The San Diego Animal Sanctuary & Farm, formerly known as the Children’s Nature Retreat, has announced a new name and brand identity: Alpine Acres Sanctuary Farm.
The rebranding, which took effect June 25, comes as part of a settlement agreement following a lawsuit filed by another local animal sanctuary. The nonprofit will complete the full transition, including website and marketing updates, by July 15.
“We loved our name, but were sued by another Alpine animal sanctuary,” said Agnes Barrelet, executive director. “We decided to settle because we don’t have the means to fight in court, thus we were forced to sell. But we are happy to have found a great new name – Alpine Sanctuary Farm. It has been a difficult few months and we need the community to visit our adorable animals, so we can continue to care for them.”
Located on 20 acres in Alpine, the sanctuary is home to nearly 200 domesticated livestock and exotic animals, including bison, camels, zebras and a variety of farm animals. Many of the animals were once pets displaced by illness, death or financial hardship. Daily visits, donations and support of the farm’s vegetable stand help cover their food and medical care.
Barrelet said the farm’s operations remain unchanged and its summer camps are continuing as scheduled.
Summer camps are available for children 7 and older and are limited to four campers at a time. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $150 per day, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $195 per day. Campers shadow animal keepers and participate in hands-on activities including feeding animals, cleaning pens and harvesting vegetables.
Alpine Acres Sanctuary Farm, located at 5178 Japatul Spur, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Single-day admission is $40 for adults, $25 for children, and $36 for seniors. Children under 2 are free, and parking is complimentary.
For more information, visit www.AlpineAcres- SanctuaryFarm.org.
