The Open Sanctuary Podcast

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: Gobble Greetings: New Turkey Arrival Guide | The Open Sanctuary Project Creating A Good Home For Turkeys | The Open Sanctuary Project Domesticated Turkeys: How We Got Here | The Open Sanctuary Project How to Conduct a Turkey Health Check | The Open Sanctuary Project Predator-Proofing For Bird Residents At Your Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Establishing Safe And Effective Quarantine And Isolation Protocols For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Daily Observation For Turkey Health And Well-Being | The Open Sanctuary Project Electrical Safety Basics For Farmed Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project Understanding Infectious Disease | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Sanctuary Infographic | The Open Sanctuary Project Managing Requests to Take In and Help an Animal Outside the Scope of Your Sanctuary's Mission | The Open Sanctuary Project Biosecurity Part 1: Introduction | The Open Sanctuary Project Biosecurity Part 2: Creating And Implementing A Biosecurity Plan | The Open Sanctuary Project Going Green: Your Animal Sanctuary and The Environment | The Open Sanctuary Project Determining Your Animal Sanctuary's Capacity For Responsible Care | The Open Sanctuary Project How To Create An Effective Rescue Policy For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Sanctuary Infographic | The Open Sanctuary Project Late Elementary-Age Sanctuary Education Lesson Plan #3 | The Open Sanctuary Project Managing Requests to Take In and Help an Animal Outside the Scope of Your Sanctuary's Mission | The Open Sanctuary Project Predator-Proofing For Bird Residents At Your Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Biosecurity Part 1: Introduction | The Open Sanctuary Project Biosecurity Part 2: Creating And Implementing A Biosecurity Plan | The Open Sanctuary Project Going Green: Your Animal Sanctuary and The Environment | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Language Choices At The Open Sanctuary Project | The Open Sanctuary Project Pigeons: How We Got Here | The Open Sanctuary Project A Guide To Safely Catching Stray Birds For Your Animal Sanctuary Or Rescue Part I: Supplies Helpful For The Safe Capture Of Birds | The Open Sanctuary Project  Predator-Proofing For Bird Residents At Your Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Why Residents Shouldn’t Breed At A Farmed Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Microsanctuary Resource Center Palomacy  --- 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!

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: Information Sourcing Considerations At The Open Sanctuary Project | The Open Sanctuary Project Determining Your Animal Sanctuary's Capacity For Responsible Care | The Open Sanctuary Project Animal Sanctuary Sustainability: Defining and Implementing Plans For Resiliency | The Open Sanctuary Project Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project's Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project Nonprofit Board Basics For Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project    --- 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!

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: Animal Sanctuary Sustainability: Defining and Implementing Plans For Resiliency | The Open Sanctuary Project Going Green: Your Animal Sanctuary And The Environment | The Open Sanctuary Project Determining Your Animal Sanctuary’s Capacity For Responsible Care | The Open Sanctuary Project  Care Staff Retention At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project  Estimating Species Lifetime Care Costs At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project How To Create An Effective Rescue Policy For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project How To Raise Money For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project How To Develop A Fundraising Plan For Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Year-End Fundraising For Your Animal Organization  | The Open Sanctuary Project A Complete Guide To Major Donor Fundraising At Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Developing A Grant Program At Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook  | The Open Sanctuary Project Nonprofit Board Basics For Animal Sanctuaries  | The Open Sanctuary Project Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management  | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project   --- 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!

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: Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project Creating A Strategic Plan For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project  Recognizing And Preventing Burnout At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project  How To Create And Organize Permanent Records For Your Residents | The Open Sanctuary Project Animal Sanctuary Organizational Record Keeping Basics | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Database | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project Recognizing And Preventing Burnout At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: In-Person Sanctuary Educational Programming: What Are Your Options? | The Open Sanctuary Project The Significance of Humane Education in a Sanctuary Setting | The Open Sanctuary Project An Introduction to Educational Programs and Opportunities Well-Suited for Microsanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project Fostering Empathy Towards Farmed Animals | The Open Sanctuary Project A Guide to Fostering Farmed Animal Agency in Sanctuary Education | The Open Sanctuary Project Lobbying | The Internal Revenue Service A Farm Sanctuary Tour’s Effects On Intentions And Diet Change | Faunalytics --- 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!

