Explore every episode of the podcast The Open Sanctuary Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 68 - All About Internships For Your Animal Sanctuary Or Rescue | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:28:53 | |
In this episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss the legal and ethical parameters of creating effective internship programs for your farmed animal sanctuary. Internship programs can be a way to create capacity at your sanctuary, but they also require careful planning, and we're here to run you through it all! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! Send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! To become a Friend of the Open Sanctuary Project, donate $10 or more monthly here! | |||
| 67 - Responding To Loose And Missing Residents At Your Animal Sanctuary | 17 Aug 2026 | 00:25:37 | |
Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss scenarios where caregivers must cope with a loose or missing resident. We cover three areas of focus when responding to a loose resident, discuss what to consider if you can't find a resident, and offer suggestions for what you can do before and after an event to best protect your residents! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! To become a Friend of the Open Sanctuary Project, donate $10 or more monthly here! | |||
| 66 - "Five Things I Wish I knew" With Kim Sturla, Founder Of Animal Place | 06 Aug 2026 | 00:55:28 | |
Julia, the Nonprofit Specialist at The Open Sanctuary Project, sits down with Animal Place Founder and Open Sanctuary Project Board Member Kim Sturla to continue our series sharing invaluable perspectives from leaders in the sanctuary and rescue world. In addition to founding Animal Place, Kim also served as Executive Director for a humane society, as well as the Education Director at Fund For Animals, and worked on many legislative campaigns to improve animal lives. Julia and Kim discuss five key points Kim wishes she had known before getting started in sanctuary and advocacy work- a conversation not to be missed! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! To become a Friend of the Open Sanctuary Project, donate $10 or more monthly here! | |||
| 65 - The Golden Years: Senior Care Considerations at Your Animal Sanctuary | 20 Jul 2026 | 00:26:33 | |
Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss senior sanctuary residents. They talk about how aspects of senior care may impact sanctuary capacity, but also create opportunities for animal advocates to expand their narratives! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! To become a Friend of the Open Sanctuary Project, donate $10 or more monthly here! | |||
| 64 - Don't Eat That! Foreign Body Ingestion At Animal Sanctuaries | 25 Jun 2026 | 00:32:42 | |
Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss how to take steps to prevent, recognize, and address foreign body ingestion by sanctuary residents. While every resident can be at risk of doing this, the degree of risk can vary, and there are action steps you can take to prevent it! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! To become a Friend of the Open Sanctuary Project, donate $10 or more monthly here! | |||
| 63 - "Five Things I Wish I Knew" With Alastor Van Kleeck of Microsanctuary Resource Center | 12 Jun 2026 | 00:56:47 | |
Julia, the Nonprofit Specialist at The Open Sanctuary Project, sits down with friend and colleague Alastor Van Kleeck to launch a new interview series dedicated to sharing the invaluable experience and knowledge of leaders in the sanctuary movement. Alastor is an advocate, writer, and educator who wears many hats in the rescue community. Alongside their partner Roz, Alastor founded Triangle Chicken Advocates in North Carolina—a sanctuary that cares for chickens, pigs, dogs, and cats while stewarding a mini-food forest for local wildlife. They also cofounded the Microsanctuary Resource Center (MRC), pioneering a new model for sanctuary by inspiring folks to rescue farmed animals using existing resources and building a vibrant community of activist-caregivers. In this episode, Julia and Alastor dive into a crucial topic for anyone navigating the highs and lows of animal advocacy: the five things Alastor wishes they knew when they first got started in rescue and sanctuary work. Whether you are a seasoned rescuer, a new sanctuary founder, or simply passionate about the movement, this deep dive into the lessons learned along the journey offers essential insights to help folks on the path to lifelong compassionate animal care. To read more from Alastor, visit microsanctuary.org and StrivingWithSystems.com. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
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| 62 - Fire Safety At Your Animal Sanctuary | 28 May 2026 | 00:24:17 | |
Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss a concerning but critical topic: fire safety at animal sanctuaries, a "stuff of nightmares" scenario we believe is essential for every caregiver to confront. We examine the sobering statistics on structure fires and common causes such as electrical issues and spontaneous hay combustion. We also share practical mitigation steps—from removing flammable cobwebs to coordinating with local fire departments—and emphasize the importance of practicing evacuation drills. Stick with us to get informed and protect your residents and caregivers! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 61 - Nonprofit, or not? A Conversation With The Microsanctuary Resource Center | 12 May 2026 | 00:42:47 | |
