Thanksliving FOR the Animals

There is something especially meaningful about gathering here in November, with the animals whose lives are so often missing from the story of this holiday. At Broken Shovels, our turkeys are not a tradition or a centerpiece. They are our friends, our neighbors, and the honored guests of the day.

Please join us for our 13th annual Thanksliving celebration. We’ll share hot cocoa, warm spiced cider, and a now famous Thanksgiving-inspired plant-based brunch from Wong Way Veg, while the turkeys enjoy a feast of their own. You’ll have time to meet them, along with the goats, sheep, cows, pigs, water buffaloes, and other residents who have found a lasting home here.

Some of these animals have grown old with us. Others are still learning what it means to be safe. Each has their own habits, friendships, and ways of asking for what they need. Thanksliving gives us a chance to slow down, spend time in their company, and give thanks for the ordinary days they get to have.

This celebration also helps us prepare for the long Colorado winter. Your visit supports the food, straw, and bedding that keep our residents nourished and warm when the days grow short and the nights turn cold.

We hope you’ll come gather with us for a feast for the animals, and a day that honors the lives we share with them.

Accessibility & Community Access

Guests presenting a valid EBT / SNAP card at the gate may attend with complimentary admission. 

Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary is committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming space. Our facility is accessible to guests with mobility needs, including wheelchair access throughout main visitor areas. If you have specific accessibility questions or require accommodations, we are always happy to help.

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Important Details:

• Each guest age one or older must have a ticket

• Tickets are non-refundable

• If dangerous weather prevents the event, we will reschedule or offer a rain check

• No outside food or beverages permitted

• No companion animals allowed anywhere on the sanctuary or parked cars

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Visitor Guidelines

Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary exists as a safe place for animals rescued from abuse, neglect, slaughter, and exploitation. We do not breed or sell animals.

This is not a petting zoo.

While many of the animals enjoy affection and interaction, they are not here as entertainment, but as individuals living their lives in a space designed for their comfort, autonomy, and wellbeing.

You are visiting their home.

We ask all guests to treat the animals with kindness and respect. Not every animal will want attention, and that choice must always be honored.

Many residents are in various stages of recovery from injury, illness, or trauma. Our care decisions are guided by veterinary expertise and long-term welfare priorities. We welcome thoughtful questions about the animals and their care.

Please follow all posted rules for the safety of the animals and fellow visitors.