RESCUED FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY SURRENDER POLICY
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Rescued Friends Animal Sanctuary is a place where all animals are friends. We provide a forever home to abused, neglected, or unwanted farm animals. We do not purchase animals, nor do we breed animals. All animals in our care are in their forever home, we do not adopt animals out. Generally, we do not take owner-surrendered animals, although we get hundreds of calls a year for this. We do make exceptions, and this policy is outlined below with our reasoning.
Species-appropriate biosecurity testing will be required before we can house an incoming animal. Medical records, if available, are appreciated. All males (aside from birds) need to be neutered prior to arrival at Rescued Friends or appropriate arrangements made with our approval. Additional requirements are noted below in the species-specific surrender policy.
We are not a boarding facility. If we accept your surrendered animal, they will not be returned to you. No exceptions.
We are currently at capacity and any requests will be referred to other sanctuaries or waitlisted. In the case we are able to accept an owner-surrendered animal, we require a surrender fee in relation to that animals’ continued care and feed. The most surrender-requested animals are roosters, chickens and pot-bellied or mini pigs. Because of this, shelters and sanctuaries are overrun with surrender requests for these animals and generally cannot accommodate more without donations for expanded housing and care.
Pot-bellied or “Mini” Pig Surrender
With the growing population of people purchasing pigs as pets and the myths surrounding the size of what a mini pig will be at maturity, thousands of pigs are now finding themselves homeless and abandoned. Despite what breeders will say to make a quick dollar, mini pigs are typically over 100 pounds and are classified as any pig under 300 pounds. We encourage people to do research before welcoming a pig into their home and always adopt one of the many pigs currently needing a home.
Pigs MUST be spayed or neutered and must have recent hoof and/or tusk trims prior to surrender.
$1000 surrender fee in cash or money order is required in order to provide necessary expansion of proper housing, fencing and feeding for your pig. This amount is per pig.
Transport to the sanctuary must be provided by the surrendering party.
We require a signed contract stating that you agree to never purchase farm animals in the future and that if you adopt animals your home is properly zoned to keep those animals regardless of sex or size.
Rooster Surrender
Homeless roosters are the heart-breaking side effect from backyard chicken keeping. When you purchase chicks, 30% are incorrectly sexed and nearly every backyard flock ends up with a rooster even though this was unintended by the purchaser. We receive over 100 requests to take in unwanted roosters every year. Our requirements for surrendering a rooster may appear strict, but we are attempting to mitigate a widespread problem created by people buying chicks and/or hatching eggs.
When we take in a rooster from a private party, we require the surrender of his entire flock. It’s emotionally stressful for a rooster to suddenly lose his flock and it isn’t his fault that you chose to keep chickens somewhere that doesn’t also allow roosters. All hens at Rescued Friends are in a flock with a rooster they are bonded to, therefore your rooster would have no companions.
$1000 surrender fee in cash or money order is required to purchase a suitable housing for him and his flock which ensures he is safe from being injured by current resident roosters and they are all safe from predators.
We require a signed contract stating that you agree to never purchase farm animals in the future and that if you adopt animals your home is properly zoned to keep those animals regardless of sex or size.
Hen Surrender
Due to the growing popularity of keeping backyard chickens, once the hens stop producing the desired amount of eggs, they find themselves unwanted so their owner can make room for new chicks. This cycle is never-ending and is no fault of the hens that their bodies slow down egg production.
All our hens at Rescued Friends are in flocks, and introducing a new hen is stressful for all involved and sometimes even dangerous for all parties. All hens must go into a separate quarantine area for 60 days before we can even attempt to introduce them into one of our current flocks. Our quarantine areas are not always available and often there is a waitlist to get a hen (or any animal for that matter) in.
$1000 surrender fee in cash or money order is required to purchase a suitable housing for her as well as an implant to keep her from getting reproductive disease or egg impaction (both are very common when hens start slowing down egg production).
We require a signed contract stating that you agree to never purchase farm animals in the future and that if you adopt animals your home is properly zoned to keep those animals regardless of sex or size.