Things You'll Need
- Shelter development plan
- Land acreage
Instructions
Land Needs
Decide on the kinds of animals to shelter and choose land that will be appropriate for them. The number of acres you'll need depends on the animals' needs. For example, acreage should include pasture land for feeding horses, cows, and sheep, brush areas for goats, mud areas for pigs, and ponds for geese and ducks. Your desired land's zoning requirements may help you decide what kinds of animals you can shelter.
Choose land that will allow for expansion. Your animal shelter needs may grow over time, so find an area where you can add acreage to your farm animal rescue operation. Find out if the land that surrounds your chosen property is zoned for commercial use; this may mean that expansion would not be possible.
Determine zoning laws for housing farm animals, and then apply for a zoning permit, if necessary. This is important because laws may vary as to what kinds of animals and buildings are allowed on your property. For example, townships and other agricultural communities may require development plans for physical shelter buildings and land usage or they may prohibit certain structures altogether. Contact the municipality where you want to build the shelter.
Buy the land that is appropriate for your needs once the zoning and any other requirements are met.
Nonprofit Organization Status
Incorporate your farm animal sanctuary as a not-for-profit business. Contact your home state's secretary of state or other authoritative office, either online or in person. Review the instructions, fill out the necessary forms and pay any required fees.
Apply for federal nonprofit status if your farm animal shelter is a public organization. Contact the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.gov for information on charitable organizations described in section 501(c)(3), which allows the entity to receive tax-deductible donations.
Choose a board of directors for the farm animal shelter, as required for nonprofit organizations. Your board of directors should develop a plan to best run the shelter so that day-to-day objectives are met.
Community Support
Advertise your plans to build the farm animal shelter by creating a mail campaign for the community. Inform potential donors, volunteers and other supporters of your plans through direct mail and email. Create newsletters and press releases to send to local media outlets and your local government representatives.
Organize "town meetings" on the issue of farm animal rescues. Get other people involved by garnering support and ideas for how to promote the problems and the solutions you are offering.
Contact local businesses and organizations; ask them to become corporate sponsors of the shelter. Develop community donation programs that will help to get your project off the ground as well as provide ongoing support for it.