We're very happy to offer a conversation, hosted by the Microsanctuary Resource Center, with Nonprofit Specialist Julia on the pros and cons of nonprofit status for animal organizations. In it, MRC staff Alastor and Bird discuss with Julia some of the considerations that come into play when deciding whether to go nonprofit! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 60 - Helping Downed Cows At Your Animal Sanctuary | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:33:51 | |
Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss how caregivers can best prepare for a scenario in which a resident cow cannot stand. In this situation, time is of the essence, so having a plan in place is key, as is understanding what to look for when assessing a cow resident who may be having difficulty standing. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 59 - The Open Sanctuary Project's 2025 Year In Review | 04 Dec 2025 | 00:31:28 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia celebrate our eight years of operation by discussing the year in review at The Open Sanctuary Project. We know that our audience of compassionate caregivers are often caught up in the day-to-day work of direct care for animals, so this is your chance to catch up with what's new this year in freely accessible resources to help you do the work of operating your organization and caring for your residents! To get a rundown on the work we've done this year to help you, check out this episode! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 58 - Turkeys Part 2: Welcoming A New Turkey Resident To Your Animal Sanctuary Or Rescue | 13 Nov 2025 | 00:37:13 | |
Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Senior Advisor Tara talk more about turkeys! Building on our last discussion of how turkeys got here and how domestication has impacted them, we talk about the considerations sanctuaries and rescues should keep in mind when welcoming a new turkey resident to ensure all their needs are met! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 57 - Agency-Centered Animal Sanctuary Education Webinar With Dr. Emily Tronetti | 30 Oct 2025 | 00:58:16 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie and Dr. Emily Tronetti of the Institute for Human Education led a special presentation on October 22nd, 2025 on how to nurture farmed animal agency and consent in sanctuary education. This is the audio recording of that presentation. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 56 - Fostering Farmed Animal Agency in Sanctuary Education: Part Three | 16 Oct 2025 | 00:21:21 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie and Dr. Emily Tronetti of the Institute for Human Education discuss agency-centered sanctuary education and its connection to off-site programming. Andie and Emily explore the crucial considerations sanctuaries should make before planning and facilitating any off-site educational program with residents. They also discuss the essential factors that sanctuary educators must consider before and during the event to ensure resident safety and support their agency off-site at all times. Finally, they highlight some of the ways sanctuary educators can provide engaging and enriching educational opportunities at off-site outreach events without including the residents' physical presence. This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 55 - Introduction To Turkeys For Your Animal Sanctuary Or Rescue, Part 1 | 02 Oct 2025 | 00:25:37 | |
Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Senior Advisor Tara talk turkeys! In the first part of our Turkey series, we discuss how domesticated turkeys got here and how that influences their care, as well as many of the considerations that you need to take into account when welcoming a new turkey resident to your sanctuary or rescue! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 54 - When Your Sanctuary Is Contacted To Help Wildlife | 11 Sep 2025 | 00:26:47 | |
Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Community Education Specialist Andie talk about how you might encounter requests outside of the scope of your mission or your capacity generally, and in particular when those requests concern wild living animals. We offer a framework where you can say no, while still offering support, and also what to do when you feel you must say yes! Andie offers additional guidance on safely assisting wild living animals while prioritizing sanctuary staff and resident safety as well! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 53 - Coexisting With Wildlife At Your Animal Sanctuary | 28 Aug 2025 | 00:22:29 | |
Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Community Education Specialist Andie discuss the importance of peaceful and compassionate coexistence with wildlife. Whether it's through careful environmental management, robust predator protection for residents, stringent biosecurity protocols, or engaging educational programs, animal sanctuaries can be at the forefront of demonstrating how humans and wildlife can truly share space compassionately. It's about recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings and actively working to create a safe and harmonious environment for everyone. Just as a gardener carefully tends to a diverse array of plants, cultivating each one to thrive while also fostering a healthy ecosystem that supports beneficial insects and wildlife, a sanctuary cultivates a compassionate environment where all residents —both wild and domesticated — can flourish together. This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 52 - An Introduction To Pigeons For Your Animal Sanctuary Or Rescue | 14 Aug 2025 | 00:25:37 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia dedicate an episode to a specific bird type: Pigeons! Pigeons may not be the first animals you think of when it comes to sanctuary, but they are very special individuals who, for many reasons, may find themselves in need of sanctuary, and they deserve individualized, compassionate care. We discuss some of their background, behaviors, and needs, and ways you can help them! