june sanctuary update

Art for the Animals is less than a month away!

Join us online July 7-10 for our largest fundraiser of the year

Our annual auction is our largest fundraiser and source of income for our organization. We're hopeful you'll share this event with your friends and family far and wide--that's one of the benefits of having it online. You don't have to be local to attend.

We've started holding small group events onsite, and will continue to do so throughout the Summer and Fall. The animals love seeing people again! 

Do you have something to donate?
Right now we're busy collecting donations for the event. We would love to be able to offer a donation from you or someone you know. You can learn more about the kind of items we are looking for by following the link below. We welcome vegan/animal friendly products and services.
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Making a donation is easy—simply click the link below and complete the online form. Then you'll mail an image of the item to our Auction Coordinator. (This year, we are asking donators to ship items directly to winning bidders if possible). Thank you so much for your consideration.

Get registered to bid online!
Last year we had hundreds of donated items that appealed to a wide range of bidders. We're looking forward to "seeing" you there. Use the link below to get yourself ready! You can bid on any computer or smart phone. 

Register to Bid

Donate to the Auction

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 Thinking Vegan? Simple BBQ Swaps

by Megan Jonas

If you’re a new vegan or simply curious to explore more compassionate food choices, you may be wondering how to navigate one of America’s favorite summer pastimes – barbecues. Fear not! While barbecues are often a meat-centric affair, they certainly don’t have to be. 

With more and more innovative plant-based burgers, brats and sausages coming on the market, you’re bound to find something you enjoy throwing on the grill. Plus, you can always use portobello mushrooms or cauliflower as your protein (look up “grilled cauliflower steaks"!) or make veggie kebabs.

Hamburger alternatives range from veggie-based patties with their own distinct flavors to mock meat that just might fool the staunchest carnivore. Tasty options are available from Field Roast, Organic Sunshine Burgers, Hilary’s, Gardein, and many more brands. All of those brands, as well as all burgers by Amy’s, are plant-based. Make sure to read the ingredients on veggie burgers you’re unsure about, as eggs are often used as a binder.

You may have heard the hype about Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger and Impossible Foods’ Impossible Burgers in the past few years. These are great options if you’re craving a traditional, juicy burger, or if you’re feeding friends or family who are skeptical of plant-based food. Readers of VegNews voted for the Beyond Burger as the Best Vegan Burger of 2021 and ranked Impossible Foods as having the Best Vegan Meat. Kit and Pete Jagoda, River's Wish co-founders, are fans of the Beyond Sausage.

Once you have your burger picked out, there are just a few more things to keep in mind.

Buns: Milk and/or butter are common ingredients in hamburger and hot dog buns, so you’ll want to check labels. Some major brands with vegan buns include Dave’s Killer Bread and Rudi's. The organic buns from Trader Joe’s are vegan too. We recommend choosing organic buns if possible to bypass the issue of sugar that may have been processed with bone char (animal bones). Organic sugar is not processed in this way.

Condiments: Many mustards, ketchups and relishes are vegan! Again, just check the ingredients. Mayonnaise is the major non-vegan barbecue condiment, but plant-based mayos are readily available at most stores. Follow Your Heart’s Vegenaise and Best Foods Vegan Dressing & Spread are two of our favorites. You can easily “veganize” your macaroni and potato salads by using these too!

Cheese: There are many delectable vegan cheeses on the market these days. We love slices from Violife, Chao, and Follow Your Heart. Of course, you can always opt for avocado instead to get your fill of creamy, savory goodness. 
Enjoy your next barbecue knowing that no animals were harmed!

Olive, a Low Line Red Angus and resident of River's Wish, drools for good vegan barbecue!

Thinking Vegan? is a new monthly feature by our very own Megan Jonas, River's Wish volunteer and vegan activist. ​

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All About Ginger

In our last resident interview with S'Mores, we had several of our followers ask about his gal pal Ginger. We wanted to give you all an update about this lovely little lady. 

Ginger is a mini-horse who is approximately 20 years old. As you know, she arrived to River's Wish along with S'Mores in 2010. She was extremely fearful, which was really hard to see.  

Over her time at the sanctuary, she has become a little more trusting, but prefers her herd to people. Ginger is very spunky and happy. She loves spending time with her mini friends!

Little Ginger getting a manicure. If you'd like to support Ginger, or any of the other residents
​of River's Wish, ​we welcome your support. 

Sponsor