Looking Back on 2025
It’s snowing at the Sanctuary today—it’s been a very cold and snowy start to the winter. As the cows, turkeys, ducks, geese, goats, sheeps, chickens, and pigs step out of the coops and barns and set new tracks in the fresh snow, I wanted to share what has happened here at Woodstock Sanctuary in 2025. It has not been an easy year, but we are still here and are still dedicated to this work of lifesaving, sanctuary, and impactful advocacy.
Colin and Heathcliff, both dairy rescues
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
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!
Peach right after giving birth to James
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.
Pinocchio and Simba
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.
The two pigs who almost came 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.
Ruthie and Franklin
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
Remy saying hello to visitors
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 an incredible intern...
“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