OUR RESIDENTS

Punky

Punky was rescued from a backyard breeder. She was the runt of the litter and was very sick. She was stepped on by the other pigs, was not able to get enough food, and was very sunburned. A good Samaritan noticed her, and took her in. She joined us after living a couple months inside a house! She now is best friends with Gertrude and getting to know the other pigs.

Petunia

Petunia is a Gottingen pig, a breed manufactured in a laboratory. She was used for animal testing, although we are not sure what for. Her rescue was coordinated by Rescue + Freedom Project. When she came to Charlie’s Acres, she was covered in scabs, had terrible skin, and had never set foot on grass before. She quickly became the friendliest pig around and is a staff favorite!

Bella

Bella has had a bit of a rough start to life. She was living with a family in a backyard, but had become massively obese from eating cat and dog food, chicken food, and candy. After coming to Charlie’s Acres and eating a strict diet, she has lost a lot of weight and has gained her mobility back.

Robert

Robert holds down the fort with so many female pigs around! He joined the crew at Charlie’s Acres when his owners could no longer care for him. Taking care of a pig is quite a bit of work, and different than taking care of a dog. We thought he would cuddle up next to Petunia, but his favorite pig to cuddle and protect is Bella!

Francie, Penny, Serafina

Our red sex link hens were part of an egg-laying rescue coordinated by Animal Place. They are considered “spent,” and normally would be killed for not producing as many eggs as when they were younger. Today, they get to lead healthy, happy lives, still producing eggs, but no longer required to.

Doris & Delilah

These lucky ducks are happy as can be now living at Charlie’s Acres. They were found in a pond, abandoned in the springtime as ducklings. They were having a hard time fitting in with the wild ducks and were struggling to survive. Clearly domesticated, they needed a safe place to go. These girls are super bonded and can’t stand being apart, but always have something to say!

Betty

Betty narrowly missed her fate of ending up on a dinner plate, by first being rescued by a foster mom after birth, and then coming to Charlie’s Acres. A typical “meat” breed pig, Betty’s fate was all but sealed. She was lucky she was born a runt and became injured after another pig stepped on her. Her foster mom stepped in, took her in, and then brought her to our sanctuary.

Minnie

Minnie is a Mangalitsa pig, known as the “Kobe beef” of pork. Her breed is a heritage breed, used by farmers to produce high-end pork products. A farmer bought some pigs, started breeding them, and then through his vegetarian mother’s influence had a change of heart. He agreed to give all 14 pigs to sanctuaries! We took Minnie in, and several partner sanctuaries took the rest. Lucky for Minnie, her curly locks are the only thing we admire!

Brewster

Brewster is our first rooster rescue. This poor boy suffered unimaginable cruelty at a young age. His story starts when he was just a boy, and starting to mature and crow. His owner at the time was angry he was making noise, and threw a two-by-four at him, hitting him in the leg. Brewster’s leg broke and he suffered for six weeks before a neighbor found him, nursed him back to health, and brought this beautiful creature to Charlie’s Acres. He now has a flock of hens to protect and no sign of his previous injury!

Michael

Michael is as cute as a button! He was bound for an auction where he would typically be bought and raised for slaughter. An activist swooped in and rescued him shortly after birth by developing a relationship with the farmer. This guy is a Boer goat and has the potential to get huge! When he came to us a baby, he needed round-the-clock bottle feeding.

Amos

Amos is Michael the goat’s best friend and partner in crime. Amos was found in a field very shortly after birth at a meat farm. He was near death, and needed immediate attention. A good person found him and took care of him for a couple of days before bringing him to Charlie’s Acres by way of Flat Broke Farm. He is great friends with Michael and is getting big and strong!

Willa

From sunny southern California to wine country, Willa made the move to Charlie’s Acres after escaping a backyard butcher. She was picked up as a stray in Los Angeles county, in an area known for illegal backyard butchers. She was covered in scrapes and bruises, and very timid. Farm Sanctuary coordinated her rescue and brought her up to live in safety here in Sonoma!

Hillary, Vivian, Agnes, Laverne, Jesse, Tilly, Florence

These lucky hens were part of a battery-cage egg laying rescue. They were part of a group of thousands of “spent hens” who would normally be gassed, but were given a second chance at life.

