Resources
Free, comprehensive guides for sanctuaries, shelters, rescue groups, and individuals. We’re building the resource library we wish existed when we started.
The Socratic Sanctuary Method
Not sure where to start? Our guided pathways ask the right questions and build a personalized plan — no generic advice, no information overload.
17 resources
Feral Cat TNR Fundamentals
Scenario-based TNR guide covering colony assessment, kitten handling, weather protocols, trap-shy cats, pregnant queens, trapper safety, and the Feral-to-Barn-Cat program. Built for San Diego County caretakers.
Emergency Evacuation Go-Bag Checklist
San Diego County wildfire evacuation guide built around the Ready–Set–Go framework. Covers Genasys zones, emergency apps, large-animal evacuation sites, livestock water requirements, PSPS prep, shelter-in-place, and post-fire return.
Safe Animal Transport Basics
Transport guide covering cats, cattle, dogs, equines, pigs, poultry, rabbits, and small ruminants. Escape prevention (martingale + double-leash for dogs, hard-sided carriers for cats), emergency protocols, biosecurity, species-specific critical rules.
Pig Transport Protocols and Safety Guide
Long-form pig transport guide. Vehicle hard stops (no U-Hauls, no pickup beds), interactive pre-transport risk calculator, water/ice computation, body condition scoring, heat stress flowchart, and a persistent emergency rescue panel. Memorial to seven pigs lost in 2022.
Starting a 501(c)(3) Animal Sanctuary
California-specific four-phase formation guide from Steampunk Farms' own 2018 filing. Reality Check, Formation, Operations Setup, Ongoing Compliance — plus capacity planning by species, financial reality, fiscal sponsorship alternative, insurance, and common pitfalls.
Surrender Prevention Self-Assessment
Non-judgmental guide for anyone considering surrendering an animal. Covers financial help, housing, behavior, domestic violence, deployment, end-of-life planning, and placement pathways for farmed animals. Steampunk Farms focuses on municipal-shelter intake, not private-party surrenders — the page explains where we can and cannot help.
Mini Pigs Don't Stay Mini: What You Need to Know
The 'mini pig' label is unregulated marketing. Mature potbellies and 'teacup' pigs reach 100–200 pounds and live 12–18 years. A diagnostic, judgment-free guide for keepers whose pig outgrew the home — including breed reality, the role of breeder underfeeding, what's possible if you can keep them, and how to find safe placement if you can't.
Rooster Too Loud? Try These Before Rehoming
Roosters are the most-surrendered chicken category — and most rooster surrenders are preventable. A practical guide to coop adjustments, lighting and blackout management, no-crow collars (with honest welfare notes), neighbor conversation scripts, and how to research local ordinances before you have to give the bird up.
Is a Pig a Good Pet? An Honest Look Before You Decide
Pigs are remarkable animals and demanding pets. Both are true. An honest pre-acquisition guide covering lifespan (12–18 years), mature size, intelligence and behavior, dietary precision, social needs, zoning realities, and lifetime cost — written to help you decide clearly before bringing a pig home, not to sell you one or talk you out of one.
How Big Should Your Chicken Coop Be? A Practical Guide
Coop size determines welfare for the coop's entire lifespan. A practical guide covering square footage per bird (indoor, run, free-range), concrete numbers for 3 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12-bird flocks, climate adjustments, predator considerations, common undersizing mistakes, and how to upgrade without rebuilding.
Adopt a Rescued Farm Animal vs. Buy: How to Decide
A non-preachy comparison of adopting a rescued farm animal versus buying from a breeder or feed store. Practical realities (cost, age, behavior known vs unknown, biosecurity, health history), species-by-species notes (chickens, pigs, goats, ducks), how to find legitimate rescues, and what to look for if you decide to buy.
How to Vet an Animal Sanctuary
A diagnostic checklist for evaluating whether an animal sanctuary is legitimate before you donate, sponsor, or place an animal — 501(c)(3) verification, tax filings, board governance, capacity claims, visit policies, and red flags.
Where Your Donation Goes
What a $50 donation actually buys at a small farmed-animal sanctuary. Specific dollar amounts tied to specific outcomes — feed, vet care, sponsorship, infrastructure, and what we intentionally don’t spend on.
Tax-Deductible Giving to Animal Sanctuaries — A Plain Guide
How tax-deductible donations to animal sanctuaries actually work in US tax law — receipts, AGI limits, qualified charitable distributions, appreciated stock, donor-advised funds, and end-of-year timing. IRS publication citations throughout.
Are Pigs Intelligent? What the Research Actually Says
Are pigs intelligent? Cognition research from the Edinburgh, UC Davis, Bristol, and Purdue labs — read through the residents at Steampunk Farms.
What Is Factory Farming? A Plain Explanation
What factory farming actually is — the CAFO regulatory definition, USDA scale data, operational practices, welfare baseline, and the alternatives.
Why Do We Eat Some Animals But Not Others?
Why most cultures permit eating some animals and forbid others. Carnism, history, and the major ethical positions — without an easy answer.
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