Jill Tedeschi carries more than 12 years of farmed animal sanctuary experience, including nine years in shelter leadership.

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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.

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