Visitor Guidelines
Visitor Guidelines
Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary is a safe place for animals rescued from abuse, neglect, slaughter and exploitation. We do not breed or sell animals. Occasionally, animals are rescued already pregnant and they and their children will live out their lives here, never to be separated, sold or used.
This place is not a petting zoo.
You have been invited into our animals’ safe space. We expect you to treat them with kindness and respect. You are visiting their home; they are not here for human entertainment. Not every animal is going to be friendly. Please leave them alone if they do not want attention.
Understand that there are animals here in various stages of recovery from injury or illness. We work with a vast network of veterinary specialists that provide the best care for the animals. Your perception of conditions of what is considered “acceptable” may not actually be in the best interest of the animal or parallel what our care-taking priorities are. We welcome any questions you have about the animals.
Please follow posted rules for the safety and comfort of the animals and other visitors. Those individuals found to be in violation of any posted signage or rules will be asked to leave.
Rules for Visitors
- Adults are responsible for supervising their children at all times
- DO NOT open gates of any kind and keep out of roped off areas.
- NO companion animals allowed.
- Enter at your own risk. Animals will nibble on clothes, shoes, fingers, bags, etc. Closed- toe shoes strongly recommended.
- DO NOT put hands through fences.
- DO NOT chase, hit, yell at or otherwise mistreat the animals.
- DO NOT bring in bottles, sippy cups or food or drink of any kind to the animal areas. Strollers are discouraged from being in the main goat pen.
- DO NOT climb on fences, gates, hay, trailers, etc.
- DO NOT attempt to pick up any animals.
- DO NOT feed anything off the ground.
- DO NOT pull hay out from intact bales. This is wasting the animals’ food.
- DO follow posted hand-washing signage and wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the sanctuary.
- DO enjoy spending time here. We hope you make meaningful connections with the animals.
DON’T EAT POOP
Did we get your attention? Why on earth would we ever say this? It’s important you know that we rescue animals that come from a variety of environments and can sometimes bring zoonotic (germs that can be spread from animal to human) bacteria with them. We do everything in our power to help these animals recover from illness and disease they bring from commercial feeding operations, breeding operations and other environments. We do not allow any interaction between known injured or sick animals; however there is still a risk of disease transmission and we ask that you follow common-sense, yet thorough hand-washing procedures during and at the conclusion of your visit. Individuals ≥ 65 years of age should be advised of their increased risk and asked to avoid animal contact and wash hands more frequently. Pregnant individuals should be advised that they are at risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and preterm delivery from certain pathogens that might be present in animal contact settings.
