Frequently Asked Questions
Visits & EVENTS
Unfortunately, we are not equipped to welcome guests without advanced scheduling. Our staff is small and we do not have the resources to maintain regular hours of operation where we are open to the public.
We have a very strict policy on outside food for several reasons. We are a plant-based/vegan organization and do not allow any animal products on the property at any time. This is out of respect for the animals and we ask all of our guests to honor this policy.
If a guest is carrying any type of food with them while visiting the animals, it could easily be sniffed out and nibbled on. Many of the animals are on special diets. While they do enjoy treats, we have to be very careful about what they eat, closely monitoring them for any adverse reactions or interactions with medications.
We love and respect all animals, including service, emotional support, and companion animals. However, many of our animals may be frightened of them.
So, for the safety and comfort of our animals and guests, we have to ask that you please leave companion and emotional support animals at home. Fully trained service animals are permitted but must be haltered or on an appropriate leash and under your supervision at all times.
Our visitors’ agreements help to make sure everyone understands what is expected. We completely understand if you’d prefer not to have photos taken and are happy to accommodate your request. Please notify us in advance via email HERE of your arrival so that we can have a paper copy of the waiver available for your signature
Unfortunately, without a signed waiver, you will not be able to participate in any of our programs.
Just like humans, the animals have unique and individual personalities. They don’t all get along with each other all of the time and some of them have been rescued from especially hard situations.
Not all of the animals enjoy visitors and some are understandably nervous around strangers and new friends. We always let the animals decide whether or not they want to visit and some of them have let us know definitively that they are NOT feeling sociable and that it’s best to love them from a distance.
In addition, some of the larger animals who love visitors very much are not always aware of their size. They can be very excited to visit with you and if you’re with a large group, it can be a challenge for our staff to monitor body language and keep everyone safe from accidents.
If there is a particular animal you’d like to spend time with more intimately, the best way is through one of our VIP tours. Small groups can usually be managed while visiting larger animals.
Absolutely! Many of Indraloka’s visitors are not vegan. While it is our hope that you will connect with the animals in our care and decide on your own not to eat them, it’s not a prerequisite for visiting. Everyone is welcome.
GENERAL
At a zoo or farm the other animals are there for the humans.. At a sanctuary, the humans are here for the other animals. While we understand the difference might seem slight or subtle, from the animal’s perspective, it’s all the difference in the world. A shelter, on the other hand, is a place that cares for animals temporarily until they are adopted. A sanctuary is their home for life.
The NEPA Rescue Veterinary Clinic is open to the public for spay/neuter services. For all other well or sick visits, interested clients must first show low-income status in order to qualify. To contact our clinic, please call 570-665-9215. If you are a shelter or rescue interested in more information, please email vet@indraloka.org or call 570-665-9215.
At Indraloka we believe that no animal should be exploited or used by anyone else. We are also not legally allowed to sell or give away eggs or wool. Many of the birds are on medications so the eggs are composted. The sheep and alpaca are sheared once every spring and the wool is composted as well.
You are not alone in wondering!. Like humans, cows must become pregnant and give birth for milk production to occur. On dairy farms, this is almost exclusively done through artificial insemination. After nine months, a cow gives birth, only to be separated from her baby within hours so she can immediately begin producing milk for human consumption.
When a mother cow is separated from her baby, the trauma is almost too much for her and her baby to bear, causing extreme mental stress for the mother and long-term negative impacts on the calf’s development. They can often be heard calling out for one another for hours or days after separation. Heart-wrenching videos show mother cows chasing after the vehicles that are taking their babies away.
What’s even worse is that a mother cow will relive this nightmare again and again, for about five years, or until their bodies protest. Once they are no longer producing milk at an “acceptable” rate, they are slaughtered for meat.
https://thehumaneleague.org/article/dairy-industry-myths
Chickens who are bred for egg production are laying an unnaturally large quantity of eggs, depleting their bodies of nutrients. Like dairy cows, their bodies also give out way too young, when they are also slaughtered for human consumption. Additionally, male chicks can’t produce eggs so they are often killed at just days old. By continuing to eat eggs, you are supporting this inhumane practice.
There are over 30 cats who call Indraloka home. In most cases, they have found us—we are not a cat rescue. However, if any animal is in need of medical care, we do our best to provide it.
Over the years, the cats at Indraloka have come to depend on us for food. But because cats are not vegan, we can not use donated funds to purchase cat food that contains animal products. By receiving donated cat food, we are able to keep the cats healthy and still respect the wishes of our donors.
Yes! Please contact our staff via email HERE or
call 570-763-2908 and someone can help make sure you are not charged shipping and that someone is available to meet you.
We are required by the state to require clearances for both staff and volunteers since positions include having close contact with animals and children.
How can I get involved? How can I help?
You can visit the Ways to Help section of our website: WAYS TO HELP | Indraloka Animal Sanctuary
Questions Regarding animals
While we are currently at capacity, we evaluate all animal surrender requests on a case-by-case basis to determine how we can help. If you have an animal you need to surrender, please submit an Animal Surrender Application.
None of our animals are available for adoption. When we rescue an animal, we make a commitment to care for them for their entire life. We partner with several local shelters that have dozens of animals available for adoption. You can learn more here:
We are not able to assist with wildlife rescues. It’s common to see baby wild animals, especially in spring but unless they are orphaned or genuinely injured, they usually do not need our help.
If your dog or cat has brought you an injured wild animal, if you find an animal that is bleeding or otherwise obviously injured, or if you find an animal shivering or crying and staying around your neighborhood for a few days, you should call a wildlife rehabilitation center.
Please review this website for resources on finding your closest wildlife rehabilitation center and what to do if you find injured wildlife.
Sometimes. The best way to contact us with these questions is by email at info@indraloka.org. If we can help, we’ll respond as quickly as possible.
Every animal at Indraloka was rescued from unthinkable, horrific circumstances. Many were living in unhealthy, filthy environments. Some were surrendered by well-meaning humans who quickly realized they could not care for the animals. Still others escaped slaughter by jumping (or falling) off of transport vehicles or breaking out of an enclosure. A very small number of animals are born at Indraloka but that is the result of someone being pregnant at the time of their rescue. We never breed or buy animals.
We can not accept rescues that were paid for as it fundamentally increases the number of abused animals. When you pay a farmer or rancher for an animal to save them from slaughter, that money is most often used to purchase or breed 2 animals that will then be raised for slaughter. You can learn more here: Tsethar | Indraloka Animal Sanctuary