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 51 - How We Update OSP, Plus Major Updates To Our Sanctuary Capacity Resource! | 29 Jul 2025 | 00:24:23 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss what it means to us when we say that The Open Sanctuary Project is a living library. We talk about how and why we perform regular resource updates to address community feedback, integrate new developments in compassionate care and organizational strategies, and more. We also discuss major updates to our foundational resource on sanctuary capacity metrics. Why did we add governance as a capacity metric? How do participatory boards factor in? We hope this episode gives you greater clarity on our update protocols, as well as some new insights on sustainable governance! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 50 - Intro To Sanctuary Sustainability: The Elements Of Organizational Resilience | 17 Jul 2025 | 00:24:21 | |
In the 50th episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss a memorable and actionable definition of sanctuary sustainability and break down its elements. We discuss assessing your current capacity needs and limitations, planning to address them in both the near and distant future, and, crucially, cultivating the resilience to anticipate and strategically adapt to unforeseen future challenges. We also thank our community members and supporters who consistently provide guiding input, and look forward to creating even more resources to make every sanctuary a success story! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 49 - Contingency Planning Basics For Your Animal Organization | 25 Jun 2025 | 00:19:39 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss contingency planning! We discuss the common challenges individuals face when it comes to contingency planning, as well as the various types of events that your organization should prepare for, including organizational challenges, operational challenges, and resident challenges. We offer a simple framework for you and your team to use, which hopefully might help take some of the stress out of it! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 48 - Succession Planning For Animal Sanctuaries, Part 3 | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:22:23 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia conclude their three-part discussion of succession planning! In this episode, we discuss succession planning for executive directors and other key roles at your sanctuary, contingency planning, as well as the importance of day-to-day resident and organizational recordkeeping! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 47 - Succession Planning For Animal Sanctuaries, Part 2 | 22 May 2025 | 00:16:17 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia continue their discussion of succession planning! In our last episode on this subject, we discussed some of the challenges and emotions that can come up regarding succession planning. In this episode, we list some practical steps founders can take to work on a succession plan with their team! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 46 - Succession Planning For Animal Sanctuaries, Part 1 | 08 May 2025 | 00:23:19 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia embark on the first part of an episode series addressing the question of succession in animal sanctuaries and rescues. We discuss some of the challenges (including the emotional ones) that folks may face when considering succession planning. If you have also encountered these feelings, listen on to learn more! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 45 - Advocacy In Animal Sanctuary Spaces | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:15:19 | |
Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Community Education Specialist Andie discuss animal sanctuaries' role as advocates. From a movement standpoint, sanctuaries are essential vectors of change when it comes to society's view of animals. In terms of education and even legal advocacy, sanctuaries do a great deal to change hearts and minds while supporting the compassionate care of animals. We talk about how sanctuary education accomplishes, how sanctuaries can lobby for legal change, and the constraints around legal advocacy. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 44 - Introducing Our New Animal Database System With Kyle Behrend | 09 Apr 2025 | 00:26:58 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and our friend and volunteer Kyle Behrend discuss The Open Sanctuary Project's brand new Animal Database! This project was long requested by the sanctuary community because keeping thorough, up-to-date records of your residents' health and life events is a critical aspect of sanctuary care. To make the record-keeping process as simple and efficient as possible, we teamed up with Kyle to create the Animal Database, which you can now copy and begin using today! Keep listening to learn more about the Database, the thought process behind it, and how to use it! