Doors at 6:00pm · Talk at 6:30pm
First Light Books, Hyde Park

In 1986, Gene Baur found a sheep left for dead behind a Pennsylvania stockyard. She lifted her head, and he took her home and named her Hilda. That rescue, funded by selling vegan hot dogs outside Grateful Dead shows, grew into Farm Sanctuary, the country's first farm animal rescue organization. Join us as Gene celebrates forty years of rescue, investigation, and advocacy with stories of the animals and people who built a movement.

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how to attend

RSVP for free, or buy a copy of Farm Sanctuary with your ticket to get a reserved seat and pick up your book at the event.

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about the book

For forty years, Farm Sanctuary has been at the forefront of efforts to raise awareness and end factory farming abuses. It started a movement to change how society views and treats farm animals and to transform the lives of humans and other animals. Founded as an all-volunteer grassroots effort in 1986, it was originally funded by selling vegan hotdogs outside of Grateful Dead concerts. Its pioneering investigations exposed egregious cruelty to farm animals and led to animal rescues, starting with Hilda, a sheep who was discarded on a pile of dead animals behind a stockyard. Along with operating farms and caring for rescued animals, the organization has developed groundbreaking education and advocacy efforts, engaged with dignitaries and celebrities, and passed the first U.S. laws to restrict factory farming cruelty.

Farm Sanctuary’s work has been widely covered in media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Time, NPR, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and many others. It is internationally recognized, and its work has inspired individuals and organizations around the globe.

This book offers an inspiring testament to the power of kindness and action, encouraging readers to consider their own choices and join the movement toward a more just and humane world for everyone. A powerful retrospective that chronicles Farm Sanctuary’s humble beginnings in 1986 to its leading role in the fight for ethical, sustainable, and compassionate food systems, Farm Sanctuary: The Story of a Movement, features powerful images, personal reflections from activists and supporters, and moving commentary on the evolving and life-changing landscape of animal agriculture.

about the author

Gene Baur is an activist, author, and leader known for his work in animal rights and sustainable food advocacy. He co-founded Farm Sanctuary in 1986, the first and most influential farm animal rescue organization in the United States. Through his efforts, Baur has helped raise awareness and lessened the cruelty of factory farming, and continues to espouse the benefits of compassionate, vegan living. Baur has written two best-selling books and numerous op-eds and articles, testified before Congress and other legislative bodies, appeared in documentaries, and has garnered mainstream media coverage across the political spectrum. Baur has a pragmatic, open-minded approach to engaging with diverse audiences from policymakers to pundits, and from consumers to farmers. Baur has been called “the conscience of the food movement” by Time magazine and was recognized by Oprah for his pioneering work to create a healthier and more humane and sustainable food system.

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