Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries

06/08/2026

Our lovely girl Mindy enjoying her breakfast 💚

Because Mindy has a misaligned jaw, chewing can be difficult, so we soak her feed in water to make it nice and soft for her.

Mindy was one of the sheep who came to us when former sheep farmer Kumar made the compassionate decision to leave farming in 2019 and bring his flock to Goodheart. It's a truly heartwarming story, and you can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/bz4ZXCpz12A

We're so grateful we can give individuals like Mindy the care they deserve, and seeing her happily tuck into her breakfast is one of those little moments that makes it all worthwhile. 💚

03/08/2026

We're so sad to share the news that Benji the alpaca has passed away💔

Benji had recently been receiving treatment for an ulcer on his side and initially appeared to be responding well. Sadly, the following morning he was found to have passed away in his sleep. We’re heartbroken to have had to say goodbye to Benji so suddenly.

Benji came to the sanctuary in 2022 after his companion passed away and his owner felt he needed some new friends. Our resident alpacas, Alan and Alfie, were initially a little unsure about Benji's enthusiastic – and rather full-on – personality, but it wasn't long before the trio became inseparable. Benji soon took on the role of protector, often calling out if Alan or Alfie wandered out of sight.

With his inquisitive nature and wonderfully quirky personality, Benji brought so much joy to everyone who met him. He will be deeply missed by our team, our supporters, and, of course, his alpaca friends.

We'd like to say thank to everyone who sponsored Benji over the years, helping to give him a safe, loving home and the dedicated care he deserved. 💚

30/07/2026

We’re officially in a drought! 🙏🌡

Like many other parts of the country, our area has now officially been declared to be in drought and it's bringing some very real challenges for us as a sanctuary.

💧 Our water bills rise as we refill drinking troughs more often to keep everyone hydrated. For perspective, a single cow can drink up to 200 litres of water every day – that's around 1–2 full bathtubs of water! We also create fresh mud wallows daily for our pigs, who rely on them to stay cool because they can't regulate their body temperature like we can.

🌱 The dry conditions also mean very little grass is growing in our fields. If this continues, we'll need to start using our winter hay supplies much earlier than planned.

Winter has always been our most expensive season, but increasingly, summer is bringing its own unexpected costs too.

If you're able to make a donation today, you'll help provide fresh water, food and essential care for our rescued animals throughout these challenging conditions. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a real difference. Thank you for always being there for them. 💚

DONATE HERE 👇
https://www.goodheartanimalsanctuaries.com/about-us/donate/

28/07/2026

Dudley, Morris and Poppy waiting very patiently for breakfast... (and by "patiently", we mean attempting to use telepathy to make us hurry up!) 👀

26/07/2026

Chester was a much-loved companion who lived in a lady's garden. But after neighbours complained about his crowing, she made the decision to bring him and his partner, Grace, to our sanctuary.

Now, Chester can crow to his heart's content – and he certainly makes the most of it! 🐓📣

Did you know every cockerel has their own unique crow? We also love hearing our boys have the occasional "crow-off", each one determined to outdo the others with the loudest, longest crow!

23/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who has donated to name a hen. We have 4 lovely ladies left in need of names 🙏💚

Your donation will help provide food, bedding and veterinary care for these hens and their feathered friends, and as a thank you, we'll send you an official naming certificate.

Follow the link below to name a hen now 👇
https://shop.goodheartanimalsanctuaries.com/products/name-a-rescued-chicken

21/07/2026

Feeling the heat? 🥵 Spare a thought for the millions of farm animals being transported in lorries across the UK.

Did you know that it's not illegal to transport animals in temperatures above 30°C in the UK, and that more than 6,500 animals reportedly died from heat while being transported between June and August last year?

Conditions are crowded and extremely stressful, and for many of these animals, this is the last journey they will ever make. They deserve so much better. 💔

https://www.carbonbrief.org/livestock-heat-deaths-in-transit-doubled-in-uk-record-hot-summer-of-2025

Twice as many animals died due to heat stress en route to slaughterhouses during the UK’s record-hot summer in 2025 compared to 2024, according to new Carbon Brief analysis.

17/07/2026

Good news! 📣💚

Our cow herd has just had their six-monthly TB tests, and all of the results have come back clear! 🎉

As any sanctuary that has to go through this process knows, it's a horrible waiting game, particularly as we've sadly lost individuals in the past because of their results.

After heading back out into the fields, Duncan, Everest and the rest of the herd celebrated with one of their favourite treats – some tasty willow branches! 🌿🐄

16/07/2026

We've just welcomed our final school trip of the academic year! 🎉🐷🐑

It's been a fantastic year welcoming children of all ages to our sanctuary, giving them the chance to meet rescued farm animals in a peaceful environment where every animal is valued as an individual.

During their visit, pupils spend plenty of time getting to know our residents up close and learning about their behaviours, personalities, and welfare needs.

We've been delighted by the wonderful feedback from visiting schools, with teachers telling us how much their pupils enjoyed the experience and how valuable it was to see farm animals in a sanctuary setting.

If you know a school that would love to visit, we're now taking bookings for the next academic year from September onwards.

Follow the link below to find out more and book your visit 👇
https://www.goodheartanimalsanctuaries.com/free-school-trips-to-goodheart-animal-sanctuary/

14/07/2026

💚🐔 New arrivals alert! 🐔💚

We recently hosted a British Hen Welfare Trust rehoming day here at the sanctuary, and we had space to welcome 10 new hens into our rescued flock.

Please give a warm welcome to these lovely ladies. Before being rescued by the BHWT, they had spent their lives in a dark, cramped barn alongside hundreds of other hens, laying eggs for the egg industry.

Now they're safe at the sanctuary, they need names! To help raise money towards their care, you can make a donation to name one of our newest arrivals.

Your donation will help provide food, bedding and veterinary care for these hens and their feathered friends, and as a thank you, we'll send you an official naming certificate.

Follow the link below to name a hen. 👇
https://shop.goodheartanimalsanctuaries.com/products/name-a-rescued-chicken