Our tranquil California sanctuary fosters freedom for humans and nonhumans
Welcome to Freedom Farms, a new vegan sanctuary and home headquarters for In Defense of Animals, dedicated to our ideals of defending animals, their advocates, and the planet. Freedom Farms is located in central California on 44 acres of fields, forest, and a river. It was formerly a celebrity compound for Hollywood royalty; Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher.
Freedom Farms is home to dozens of animals, some saved from slaughter. They include cows, equines, deer, ducks, and peacocks. They live happily and peacefully at the sanctuary, receiving love, care, and veterinary attention. They are free to roam, graze, play, and socialize with their friends.
Our dream is for Freedom Farms to one day serve as a center for humane education, advocacy, and outreach. It is an ideal place to come for workshops, retreats, and special events focused on positive personal actions to create a compassionate world. We aim to offer tours, events, and volunteer opportunities for people who want to make the world a better place for animals and humans alike.
We are always looking for ways to improve our sanctuary and help more needy animals. We are currently fixing up the existing structures on the property such as the barns, sheds, and houses. Our dearest wish right now is to build a shelter for the cows to keep them safe.
We hope you will join us in our mission to create a more compassionate world for all beings.
If you have any questions about Freedom Farms or suggestions we haven’t covered here, please email us at info@idausa.org. We would love to hear from you!
What Is Freedom Farms
Background
Freedom Farms was acquired as our newest sanctuary in December 2022. President Dr. Marilyn Kroplick negotiated a generous offer for the San Rafael office, then purchased Freedom Farms from movie director Todd Fisher. The property was a celebrity compound for Hollywood royalty, Debbie Reynolds and Star Wars actress, Carrie Fisher. The sanctuary and refuge spans over 44 acres of lush pastures and woods, and features a variety of housing and habitat for animals and humans.
Mission
Our mission at Freedom Farms is to rescue and care for animals in need, while promoting animal rights, veganism, and coexistence. We believe all beings deserve the freedom to live, and a place to heal from past trauma.
Animal Residents
We currently provide a home to a variety of animals, including cows, birds, equines, rabbits, and deer. Many of our animals were rescued, chose to make the sanctuary their home, or have lived here for generations.
Sustainability
Freedom Farms has its own solar farm, and we plan to manage the sanctuary sustainably. Not only are we focusing on low-impact living, we want to regenerate tired soils and become self-sufficient to feed the animals, staff, and guests.
Visiting Freedom Farms*
We aim to welcome visitors to Freedom Farms who will respect the animals and their environment during their visit, and long after they leave! We will offer guided tours of the property, as well as opportunities to interact with the animals and learn more about animal rights and veganism.
Volunteering at Freedom Farms*
We will need to rely on the help of volunteers to keep the sanctuary running smoothly and to provide the best care possible for our animal residents. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us at info@idausa.org.
Supporting Freedom Farms
As a nonprofit organization, we rely on donations to fund our operations and provide for our animal residents. If you would like to support our mission to give all beings the freedom to live without trauma, please consider making a donation.
How We Help
We rescue unwanted domestic animals at our sanctuary and provide a peaceful refuge for wild animals:
- Horse - 1 horse rescued from the cruel horseracing industry
- Cats - 6 community cats living on the sanctuary
- Peacocks - 4 abandoned peacocks rehomed themselves here
- Ducks - 4 mallards chose our pond as their home
- Rabbits - numerous rabbits hop happily around the farm
- Deer - one huge herd of soulful deer roam the property
- Cows - 15 cows escaped a future of cruelty. But they are still in danger without proper shelter — please donate here!
We also aim to create freedom from trauma through on-site programs in future.*
What You Can Do
- Subscribe and get the latest Freedom Farms news in your inbox
- Sponsor* one of our sanctuary residents.
- Volunteer* at Freedom Farms. We rely on the help of volunteers to keep the sanctuary running smoothly and to provide the best care possible for our animal residents. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us at info@idausa.org.
- Support Freedom Farms with a regular donation. As a non-profit organization, we rely on donations to fund our operations and provide for our animal residents. If you would like to support our mission, please consider making a donation on our website.
*Coming Soon. Freedom Farms is a work in progress. We are focusing on the needs of our animal residents first. Thank you for your patience and support so together we can make animal dreams come true! If you have ideas, feedback, or want to offer your support in other ways, please let us know at info@idausa.org
16 cows
6 cats, 2 peacocks, 1 dog, 1 horse and 1 donkey, plus many rabbits, birds, ducks and deer
44 acres
in California’s central valley
