Vegan animal rescue marks 10 years in Iowa's top pork-producing state

Iowa Farm Sanctuary, founded by Shawn and Jered Camp, has grown from a 10-acre site to a 40-acre sanctuary that cares for about 150 animals and runs education programs such as LEAP.

Shawn and Jered Camp founded Iowa Farm Sanctuary after deciding to volunteer with rescued farm animals and seeking a way to combine care and education. They began organizing the nonprofit in 2015 and rescued their first animals in July 2016. Over ten years the sanctuary moved from a 10-acre property to a 40-acre pasture in Johnson County and developed public programs and visitor resources. The site cares for a wide range of animals and aims to show visitors aspects of farmed-animal lives that many have not seen. Key facts: - The sanctuary began organizing in 2015 and rescued its first animals in July 2016. - The property grew from an initial 10 acres to 40 acres and now houses roughly 150 resident animals. - Animals arrive through owner surrenders and from incidents such as highway accidents; staff say owner surrenders have become more common. - The sanctuary offers programs and visitor resources, including LEAP (Leaders for Ethics, Animals, and the Planet) as an alternative youth program to 4-H and on-site educational signage and trails. - Interviewees note Iowa law provides limited legal protections for farmed animals (basic shelter, water and food), and that federal protections for farmed birds are minimal. - A proposed change to reclassify animal torture as a felony under discussion in Iowa does not include farmed animals, according to the sanctuary's comments. Summary: The sanctuary marks a decade of steady growth and public education while operating in a state with large commercial pork and egg industries. They celebrate a 10-year milestone with continued animal care and upcoming events, and broader changes to farmed-animal welfare laws remain undetermined at this time.