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 43 - An Introduction To Different Animal Sanctuary Staff Roles | 27 Mar 2025 | 00:29:17 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss different staff positions that may benefit operations at your animal sanctuary. Assigning sanctuary tasks to appropriately skilled staff can help maximize your efficiency and effectiveness as an organization, which is very helpful for long-term sustainability! Listen on to learn more about the various roles and responsibilities you can allocate at your sanctuary! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 42 - Three Ways To Minimize Liability At Your Animal Organization | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:33:47 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss three tools The Open Sanctuary Project offers to help your sanctuary minimize liability. These include a resource discussing and analyzing insurance options, a liability waiver template and its accompanying resource, and a free system you can download to easily track visitor liability waivers! To learn more, listen on! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 41 - Sanctuary Considerations For Assisting With Cruelty Cases | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:35:05 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia have another discussion about sanctuary capacity, this time about cruelty, seizure, bust, and escapee cases. We review all the questions your organization needs to consider before working on these cases. Some of these questions you may anticipate, and some you may not! Please note that we will not get into graphic descriptions of animal cruelty, though we must mention it generally. To learn more, listen on! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 40 - The Importance Of Accuracy & Transparency For Animal Organizations | 12 Feb 2025 | 00:26:06 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss the critical importance of accuracy and transparency in communicating with supporters and the public. We discuss how these two values work hand in hand to maintain organizational integrity, how they might prevent your sanctuary or rescue from getting into adverse situations with others, and when being selective about your communications may be extra important. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources: --- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 39 - The Differences Between Animal Sanctuaries And Petting Zoos | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:32:38 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss how animal sanctuaries differ from petting zoos. While this topic might seem evident to many in the sanctuary movement, expectations from the public based on past experiences might lead to conflations between the two environments. We also discuss how animal sanctuaries and advocates can educate the public and avoid creating unsafe dynamics between sanctuary residents and visitors. This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 38 - Introduction To Governance And Education Resources At The Open Sanctuary Project | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:25:23 | |
The Open Sanctuary Project's Community Education Specialist, Andie, and Nonprofit Specialist, Julia, offer an introduction to The Open Sanctuary Project's offerings in our education and governance departments! Did you know that in addition to our direct care resources, we also have a vast array of resources on these two essential subjects for animal organizations? We talk about the many areas we cover and how the subjects of governance, education, and advocacy interplay with one another! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 37 - Zoning Laws And Their Impact On Your Animal Organization | 02 Jan 2025 | 00:21:47 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss zoning laws and their importance to animal sanctuary and rescue work! We've done a few podcast episodes about capacity variables, and zoning is often touched upon. While zoning may not be the first thing you think about in terms of capacity limits, it's critical for you to understand the zoning laws governing your property's land. Zoning can impact the number and type of residents you can have, how many buildings you can have and where you put them, whether or how you can hold large events, and many other factors! Listen on to learn more! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 36 - Language Choices In Animal Sanctuary Education & Advocacy | 20 Dec 2024 | 00:22:24 | |
In this episode, The Open Sanctuary Project's Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss the importance of language choices. Language is how we interface with and categorize the world around us. Our choice of language plays a significant role in how we consider others, so your language choices can have a tangible impact on promoting your mission and vision! We talk about how we use principles of respect and accessibility to guide our language choices at OSP, and we offer examples and explanations of terms and phrases that you can use at your organization to help flip the script when talking about animals! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 35 - The Open Sanctuary Project's 2024 Year In Review | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:33:48 | |
In this episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia celebrate our seventh year of operation by discussing our year in review! We know that our audience of compassionate caregivers is often caught up in the day-to-day work of direct care for animals, so this is your chance to catch up with what's new this year in freely accessible resources to help you do the work of operating your organization and caring for your residents! To get a rundown on the work we've done this year to help you, check out this episode!
