Dara Farm Sanctuary was born in February of 2018, when we (Matt and Marco) heard about two pot bellied pigs that were in need of a home.
We had welcomed cats, dogs and many tropical birds into our lives, that were looking for a home.
We lived in an small town, Corunna, Ontario. We didn’t really have space to welcome pigs into our lives, or so we thought. We went to meet Kevin and Rosie, the pot bellied pigs.
Rosie lived in the house but Kevin was living in a small broken-down shed out in a small field. It was -15C and we didn’t see any bedding keep him warm from the holes in the walls, or the lack of a door. We could see him looking at us from the shadows, our hearts broke.
We went home, cleaned out the garage and brought them home. We decided that we needed to move to a farm, where we could enjoy life together.
So, on July 1, 2018 we moved to our new home that we called Dara Farm Sanctuary. Dara is an ancient Hebrew word meaning “compassion”. We found this name when we were looking for a name for one of the animals. But we loved it so much that we saved it for the sanctuary name, so it could encompass all of us.
It has been quite a journey, many folks arrived during our first couple of years. We are a family of more than 100 folks, made up of pigs, goats, miniature horses, geese, chickens, rabbits, cats, a dog and a couple of humans. We live a vegan life and by living together, we hope to share with those who come to visit, volunteer, donate or follow us on social media, that all life is a great gift. Animals deserve to live in peace without fear and be loved. Dara is located overlooking beautiful Lake Erie in Wheatley, Ontario.