Miles, Davey, Mulligan

These Cornish breed chickens were stuffed into cages on a transport truck at only 40 days old, bound for slaughter, when their luck turned. Their cages fell off the truck onto a busy Southern California freeway and nearly died! However, they were the lucky ones as they were taken to a nearby sanctuary, cleaned up, and eventually brought to Charlie’s Acres. Now they will live a full life, rather than end up on a dinner plate.

Mama

Mama joined Charlie's Acres after a devastating injury left her family unable to care for her. She was attacked by a dog and ended up with a gaping wound in her leg. Then, in terror, wrapped herself in electrical fencing burning her already injured leg. She had to have her leg amputated, but has since been thriving at the sanctuary with her new sheep friend, Amos.

Norman

Norman was born at a local dairy. Male goats are not useful to dairies, and are either sold for meat, breeding or to be used as show goats. Norman was born with a birth defect which meant he was no longer wanted for breeding or showing, so we swooped in to give him a home at the sanctuary! He is now Michael’s best friend, playing all day and jumping around the pastures.

Mitch and Judy

Mitch and Judy were born on a beef farm in Oregon. They were both headed to slaughter when a local woman stepped in to rescue them. Then, Judy injured her leg and had trouble walking. Mitch would always walk side by side with Judy, making sure she was alright. The two have been inseparable ever since, and now have a safe forever home at Charlie’s Acres.

Thelma, Martha, Hombre

These three lucky turkeys are living a carefree life at Charlie's Acres. Thelma and Martha were destined for the dinner table before they were saved. Hombre was used for a wedding ritual but was pardoned from his certain death.  Now they're enjoying the sunshine and accepting all the attention from their human caregivers they can get!

Carole and Frederick

Carole and Frederick are a mother and son duo who were raised for meat. When Frederick would not latch properly to his mother during breastfeeding, the owner asked his neighbor who was a lactation nurse (for humans!) if she wanted to take the two goats. She agreed, and got the baby latching correctly. She did not want to see them end up on a dinner plate, so she sent them to Charlie’s Acres.

Lucy

Lucy the sheep was born on a meat farm, and unfortunately her mother died shortly after her birth. That meant she had to be raised by humans, and the woman who raised her couldn't bear to send her back to the farm to be slaughtered. She kept her for as long as she could, and then reached out to us to find her a forever home.

Jade and Juno

Jade and Juno are dairy cows who were rescued from a slaughterhouse. They were saved as a result of a court case. Activists were protesting outside of a slaughterhouse and the owner sued them. He lost in court, and rather than take money, the activists asked for cows to be released. Jade and Juno were two of the lucky ones!

Victor, Nicholas, and Gilbert

These three cute boys were born on a family farm in the East Bay along with four other piglets. An 11-year-old farm helper who witnessed their birth convinced the owner to let him find homes for the piglets, rather than raising them for meat. All seven piglets are now safe for the rest of their natural lives, and we are so happy that Victor and Nicholas (who is named after his young rescuer) have joined the Charlie's Acres family.

Carrie and Saigo

Carrie and Saigo arrived at Charlie's Acres after a long day of travel originating in Puerto Rico. In the aftermath of 2017's Hurricane Maria, local and international rescue groups worked hard to help countless displaced animals, including these two potbelly piglets. We are grateful for those rescue efforts and thrilled to be able to offer Carrie and Saigo a lifelong home and loving family!

Barney and Stanley

Stanley and Barney were fast friends when meeting at Charlie's Acres. Stanley was a typical "mini pig" who grew into his full size and became unwanted. He was dropped off with several other pigs at a high kill shelter in southern California before making his way up to Charlie's Acres. Barney was abandoned at Charlie's Acres, likely with a similar story.

Tofu

Tofu is the happiest guy at Charlie's Acres! He was a pet who grew up quickly, and the family could no longer take care of him. Tofu loves to walk on a leash, sit for a treat, and swoop in for all the belly rubs he can get when he sees a human friend in his pasture. He's an excellent ambassador for the intelligence and sweet personality of pigs.

Gil...

Gil, Jo, Paul, Pat, Reggie joined Charlie's Acres in the fall of 2018. Reggie was a slaughterhouse escapee, rescuing himself somehow in the 11th hour. Gil, Jo, Paul and Pat were all rescued from the Kaporos festival in New York (an ultra OrthodoxJewish ceremony in which the participants use live chickens to atone for their sins).