You can support our 8 Days Of Giving Campaign here! This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 34 - Adoption Program Considerations For Animal Sanctuaries | 20 Nov 2024 | 00:25:04 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss the cases for and against adoption policies at your animal organization and the considerations you must consider when implementing one. We talk about vetting homes, the paperwork you should have in place, the templates we have to help you, and more! To learn even more about how your organization could potentially increase your capacity through adoption, listen to this episode! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 33 - Three Helpful Tools For Administering Your Animal Sanctuary | 05 Nov 2024 | 00:26:38 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss three administrative tools that are helpful (and in some cases necessary) for the effective administration of your animal organization: board bylaws, registered agents, and land surveys! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 32 - Fostering Farmed Animal Agency in Sanctuary Education, Part Two | 23 Oct 2024 | 00:37:24 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie Springirth welcomes back special guest and Open Sanctuary Project contributor Dr. Emily Tronetti to discuss specific agency-supportive practices that sanctuaries can implement in their onsite educational endeavors to nurture the well-being of the residents and increase the effectiveness of their programming. In addition to exploring environmental-, resident-, and human-specific factors for agency-centered sanctuary educators to consider, this episode also highlights ways to center resident agency during onsite education that do not rely on potentially touching or being in close proximity to the residents. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 31 - Ten Questions To Ask Yourself Before Starting An Animal Sanctuary | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:30:19 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss ten critical questions that you should ask yourself before you start a sanctuary! This resource is excellent for those new to the sanctuary movement and a helpful refresher for established sanctuaries and rescue organizations. It serves as a guide to some of the many considerations you will need to consider as you embark upon or continue to provide forever lifelong compassionate care to animals. Along the way, we will point you to our free resources, which will help you tackle these questions more easily! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 30 - Resident Drinking Water Considerations At Your Animal Sanctuary | 26 Sep 2024 | 00:31:05 | |
Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss the ins and outs of an essential sanctuary consideration: resident drinking water! Ensuring your residents receive the nutrients they require for their health and well-being is an essential aspect of animal care, but the importance of water and the logistics around providing it are sometimes overlooked. To learn about the nuances of drinking water considerations, including water testing, how to choose the best containers, and the potential impacts of weather, tune in! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 29 - Fostering Farmed Animal Agency in Sanctuary Education, Part One | 12 Sep 2024 | 00:20:04 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie Springirth welcomes back special guest and Open Sanctuary Project contributor Dr. Emily Tronetti to discuss the importance of fostering farmed animal agency in sanctuary education. In addition to exploring why agency-centered education is so vital to the well-being of sanctuary residents, this episode also highlights some of the inherent challenges sanctuary educators face as they strive to center resident agency and offers some practical tips to navigate them.
--- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 28 - Collaborating With Other Animal Organizations | 30 Aug 2024 | 00:25:32 | |
Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia talk about collaboration and cooperation between organizations! They list common pitfalls to relationship building, how to avoid them, and also how to communicate and work together in ways that enhance your capacity! Building community with like-minded organizations is a great way to strengthen our movement and help out humans and non-humans alike! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources: --- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 27 - Introduction To Agency With Dr. Emily Tronetti | 15 Aug 2024 | 00:28:15 | |
In this episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Community Education Specialist Andie Springirth is joined by special guest and Open Sanctuary Project contributor Dr. Emily Tronetti to discuss farmed animal agency and how to start centering it at your sanctuary to improve the overall health and well-being of the residents. In addition to exploring what agency is and why it's so important, this episode highlights some practical agency-centered practices that sanctuaries can implement right now. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 26 - The Importance Of Observation In Animal Caregiving | 02 Aug 2024 | 00:26:31 | |
In this episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Community Education Specialist Andie and Senior Advisor Tara discuss the vital role observation plays in many aspects of animal caregiving, focusing on how we can use our observation skills to assess our residents' health and catch subtle signs of concern. This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 25 - Finding Good Information For Your Animal Organization | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:31:06 | |
