Two pigs snuggling in a dirt pasture

event

Open Your Heart: Valentine’s Day Event at Farm Sanctuary

Saturday, February 11th 1:00 p.m. PT
Acton, CA

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Acton, CA

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At Farm Sanctuary, we recognize Valentine’s Day as a time to celebrate the love and kindness expressed within our sanctuaries and across our community.

This event will allow you to deeply connect with our animal residents while witnessing the loving relationships that give us strength and inspiration. Take in guest speaker presentations, and enjoy delicious cookies and a vegan candy buffet where you can design your own candy box!

Keeping with our history of pursuing bold solutions, we’re thrilled to be joined this year by Lawyer and Co-Founder of The Simple Heart Initiative, Wayne Hsiung. If that name sounds familiar, it could be that Wayne made national news last fall after his historic legal victory following his open rescue and removal of piglets from the largest pig farm in the nation.

His work as an open rescue activist with the grassroots network Direct Action Everywhere has been reported on in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and ABC’s Nightline. Wayne published research (with Cass Sunstein) on climate change’s impact on animals.

Program Schedule

  • 1:00 p.m.: Registration and Check-in, Shop Opens
  • 1:00-2:30 p.m.: Open Sanctuary Time
  • 2:30-3:00 p.m.: Speaking Presentation
  • 3:00-4:00 p.m.: Vegan cookies, candy buffet, and beverages available in courtyard

Speakers

Wayne Hsuing rescuing a turkey

Wayne Hsiung

Lawyer and Co-founder of The Simple Heart Initiative

Gene and Safran as a calf

Gene Baur

President and Co-founder of Farm Sanctuary

Candy buffet supported by Trupo Treats

Trupo Treats

FAQs

The health and safety of our community is top priority. In light of global health concerns due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), if an event is canceled, due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, no action is required to obtain a refund; we will issue a refund to the original method of payment used at time of purchase to all event registrants.

Registration/ticket fees are refundable up to 3 days prior to the event. Within 3 days of the event, a credit towards a future event will be issued or you may reallocate your ticket purchase as a donation.

Please contact us as [email protected] to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. For guests who do not arrive on the day of the event, your ticket purchase will be applied as a donation.

This event is held entirely outdoors. We can’t be certain of the weather until the day of the event, but there is a good chance of chilly or rainy weather. The weather varies greatly at the sanctuary from the temperatures in Los Angeles so we highly recommend checking the forecast before traveling to the sanctuary and wearing warm, comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes.

We highly recommend bringing attire suitable for strolling the sanctuary grounds, including layered, casual clothing and comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

Please note that the tour path is not paved. The road through the shelter area is used by farm equipment and is largely composed of compacted dirt and gravel. The tour path includes hardened surfaces, as well as rocky, grassy, and/or uneven terrains. The path may be slippery or dusty at times with short segments of the path having mild inclines and declines.

Please also note that there is limited shade and few areas to sit or rest while in animal areas.
For guest safety, wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers cannot enter the cow and pig pastures. If you need specific accommodations, please contact us prior to the event.

Need additional accommodations? We want to make sure all our guests have a meaningful and safe experience and are comfortable during a visit to our Sanctuaries! Therefore, we encourage individuals with disabilities to contact us in advance of their visit to set up arrangements for any necessary accommodations. For more information and to make accommodations requests, please contact [email protected].

Our caregivers go to extra lengths to protect our animal residents. Their health and happiness are our top priorities.

Due to the ongoing avian influenza (HPAI) virus spreading around this country, guests will not be able to intermingle with the birds at our Acton, CA sanctuary. This disease is highly impactful on poultry birds (such as chickens and turkeys).

Avian influenza is easily transmitted on shoes and even tires. If you have visited another sanctuary, farm, or location with chickens, turkeys, or ducks in the last 48-72 hours prior to your visit, we will ask that you postpone your visit to Farm Sanctuary.

Companion animals are not allowed on guided tours or shelter grounds at any time. Please refer to the FAQ on our Acton sanctuary page for more information on our companion animal policy.

Service animals are not permitted in certain areas of the sanctuary. Please contact us in advance to make arrangements for your visit.

The safety of our guests, team, animal residents and community is of utmost importance to us.

Hand sanitizer will be provided and high-touch surfaces are cleaned regularly. To encourage a touchless experience, a waiver is provided to complete in advance of your visit or via QR code when onsite.

Please do not attend the event if you have a fever, cough, respiratory illness or experiencing any illness or symptoms of illness.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.

If interested in volunteering or would like to refer someone, please contact Chloe Fuller at [email protected].