Finding Sanctuary 

written by MAKENZIE ELLIOTT & JENNAH PENDLETON 

captured by ISABEL LEMUS KRISTENSEN 

Drawing on a love for animals, the owners of Oregon animal sanctuaries are a breed like no other. They have committed almost every aspect of their lives to providing a safe and welcoming environment for their animal residents. 

Staying true to the definition of a sanctuary, these farms provide temporary or permanent refuge to animals in need. Many are rescued from abusive situations or are brought to the sanctuary because of health-related issues. 

With plentiful amounts of food and room to roam, the animals residing at these sanctuaries might have found their storybook ending. Life on the farm, however, isn’t always glamorous — especially for the humans running them. Long days, unexpected vet bills and non-stop physical labor are the everyday norm. This past year proved even more challenging with its extreme weather and the pandemic. Despite the hardships, these animal sanctuary owners won’t back down anytime soon. 

GREEN ACRES FARM SANCTUARY 

During the Holiday Farm fire last summer, Green Acres Farm Sanctuary in Silverton, Oregon, quickly went from no warning to a Level 2 emergency status, forcing owners Tina and John Crow to be prepared to evacuate at any moment. The Crows got moving immediately to protect their roughly 150 animals. This was a first for Green Acres; evacuation drills were never something they had to practice as the yearly fire season didn’t usually affect them. Board members, past volunteers and those who had a trailer to spare showed up to take animals to a safe place. Animals ended up in multiple counties, including in people’s own homes, as the sanctuary waited for the emergency status to change. 

Luckily, the fire did not damage Green Acres, but the task of getting the animals back proved to be more complicated than getting them out. In that process, a goat named Gretta got away near the Polk County Fairgrounds. This launched a dayslong search that included flying a drone, bringing out other goats in an attempt to lure her back, and distributing hundreds of flyers in the area. 

Tina Crow became a vegetarian at 13 years old in the mid-1980s and was vegan by 18, long before one could find dairy-free options at a standard grocery store. Prior to opening Green Acres, Tina said her veganism was the main way she contributed to animal welfare. But as she learned more about the plight of animals, she wanted to dedicate her life to helping them in some way. 

This desire turned into a sanctuary for farm animals, a place to care for the animals whose lives are typically seen as expendable. 

Green Acres is currently a wonderland that hosts over 150 animals, with pens built to protect the animals from the elements. It didn’t always look this way. Before the Crows founded Green Acres, the property was just a rundown barn with minimal fencing and no infrastructure to house livestock. 

Determined to create a haven for animals in need of a home, Tina and John spent the last decade building on the land to accommodate more animals and establishing a community support system. Since its inception, Green Acres has been a 501(c)(3) nonprofit run completely by volunteers. 

Tina said that she and John have been lucky to maintain financial health because of the help they received from community members. The majority of the hardship they faced in the last year was a result of extreme weather conditions. 

As the rest of the Green Acres animals were safe at home after the fire last summer, Gretta the goat was still lost. After 10 days, she was found alive about 20 miles away. 

Although the thought of a natural disaster happening again is distressing for the founders and volunteers of Green Acres, they will be better prepared in the case that it does. 

In the months that followed the fire, they raised $8,000 in donations. They bought a new trailer in honor of Gretta’s journey, so they can ensure the safety of their animals in the case of an evacuation. 

“We have to realize that this may be a common event and really wrap our heads around the fact that we might have to do this again,” Tina said. 

The weather is likely to continue to be extreme in the following summers, but the Crows will endure it to keep the animals in their care safe. 

WELCOME HOME ANIMAL SANCTUARY 

El Rey the turkey hobbles down the gravel driveway of Welcome Home Animal Sanctuary in Creswell, Oregon. Feathers sprawled out in full display, he lets out a big gobble. 

“He really likes the ladies,” said Misty Moore, the owner of the sanctuary, while closing the front gate before a curious pig can escape. 

A baby goat in one hand, Moore welcomes visitors to her farm. A real life “Charlotte’s Web” plays out as animals of all kinds socialize and roam the 10 acres of the sanctuary. Pigs sunbathe in the long-awaited March sun, goats rest on the front porch and little lambs follow along looking for a quick pet. 

Moore founded the sanctuary in 2016 and now cares for 78 animals, including cows, pigs, goats, sheep, alpacas, chickens, ducks and turkeys. 

Funds can be hard to come by during the first few years as an organization, Moore said. Feeding 2,000-pound cows isn’t cheap, and unexpected vet bills happen often. Moore planned to promote the farm in the spring of 2020, but when the pandemic hit, she didn’t have a chance to build a large donor base. Currently, Moore and her husband, Robert, work other jobs outside the sanctuary to provide for the animals. 

“It’s the hardest thing emotionally, physically and financially,” Moore, 44, said. “But at the same time it’s the most rewarding thing, and I would not give it up for anything.” 

Back in the pasture, Poppy the pig peeks out from behind the barn. Moore rescued her from a nearby pig farm after the farmer noticed deformation in Poppy’s legs. Moore took in the little pig and spent a year rehabilitating her. She massaged Poppy’s bowed legs and used braces to hold them in shape. The owner of the farm later approached Moore with another disabled pig from the same mother. Moore accepted the second pig but asked the farmer to surrender the mother too, as she was consistently producing disabled babies. After a long debate, Moore was able to rescue her. Now, the three pigs have 10 acres to run around on. 

“I don’t care if I’m out there in the hail and the rain every day,” Moore said. “I am keeping the animals warm and I’m keeping them dry and I’m keeping them comfortable — and that’s what matters.” 

