at a dairy, but on his first day he was taken from his mother and sent to a veal operation, where he was chained to a hutch and forced to stand in his own filth. For a newborn calf, it must have been terrifying and unbearably lonely.
But Finn had a spark in him—and one day, that spark said, Nope. I’m out of here.
Somehow Finn managed to yank himself free, dragging along a whole chunk of the hutch that was still attached to the chain around his neck. He wandered onto a nearby road where an animal lover happened upon him, scooped him up, and brought him to a farm sanctuary. And that’s where Finn met Han, another rescued calf. From the moment they touched noses, the two became inseparable.
Today, Finn lives at Herd and Flock, where he spends his days lounging next to his buddy Han, quietly chewing his cud. No chains. No filth. No fear.
Today, Finn calls Herd and Flock home, where he spends his days grazing peacefully with his sanctuary brothers Han and Rocky. He’s living proof of resilience, friendship, and the healing power of compassion.
Arco (right) was discovered in an abandoned field in Fairfield, right next to—you guessed it—an Arco gas station! She wouldn’t have lasted long out there: domestic rabbits can’t handle the scorching inland California heat and there was no dependable water source nearby. It’s likely she was abandoned by someone who no longer wanted her.
When Herd and Flock learned about the rabbits living in that field, we teamed up with friends to safely catch as many as possible. In total, we rescued six rabbits, including Arco.
One of the others soon gave birth—twice! Her second litter included Chidi, born to a brave mom who carried two litters at once (yes, rabbits can do that—who knew?). When Chidi grew up, we introduced him to Arco, hoping they might become companions, since rabbits are social and thrive in pairs. It was a perfect match. 💕
Now Arco and Chidi spend their days sharing sunny spots, hunting for hidden treats, and joyfully zooming around their enclosure.
As a baby, Olivia was crammed onto a crowded transport truck with hundreds of other piglets, destined for slaughter. Somehow—through luck, courage, or sheer will—she escaped, tumbling or jumping from the truck onto Highway 12 in Contra Costa County. Miraculously, she suffered only a few cuts and bruises before being taken by animal control to the county shelter.
When Herd and Flock heard her story, we knew she belonged here. The notches in her ears—a painful mutilation used for identification—told us she’d come from industrial farming. Now a beautiful 450-pound Yorkshire pig, Olivia has blossomed into an inquisitive, confident girl who loves to check in on the humans whenever they enter her paddock. Always impatient when food is involved, she bangs on the barn stall door when she hears her meal being prepared. Watermelon, apples, and pumpkin are her absolute favorite treats.
Olivia spends her days basking in the sun and sharing her pasture with her best friends Luther, Tommy, and Diego—a happy ending for a pig who once found herself lost on the highway, and a daily reminder of what freedom looks like. 
Sherman is a Cornish X rooster, a breed selectively bred for the meat industry to grow unnaturally large, very fast. Because of that, Cornish X chickens have big appetites and would overeat if allowed—so we carefully manage his diet to keep him healthy. Even with close care, Sherman’s size puts pressure on his feet, leaving him prone to painful sores. We limit his movement when needed to prevent infection, ensuring this sweet boy stays comfortable and safe.
Sherman narrowly escaped death as a chick at an annual religious ritual in New York City known as Kaporos, where chickens are swung around by their legs before having their throats’ cut. Thankfully, compassionate rescuers intervened and brought Sherman and others to safety on the West Coast.
Sherman now lives a peaceful life at Herd and Flock, where his calm, contemplative nature is clear to everyone who meets him—until dinner time, that is, when he can’t help but jump with excitement! He enjoys lounging in soft bedding, soaking up the sunshine, and being cared for by those who adore him. Despite his difficult beginnings, Sherman reminds us every day that even the quietest souls can carry immense strength and grace. 💛
No other word fits Snowflake better than survivor. Born with a cleft palate—a fissure in the roof of her mouth—bits of food often end up in her nasal passage or lungs, leading to chronic pneumonia, a collapsed lung, and abundant snorting noises. On top of it all, Snowflake also has skin cancer. But against all odds, Snowflake has made it to nine years old - a mature age for a goat!
Snowflake came to Herd and Flock with her loving mother, Hunny, from a goat dairy where Hunny was made to have many babies to keep her producing milk. The dairy owner was concerned Snowflake might spread illness but kindly allowed both mother and daughter to find sanctuary here.
Despite her health challenges, Snowflake is one of our most outgoing and affectionate goats. She adores human company and never says no to a good back scratch. Her favorite snacks are watermelon, grapes, and pineapple.
Snowflake’s courage and cheerful spirit remind us every day that love and care can turn even the hardest beginnings into joyful, snort-filled lives. 💕
Adobo spent the first seven years of his life living in an apartment in Oakland, where his owner took him for regular leash walks around the neighborhood. When COVID hit, Adobo was brought to the Oakland shelter, but they did not have proper facilities for a pig.
Herd and Flock agreed to foster him, and it didn’t take long for Adobo to steal our hearts completely. Now, he’s here to stay for good—and we couldn’t be happier.
Adobo enjoys head and belly rubs and the joy of burrowing deep into a straw pile on chilly days until he disappears completely. He shares his pasture (and his adventures) with his best buddy, Samson, and together they make quite the dynamic duo. Adobo is proof that even city pigs can find their happily-ever-after in the countryside.
Ernie is one of four special chickens at Herd and Flock who came to us “debeaked.” As chicks, their top beaks were removed—most likely at a feed store, though no one knows exactly why. In factory or overcrowded environments, the ends of chickens’ beaks are sometimes cut off (without pain relief) to prevent pecking injuries. In this case, it seems someone inexperienced took too much, leaving the birds unable to eat properly.
Many of the chicks didn’t survive, but a few brave souls did—and they were taken in by several sanctuaries including Herd and Flock.
At first, Ernie and her three friends managed to eat on their own, but when they began losing weight, we stepped in to hand-feed them twice a day. Now, they’re thriving—keeping their weight up, enjoying time in the sunshine, scratching in the dirt, and living peacefully among friends.
Ernie may be small, but her resilience and gentle spirit remind us daily of why everyone deserves a second chance. 💕
IN MEMORY OF TONY
Tony’s life began in hardship. Born at a dairy, he was immediately stolen from his birth mom and sent to auction when he was only a day or two old. The person who purchased him had no idea how to care for a newborn calf, and before long, Tony was gravely ill with malnutrition, salmonella, and other serious conditions.
Just in time, compassionate rescuers from MixTape and Only Sunshine Sanctuaries stepped in and rushed him to UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. It was touch and go for a while, but Tony pulled through—proving even then the strength of his spirit.
After months of love and care, Tony was ready for his forever home at Herd and Flock where he quickly became part of our family. He loved napping in the sun, leaning in for affection from his best friends Han, Finn, and Rocky, and savoring his favorite treats—pumpkin and watermelon.
Though his early suffering left unseen scars, Tony’s five years were filled with love, peace, and friendship. His passing came suddenly, and despite a thorough examination, the cause was never found. But one thing is certain—Tony was deeply loved by everyone who knew him, from his first rescuers to Herd and Flock’s co-founders, staff, and volunteers and many others.
Today, a bench bearing Tony’s name and photo sits on the sanctuary grounds, a quiet place to rest and remember the sweet calf who beat the odds—and stole so many hearts.