Animal Sanctuary in Edison, NJ

Who ever knew there was a wetlands area in Edison with an animal sanctuary as well ! I grew up right next door in Iselin and was always surrounded by suburbia and we had to travel a bit to get to some farmland or hiking areas. http://www.edisonwetlands.org/about/programs/triple-c-ranch/ The Edison Wetlands Association works to help clean up water ways and waste sites. At the animal sanctuary there's a mini pony, goats, chickens, a turkey (named appropriately "Turkey"), ducks, a pig and a ram. The friendly folks there will take you on a tour so you can meet the critters and if you're lucky like we were, you will get all loved up by the goats. They are so affectionate and just love to nibble on your clothes and rub all over your legs. They are such a happy group!


The chickens are probably my favorite. How could I ever have eaten them before? They are such beautiful, intelligent creatures and so curious about us. They make the most amazing little clucking sounds and come quickly over to check you out. They turn their heads to the side a bit to get a good look at you and you can almost picture them saying "look at me, I'm beautiful and special !" They dig around in the dirt and make little nests in their fresh straw. So sadly, chickens raised for egg laying are crammed 4-5 to a tiny cage and have no room to spread their wings or root around in the dirt. Their beaks are cut off so they don't peck each other in the cruel entrapment they spend their whole life in. And you're out of luck if you are born a male chick. You are simply discarded (alive) into a garbage bin. That's the egg industry so when you convince yourself that it is ok to eat eggs because you are technically not killing an animal, think again about the horror you contribute to.

Well back to the lucky few who can live out their lives at a sanctuary. The rooster cock-a-doodle-doos right in your face. He seems so proud of himself and what he can do. "Turkey" also loves to cluck happily at you and he also comes right over to "chat" with you and check you out. The pig is laying happily in the mud in the shade, the pony trots around his pen and snacks on grass. It's such a happy place!

We have so much to learn from these amazing animals. Their simple desire to live, be free and just be themselves without any harm.

There's also great hiking trails through the surrounding woods that go along the Bound Brook and you're sure to see many different bird species along the way. We saw a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, my first ever! And plenty of Red Winged Blackbirds, Robins and Swallows.

It's a great day trip for families and maybe it's right in your backyard and you didn't even know it.