OREGON HORSE RESCUE 

Jane Kelly reaches out her hand to touch Big’s leg. The horse recently cut his leg while trying to jump a fence. Jane’s husband, David, watches from behind the fence as she begins to evaluate Big’s injury. Jane and David have been monitoring the wound to ensure proper healing. After a quick inspection, Jane yells to David to call the vet. The wound had worsened and now requires immediate medical attention. David calls the clinic to make an appointment, but the only time available is after-hours at 6 p.m. This means a larger vet bill and a longer day for the Kellys. 

David, 66, and Jane, 55, own and operate Oregon Horse Rescue. Sitting on 70 acres of rolling pastures west of Eugene, the rescue provides permanent and temporary homes to horses in need. The couple founded OHR in 2013 and have since rescued about 120 horses. 

Big is just one of 15 horses currently living on the property. Each horse has been rescued for a variety of reasons: some come from abusive situations and others from owner surrenders. 

According to David, OHR will often receive one to 10 requests each week for an owner to surrender a horse. He said it’s hard to turn horses away, but he is often inclined to accept disabled or blind horses. 

OHR operates as a hybrid rescue and sanctuary. This means that some horses, like Big, are available for adoption, while others will reside on the farm permanently. 

David and Jane personally funded the majority of the expenses for the farm during the first few years, David said. OHR now relies heavily on donations. Those usually come in the form of payments or physical items like hay or equipment. David said he’s thankful for any donation, regardless of size. 

“We received a donation once in the mail that was $7 in cash crumpled in an envelope,” he said. “And we appreciated that because I’m sure that was a 

struggle for that person.”
Every little bit counts because the cost of a horse isn’t 

cheap. David said he’s had years where the vet bill was as high as $44,000. Other costs include feed and hoof care. 

Despite the financial and physical hardship, the Kellys say it’s worth it. 

“It’s very, very rewarding because you see horses saved, you see horses’ lives transformed,” David said. “You see people’s lives transformed that groom the horses as volunteers here. You see people’s lives transformed that adopt the horse.” 

SUNSET FARMS SANCTUARY 

If you walk up to Helen Demes’ house, you better watch where you step. Hay covers the front porch, and that’s just the beginning. Stepping into the old Victorian farmhouse in Brownsville, Oregon, you notice the dirt and hay covering the floor as cats, pigs and goats roam freely throughout the kitchen. Tabitha, a disabled goat, rolls around in her makeshift wheelchair. The line between home and barn? Blurry may be the right word. 

“Right now, living in my house,” Demes said, “I have two dogs, three cats, one disabled rooster, one teeny tiny rooster who’s too small to go out, a hen that’s sick, a turkey that’s sick, two goats that are deformed, one goat that was abused, and 10 lambs.” 

After a career in Washington D.C., Demes made the move to Oregon and opened up Sunset Farms in 2017. Initially, Demes said that she established the farm as a domestic rescue, but people began dropping off farm animals too. Today, Sunset Farms Sanctuary houses over 140 animals of various species. 

“I don’t care if they’re two-legged, four-legged, winged,” Demes, 58, said. “Every single sentient being deserves dignity in their life and death.” 

As the sole caretaker for every animal on the farm, she starts the day at 3:30 a.m. and sometimes doesn’t end until 8 or 9 p.m. Most of her day consists of feeding, cleaning and vet care. 

Volunteers are hard to come by, Demes said, as the volunteer base for domestic animal shelters doesn’t carry over into the farm animal world. 

Making her way across her property, she calls out each animal’s name and gives them a quick pet before moving to the next. When asked how she remembers all the animals’ names, Demes replied, “They’re basically my children.” 

Whether it’s a nine-pound baby goat or a 900-pound pig, Demes said she will provide love and respect for the animal. What might seem chaotic to some people is simply Demes’ life. A 17-hour workday is the norm and sharing a home with goats is just the nature of the job. 

“It’s at times soul-wrenching, it’s at times disheartening,” Demes said. “And it’s at times unbelievably happy.” 

Jane Kelly reaches out her hand to touch Big’s leg. The horse recently cut his leg while trying to jump a fence. Jane’s husband, David, watches from behind the fence as she begins to evaluate Big’s injury. Jane and David have been monitoring the wound to ensure proper healing. After a quick inspection, Jane yells to David to call the vet. The wound had worsened and now requires immediate medical attention. David calls the clinic to make an appointment, but the only time available is after-hours at 6 p.m. This means a larger vet bill and a longer day for the Kellys.

David, 66, and Jane, 55, own and operate Oregon Horse Rescue. Sitting on 70 acres of rolling pastures west of Eugene, the rescue provides permanent and temporary homes to horses in need. The couple founded OHR in 2013 and have since rescued about 120 horses.

Big is just one of 15 horses currently living on the property. Each horse has been rescued for a variety of reasons: some come from abusive situations and others from owner surrenders.

According to David, OHR will often receive one to 10 requests each week for an owner to surrender a horse. He said it’s hard to turn horses away, but he is often inclined to accept disabled or blind horses.

OHR operates as a hybrid rescue and sanctuary. This means that some horses, like Big, are available for adoption, while others will reside on the farm permanently.

David and Jane personally funded the majority of the expenses for the farm during the first few years, David said. OHR now relies heavily on donations. Those usually come in the form of payments or physical items like hay or equipment. David said he’s thankful for any donation, regardless of size.

“We received a donation once in the mail that was $7 in cash crumpled in an envelope,” he said. “And we appreciated that because I’m sure that was a

struggle for that person.” Every little bit counts because the cost of a horse isn’t

cheap. David said he’s had years where the vet bill was as high as $44,000. Other costs include feed and hoof care.

Despite the financial and physical hardship, the Kellys say it’s worth it.

“It’s very, very rewarding because you see horses saved, you see horses’ lives transformed,” David said. “You see people’s lives transformed that groom the horses as volunteers here. You see people’s lives transformed that adopt the horse.”