To Inspire Kindness and Compassion for Farmed Animals Everywhere
At HEEFS, we take security very seriously. And by “security”, we mean a lot of things including fire detection and suppression, biosecurity for the prevention of infectious diseases coming into the Sanctuary, like ASF (African Swine Fever) and COVID, as well as security from intruders and anything that interferes with the health and safety of our residents, staff and volunteers.
Read MoreIf you are reading this, you are most likely an animal lover who takes comfort in the fact that HEEFS, and other sanctuaries around the world, offer a safe haven for animals who have suffered abuse, trauma or neglect.
Read MoreWe are always amazed, and even more humbled, by the reach of our message around the world. While it is true that things like social media and email have made it easier to span the globe in an instant, that doesn’t always mean that your message will be received, adopted and spread.
Read MorePigs are very social animals and organize themselves into herds with a strict hierarchy. Any changes to the herd, for example…integrating new members into the group, upsets this balance and means that each of the herd members has to jockey, once again, for position within the new herd. This can be stressful for the pigs, and often takes several attempts as they sort it all out.
Read MoreAs a sanctuary, we have an obligation to our residents to always keep them safe. As humans who believe that all animals have the right to live their full natural lives, we also feel the need to ensure that any measures to keep our residents safe does not unnecessarily affect the lives of other sentient beings. And then there are rats.
Our first line of defence in controlling our rat and mice population is to make HEEFS a really boring place for them to be. We ensure food is not accessible to them, our coops have protective wire barriers to stop rodents from getting in and we have barn cats who do what barn cats do. These measures certainly help, but they do not completely eliminate rats and mice from being not just a nuisance, but a hazard to the Sanctuary and our residents, by chewing on cords which presents a major fire hazard. And, if they do happen to find a way into one of our coops – usually scurrying in while the door is open, it could result in the death of some of our birds.
Did you know that rodents will typically have six litters a year with the pups reaching maturity in just a couple of months? What that means is that two rats can very quickly grow to almost 1,000 rats in just one year! And that is the key to solving our rodent problem.
We have found a humane way to minimize rodent breeding that is both nontoxic and nonpolluting. Using safe and natural botanical extracts added to small bits of food, we can effectively control a female rat’s ability to become pregnant. This additive is not a permanent solution and must be consumed by the rat on a regular basis to maintain the birth control efficacy. If a rodent leaves HEEFS and goes back out into the world, their natural reproductive abilities will resume.
By controlling access to our coops and ensuring food is stored securely along with this humane method of population control, we are able to manage our rodent population and ensure a safe home for all of our residents.
Happily Ever Farm Sanctuary (HEEFS) is a place of kindness, love and magic. It’s where the residents live in peace and harmony, many of them forming life long bonds with each other. But HEEFS is also a place where human friendships are created and become integral parts of the lives of those it brings together.
Read MoreWe couldn’t do any of this without you!
Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary is run by a network of caring volunteers and is funded entirely through donations. Our residents are fed, housed and get regular veterinary care because of the generosity of our many supporters. You can become a monthly donor, or make a one-time donation here.
"Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary" is a Registered Canadian Charity No. 807598578RR0001. "Friends of Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary" is a Registered U.S. Charity No. 30-0951775. All donations from residents of these two countries are tax-deductible. While we welcome donations from residents of all other countries, these are currently not tax deductible.
Thank you for your love and support. We couldn't do this without you!
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"Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary" is a Registered Canadian Charity No. 807598578RR0001. | "Friends of Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary" is a Registered U.S. Charity No. 30-0951775
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