Microsanctuary:
A space operated using personal resources that provides lifelong care for animals typically viewed as commodities or hard-to-adopt.
Types of Animal Residences
Shelters
Animal shelters typically keep companion animals temporarily until they can be adopted out to an individual or family. Shelters are usually either registered nonprofits with a board of directors, paid staff, and volunteers, or operated by the local government. All shelters are funded by the general public through taxes and/or donations.
Homes with Pets
Thankfully, many people treat their pets as members of their families. Their homes are safe havens for these animals, many of whom were previously in a shelter environment or were rescued off the street by a kind stranger before finally finding their forever home. We all hope that every animal will end up in a loving home where they can be doted on, either as a single pet or with a few buddies.
Understandably, however, most families have needs that require a potential pet to be a good fit. Work schedules, apartment/HOA regulations, the presence of children or elderly family members, health issues, or simply preferences preclude certain types of animals from living in a typical home environment. The fate of these animals is either an interminable stay at a shelter, euthanasia, or living out the rest of their lives in a sanctuary.
Sanctuaries
Sanctuaries rescue animals from exploitative or otherwise detrimental situations and care for them for the rest of their lives. There are different types of sanctuaries, such as ones specifically for farm animals, exotic animals, and companion animals.
A nonprofit animal sanctuary has as its primary mission the physical and psychological welfare of the non-human residents housed within it. Microsanctuaries operate in the same way, simply in a home environment. Like larger sanctuaries, microsanctuaries are developed and operated with intention. Animals are brought into a microsanctuary with the understanding that they may have medical concerns, behavioral issues, or other factors which make rehoming difficult. A rabbit who bites and refuses handling or a cat who urinates on furniture, while dealbreakers in many homes, can have a wonderful quality of life in a situation specifically designed to care for them.
Benefits of microsanctuaries
They can be started and operated independently.
Over the course of my career I’ve enjoyed working with registered nonprofits in a variety of roles, including incorporator, board member, staff member, and volunteer. Nonprofits offer a level of legitimacy that make them able to fundraise and effect change in ways that an individual or small group may not be able to, so they certainly have their place. That said, a registered nonprofit may not be an ideal fit for some situations, especially those that you want full control over. Microsanctuaries don’t require board approval, public fundraisers, paid employees, or extensive paperwork. They can be as big or as small as you want and feel comfortable handling with the resources available to you.
They provide important tools for the prevention of animal hoarding.
The sheer number of animals in need paired with an animal lover’s compassionate heart can unfortunately quickly lead to overwhelming circumstances. Faced with the mammoth task of physically and financially providing for a number of animals, the rescuer’s mental health can rapidly decline, and with it, the animals’ health and emotional wellbeing. Love goes a long way toward healing a rescued animal’s heart, but we also need to make sure we’re providing healthy food, clean water, essential medications, and a safe environment for them to thrive. Operating as a sanctuary, with all of the organization, routines, and intention that requires, protects both you and the animals you care for. The physical and emotional welfare of the animals in your care is the primary mission of a microsanctuary and will serve as the cornerstone for every action and decision made.
They decrease the strain on local shelters.
Between the factory farming industry and the companion animal overpopulation crisis, there are millions of animals who deserve a safe place to live out their lives. Unfortunately, these numbers mean that many shelters and sanctuaries find themselves at capacity. Adopters and adoption networks are the primary way for these organizations to continue to take in animals, but understandably most homes are only interested in or able to care for certain types of animals. Farm animals or companion animals with special needs don’t always fit that bill, and microsanctuaries provide another option for these animals who may otherwise die or decompensate in the system.