Asher's Farm Sanctuary was inspired by the late Oscar Hirsch (15.07.1929 - 07.09.2015), who's Hebrew name was "Asher". Oscar & his Israeli wife Elise lived in Pretoria, South Africa, where they raised their three daughters. Oscar was very well known as an award-winning architect and developer.
Oscar was a vegetarian for over 60 years and vegan in the latter years. He took every opportunity to enlighten people about the benefits of living cruelty-free lives, both for humans and animals. It was his dying wish to contribute towards animals, education and ecology, and so the idea of the first farm sanctuary in Gauteng, South Africa was born and established in 2017 on an 8.5ha plot in Pretoria East.
Oscar maintained that people are meant to be the animal keepers and protectors, but in today's world they are, knowingly or unknowingly, exploiting animals for human gain. He emphasized the health benefits of eating a plant based diet and often quoted George Bernard Shaw who wrote “Animals are my friends and I don’t eat my friends”.
Farm animals, rescued from industries where they are exploited for human gain, will find safe haven, compassion and genuine appreciation at Asher's Farm Sanctuary. They will assist in raising awareness for the plight of their species, rendered helpless by factory farming and the effects of this farming on the environment.
We hope that visitors who spend time with the animals at our farm sanctuary will be able to gaze upon them with new eyes, recognizing their gentle nature and connecting to them in spirit with understanding and humility. We believe that, in this way, the relationship between animal and man can begin to heal, grow and strengthen.