In His Own Words
Gene Baur, President and Co-founder, Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986 to expose the abuses of factory farming, change how society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living.
I co-founded Farm Sanctuary in 1986 and started visiting farms, stockyards, and slaughterhouses to document conditions, raise awareness and combat abuses in our food system. I started rescuing living animals who had been left for dead, which led to our sanctuaries.
We’ve rescued thousands of animals from cruel conditions and have been able to expose and challenge systemic factory farming abuses, including laws to restrict the intensive confinement of animals in cages and crates where they can barely move.
We offer opportunities for people to connect with farm animals at our shelters, and many have told us that this has been a profound, life-altering experience.
It’s important to be respectful and kind, especially to those who you disagree with, and rather than focusing on disagreements, it’s helpful to find common ground and build from there.
One of our most important organizational values is that we speak to people where they are on their own journeys and that it’s helpful to dwell in and be inspired by positive steps, rather than to be discouraged by obstacles.
