Article on animal sanctuary volunteer vacations

The Sunday, January 30, Kansas City Star has a beautiful article headed, "Animal farms -- Volunteer vacationers find renewal at sanctuaries across the country." It discusses various animal sanctuaries, and the heartwarming experiences that people can have spending a few days working at them.

It also offers this warning:
"In fact, you will find there are thousands of sanctuaries, says Barbara Yule, director of The Association of Sanctuaries, known as TAOS. Many, however, she terms 'pseudo-sanctuaries,' places that enjoy nonprofit status but are, at worst, profiting from the breeding of animals or, at best, trying to run a refuge without the wherewithal to sustain them properly. TAOS is one of two self-appointed organizations — the other is the international Animal Centers of Excellence — that set standards for accreditation."

For those looking for a meaningful holiday, the article tells us:
"Not many accredited sanctuaries are open to the public, but some domesticated animals thrive on human contact. Sanctuaries for companion animals and farm animals, for instance, encourage visitors to come and interact with the animals. They offer tours, special events, bed-and-breakfast stays and volunteer vacations."

You'll find the TAOS list of approved sanctuaries at: http://www.taosanctuaries.org/sanctuaries/index.htm

You can read the whole article on line at:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/living/travel/10740884.htm

Those who have had wonderful sanctuary experiences should send letters to the editor about them.
The paper suggests: "Send letters of up to 150 words to The Kansas City Star...by email to letters [at] kcstar.com. Please include name, address and daytime phone number. Letters will be edited for length and clarity."

After the article, the sanctuaries discussed in it that offer volunteer opportunities are listed. Below I will reprint the list. And I will take this opportunity to note that the wonderful Mindy's Memory primate sanctuary in Oklahoma is currently looking for volunteers. Check out: http://www.mindysmem.org/

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Volunteer Opportunities

These sanctuaries welcome visitors and volunteers:

• Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah 84741-5001; (435) 644-2001 or http://www.bestfriends.org.

• Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, P.O. Box 998, Hot Springs, S.D. 57747; (605) 745-5955 or http://www.gwtc.net/~iram.

• Big Cat Rescue, 12802 Easy St., Tampa, Fla. 33625; (813) 920-4130 or http://www.BigCatRescue.org.

• Farm Sanctuary (East), P.O. Box 150, Watkins Glen, N.Y. 14891; (607) 583-2225. Farm Sanctuary (West), P.O. Box 1065, Orland, Calif. 95963; (530) 865-4617 or http://www.farmsanctuary.org.

• Performing Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 849, Galt, Calif. 95632; (209) 745-2606 or http://www.pawsweb.org
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I had a beautiful time at Farm Sanctuary in New York, and could not recommend the experience more highly.

Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn

(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. If you reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)