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: The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Database | The Open Sanctuary Project Finding The Right Record-Keeping System For Your Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Animal Sanctuary Record-Keeping Basics | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Overview Of Animal Sanctuary Staff Positions | The Open Sanctuary Project Recognizing And Managing Compassion Fatigue At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Recognizing And Preventing Burnout At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project Board Resources | The Open Sanctuary Project A Guide To Effective Tabling For Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Crafting An Accident Waiver For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Accident Waiver And Release Of Liability Template For Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Free Visitor Waiver & Sign-In System | The Open Sanctuary Project Getting The Right Insurance Coverage For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Managing Cruelty, Seizure, And Escapee Cases At Your Animal Organization | The Open Sanctuary Project  25 Questions To Help Guide Responsible Intake Decisions At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Care Staff Retention At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project An Introduction To Navigating Media Coverage For Your Animal Organization | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Accuracy And Transparency: Two Critical Responsibilities Of Your Farmed Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Managing Cruelty, Seizure, And Escapee Cases At Your Sanctuary Or Rescue | The Open Sanctuary Project A Starter Guide to Common Questions Your Sanctuary Gets Asked and How to Thoughtfully Answer Them | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: The Differences Between An Animal Sanctuary And Petting Zoos | The Open Sanctuary Project What Defines An Animal Sanctuary? | The Open Sanctuary Project Avoiding Harm To Animals At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Animal Sanctuary Project Microsanctuary Resource Center An Introduction To Fostering Agency In Farmed Animals At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project A Guide To Fostering Farmed Animal Agency In Sanctuary Education | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Strategic Planning for Educational Programming at Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Education Program Evaluation for Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project A Guide Fostering Farmed Animal Agency in Sanctuary Education  | The Open Sanctuary Project Adaptable Elementary- and Middle School-Age Sanctuary Education Lesson Plans | The Open Sanctuary Project Fostering Empathy Towards Farmed Animals  | The Open Sanctuary Project Fostering Critical Thinking at Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Understanding Biases that Can Negatively Impact Farmed Animals and How to Help Folks Overcome Them  | The Open Sanctuary Project Accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Members at Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Accessibility for Blind and Visually Disabled Community Members at Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Accessibility for Folks with Physical Disabilities at Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project Crafting an Accident Waiver for Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Volunteer Policy Handbook  | The Open Sanctuary Project A Guide to Effective Tabling at Your Animal Sanctuary  | The Open Sanctuary Project A Suggested Governance Curriculum For Your Animal Organization | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Board Resources For Animal Organizations | The Open Sanctuary Project Breaking Down An Independent Contractor Agreement For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project The Open Sanctuary Project’s Resources On Volunteer And Worker Considerations | The Open Sanctuary Project Understanding Your Animal Sanctuary’s Zoning Rights And Restrictions | The Open Sanctuary Project What Is A Land Survey And How Can It Help Your Animal Organization? | The Open Sanctuary Project Understanding Legal Mechanisms For Conflict Resolution For Your Animal Organization | The Open Sanctuary Project Conflict Support For Your Animal Organization: Understanding Dominant Culture, How It Shapes Our Behaviors And Envisioning Alternatives | The Open Sanctuary Project Conflict Support For Your Animal Organization: Part 2 Building Transformative Relationships: Tools for Challenging Dominant Culture in Everyday Interactions | The Open Sanctuary Project Accuracy And Transparency: Two Critical Responsibilities Of Your Farmed Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Understanding Your Animal Sanctuary's Zoning Rights & Restrictions | The Open Sanctuary Project A Forever Home? Adoption Program Considerations For Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project What Is A Land Survey And How Can It Help Your Animal Organization? | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!

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: Language Choices At The Open Sanctuary Project | The Open Sanctuary Project The Importance Of Language Choices At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project Glossary of Common Terms | The Open Sanctuary Project Maintaining A Healthy Rooster Flock | The Open Sanctuary Project Introduction To Rooster Behavior Part 1: Dismantling Rooster Stigma | The Open Sanctuary Project --- 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!