About Us
Mission Our mission is not only to help animals, but to educate our community, especially the young, about the importance of responsible animal care, ethical eating, and the sentience of all creatures. We happily encourage social responsibility for the welfare of animals through our relationships with the community, educators and businesses.
History Founded in 2010, SOFAR is an animal sanctuary with farm and exotic animals, from alpacas to zebu cattle, with pot-bellied pigs and hogs, horses, donkeys and ponies, an emu, turkeys, ducks and geese, sheep and goats and chickens, also in the mix. The animals live in peaceful harmony on 22 acres.
2010 When it All Began
Mr. Thelma the pig was found wandering around a city neighborhood in Atlanta. We had to hurry because he was due for euthanasia. Along with Thelma we rescued Crowy, our first rooster.
Having rented 8 acres in Winterville, we had the space for the pig and the rooster, and we quickly built a pen and a hut for Thelma, and devised shelter from a recycled dog pen for Crowy. Before long, we acquired Gertrude who was found tied to a rope and a light post in Cabbagetown, and Stampy, the sheep who we presumed escaped from a backyard butcher.
2011 Culprit Came to Live
Culprit the Donkey came soon thereafter. His owner was tired of feeding him. Rose is Culprit's Donkey friend and is still skittish after all these years but she is glad to be here. She had foundered, and her feet need constant care. Ruby arrived because her pasture mate passed away. She also has bad feet and needed a place to live out her days.
3 mini horses arrived from a tiny stall, and 2 more pastures were added to accommodate the growing community of animals. In addition to the donkeys and minis, we have a wild mustang, a civil war reenactment horse, a retired endurance mustang who is 37 and another elderly mare who couldn't make it as a petting zoo animal.
2012
Our first 4 Alpacas were rescued from a farm that went out of business near Athens. We currently have16 alpacas plus Rosie the Llama who came as a herd protector with a group of alpacas that were simply dropped off at our farm one day.
2013 We Built the Barn
2015 We Became a Non-Profit
2016 Cows, etc.
2017 Built more structures
Animals: Highlight some animals with their stories.
Education
Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue conducts a number of activities relating to animal welfare and rescue for the surrounding community and school age children. School groups, such as Arrow School, and New Moon Montessori School, Atlas Agile Learning Center, Clarke County School Systems, Bear Hollow Zoo, as well as homeschoolers in the Athens area community, along with parents and teachers, come for the experience of meeting the animals, and to learn about the care and feeding of exotic creatures and farm animals. Students learn how the animals came to be here, why they are not good pets, and what can be done to support the activities at Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue. Long 30 foot tables provide seating for children and adults for talks, art projects, and presentations. Many local businesses, such as Treehouse Kid and Craft, Recipe for Success, and Hable Construction, use our barn as a place to bring interns and employees for team building.
We believe that these activities bring further social knowledge to our community. At Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue, we are happy to encourage social responsibility for the welfare of animals through our partnering with educators and businesses.
