Why We Don't Recommend Donating to Farm Sanctuary
Accurate as of: Mar 1, 2026
Farm Sanctuary is a charity that primarily does animal rescue and traditional advocacy work. While Farm Sanctuary does great work, we believe there are other charities that help more animals per dollar.
Farm Sanctuary's Animal Rescue Work
Farm Sanctuary rescues animals who were previously being farmed.
This type of work makes a big difference for the animals that are saved, but it is an inefficient way to help farm animals at scale.
For additional context, please see our article on farm sanctuary expenses.
Farm Sanctuary's Advocacy Work
Farm Sanctuary primarily contributes to animal advocacy by creating footage of animals they've saved, and by allowing people to visit saved animals in person.
This type of advocacy is great at resonating with people emotionally, but it is less cost-effective than other interventions. For additional context, please see our article on farm sanctuary advocacy.
Note: Farm Sanctuary also does some traditional advocacy work (i.e. holding up signs, yelling chants, etc.), but we think this work suffers from the issues described in our article on traditional advocacy charities.
Conclusion
Farm Sanctuary does great work that genuinely helps animals, but we recommend donating to more efficient charities instead.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Charities
Animal Legal Defense Fund
Animal Legal Defense Fund uses the legal system to help animals. Recommended for donors who want to advance animal rights.
Shrimp Welfare Project (SWP)
SWP supplies tools that stun shrimp before they are slaughtered. Recommended for donors who want to reduce the suffering of invertebrates.
Fish Welfare Initiative
Fish Welfare Initiative works to improve water quality for farmed fish. Recommended for donors who want to improve animal welfare.
New Harvest
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