In this episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Senior Advisor Tara and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss the guiding principles we use to source compassionate care information. From examining the challenges of finding reliable sources that value the individual lives of animals as sentient beings to explaining how we assess specific care recommendations, we hope that this podcast can provide you with more specifics on how you, too, can evaluate information more carefully, and feel a little less overwhelmed as you do so! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 24 - Common Visitor Questions And How To Respond To Them For Animal Sanctuaries | 03 Jul 2024 | 00:15:22 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie and Senior Advisor Tara discuss some helpful strategies and tips on how your animal organization can thoughtfully approach and respond to common visitor questions that sanctuaries get asked by visitors. --- This Episode's Referenced Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 23 - Effective Tabling Strategies and Tips for Animal Sanctuaries | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:38:47 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss some helpful strategies and tips on how your animal organization can table at outreach events as effectively as possible. They offer insight on how tabling can be a beneficial way to connect with the public and raise awareness about issues that are important to your organization, actionable tips on how to choose outreach events and tabling staff wisely, and ways to create a welcoming and engaging table atmosphere to draw folks into meaningful conversation with you. --- This Episode's Referenced Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 22 - Being Kind To Bees At Your Animal Organization | 31 May 2024 | 00:31:28 | |
Research Specialist Amber, Community Education Specialist Andie, and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss how your animal organization can "bee" more friendly to bees and other pollinators! They offer insight into how bees and pollinators can support your sanctuary (and can help support you and your efforts), actionable tips on how to support pollinators, and ways to educate the public on how to support them as well. We also talk about how to safely promote bee and other pollinator presences for sanctuary residents and caregivers. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 21 - Spring Green Pastures: Managing Sanctuary Resident Consumption Safely | 17 May 2024 | 00:29:23 | |
Research Specialist Amber Barnes and Senior Advisor Tara Hess discuss the importance of understanding how fresh, lush pastures can affect ruminant, camelid, and equine residents. In this episode, we talk about the joys of spring for residents and care staff but also the potential risks that may come along with the season. We take a peek into potential health concerns, why spring pastures can cause them, and who they may affect. Preventative measures are also discussed!
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This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:
--- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here!
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| 20 - Donkeys Are Different | 01 May 2024 | 00:35:53 | |
Research Specialist Amber and Nonprofit Specialist Julia talk about donkeys! Amber explains some of the physiological, behavioral, social, and nutritional needs differences between horses and donkeys and how these impact what caregivers must consider in their day-to-day care of these individuals. We also talk about mules and the traits that make them different from both their horse and donkey parents! --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources: Donkeys Are Different: Addressing Their Unique Needs Hello Burro Buddy! The New Donkey Arrival Guide Creating A Good Home For Donkeys Techniques And Practices Necessary For Responsible Donkey Care Potential Donkey Health Challenges Things That Are Toxic For Donkeys Creating An Enriching Life For Donkeys Behavior 101 For Animal Sanctuaries Marvelous Mules: Tips For Your Animal Sanctuary Infographic When It Rains It Pours: Rain Scald Hair Coat Properties Of Donkeys, Mules And Horses In A Temperate Climate --- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||
| 19 - Addressing Biases That Can Harm Farmed Animals | 18 Apr 2024 | 00:27:04 | |
Community Education Specialist Andie Springirth and Executive Director Mckenzee Griffler discuss combatting biases that can harm farmed animals. Since much of human thinking, feeling, and behavior is guided by our biases, understanding biases that can negatively impact farmed animals is an important undertaking for animal sanctuaries. As communities that challenge the dominant treatment and sociocultural narrative of farmed animals on a daily basis, sanctuaries can utilize their unique learning spaces alongside a deeper understanding of bias to help folks (re)imagine more compassionate ways of understanding and being in relationship with farmed animals. In addition to exploring what biases are and how they develop, this episode highlights three actionable strategies sanctuaries can use to help folks who participate in their educational programming avoid and overcome biases that can negatively impact farmed animals. --- This Episode's Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources: Understanding Biases that Can Negatively Impact Farmed Animals and How to Help Folks Overcome Them 5 Ways to Combat Biases that Can Harm Farmed Animals Infographic --- You can learn more about our organization here! You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here! Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Want to support our nonprofit's work? Donate here! | |||