Jill Tedeschi carries more than 12 years of farmed animal sanctuary experience, including nine years in shelter leadership.
Spanning these years, Jill has been directly involved in the care decisions of more than 2,000+ individuals.
👋 Hi there! A little background on me:
I began my caregiving career as a shelter intern, equipped only with a passion for the cause and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing & Communication. I wanted to start a sanctuary of my own, and my dreams got a huge reality check my first week on site. I saw firsthand how many cogs need to be in motion to keep a sanctuary funded and running.
Like many folks who dream about starting a sanctuary, I wanted to spend my time caring for the individual residents, not worrying about fundraising or communication strategy. I was fortunate enough to be hired on the shelter immediately after my internship and never looked back.
We may have met before! I frequently presented at Farm Sanctuary’s Farmed Animal Care Conference. This event holds an exceptionally soft spot in my heart, as it combines two of my passions: training and educating others about the nuances of farmed animal sanctuary care and connecting with sanctuary (and sanctuary-hopeful!) community members.
From my various roles at farmed animal rescues, I know how physically, emotionally, and logistically challenging it is to conduct sanctuary healthcare and lead high-stress shelter teams. I’ve been there with the consistent 11-hour, 11-miles-walked work days. I’ve done the 2 AM, then 4 AM, then 6 AM, groggy and terrifying lamb tube feedings. I’ve withstood the tornado of a nearly full-staff tumultuous turnover.
My years of farmed animal rescue, care, and management have brought me gut-wrenching heartache and gallons of tears, both in despair and in ecstasy. It has brought me to the brink of quitting more times than I would like to admit.
It has also given me my very best friends (on both four and two legs) and given me a sense of purpose in the world.
I can’t imagine my life without it.
Areas of Expertise.
Sanctuary healthcare for:
Sheep
Goats
Large breed & pot belly pigs
Small & large breed chickens
Small & large breed turkeys
Ducks & geese
Cattle
Equines
Shelter operations, including:
Division of labor
Creating cleaning and healthcare schedules
Incoming resident procedures & protocols
Emergency preparation
Record keeping
Building and retrofitting animal-safe facilities
Expense tracking
Shelter management, including:
Logistical management of shelter staff and volunteers, including scheduling, training, & performance reviews
Emotional management of shelter staff and volunteers
Effective communication
Building trusting veterinary relationships
Navigating working relationships with non-shelter staff
Professional Experience.
Shelter Manager & Master Caregiver
Farm Sanctuary
2011 - 2019
Shelter Systems & Animal Care Educator
Farm Sanctuary’s Farm Animal Care Conference
2015 - 2018
Director of Shelter & Rescue
Hey Friend Foundation
2018 - 2022
Consultant for Hire
Healthy Herd Consulting, LLC
2020 - Present
Fun Stuff.
Favorite Essential Sanctuary Gear: Patagonia Hose-Down Waterproof Bibs.
Favorite Vegan Restaurant: Luna Verde in Bradley Beach, NJ.
Free time: Being in water, playing with colors, and finding a way to sweat every day.