About

The River Haven Sanctuary is located in Hope Valley, RI. Nestled on 30 acres and bordered by the Wood River, the Sanctuary is permanent home to farmed animals who were previously at risk due to neglect, abandonment, displacement or impending slaughter. River Haven Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It provides optimal care for resident animals through robust nutrition programs, excellent routine and emergency medical care, and innovative management and training practices. The Sanctuary conducts outreach and education programs in order to inspire others to the vision of a world that treats all farm animals with compassion and respect.

Jeffrey Hunsinger

Founder and Director of Farm Operations

Prior to founding the River Haven Sanctuary, Jeff worked as a real estate developer and construction supervisor. From 1999 to 2018, he owned and operated Hunsinger Development Corporation, a real estate development firm in Boston, MA. Jeff started his professional career seven years prior as a corporate and securities lawyer.

In 2018, after moving to Rhode Island and acquiring the 30 acres now home to the Sanctuary, Jeff adopted a herd of goats followed by his first pig, Daisy. Through caring for them daily, he came to the realization that the animals we call livestock are in fact beautiful individuals subject to a cruel agricultural system. He founded the River Haven Sanctuary in order to protect animals whose lives and individuality are devalued by factory farming and to create a forum for others to experience the sense of space, grounding and delight that occurs in the company of these animals.

Jeff holds a BA in History and Literature from Harvard University and a JD from Georgetown University.

Nowadays, Jeff treasures hands-on animal care. When he is not putting up hay or mending fences, he can be found hand feeding the hens, giving the pigs belly scratches and rubbing the donkey’s ears.

Lucy Butler

Co-Founder and Director of Education, Enrichment and Environment

Prior to founding the Sanctuary, Lucy worked as a high school special educator with 20 years of service in both private and public education. She draws on her interest in behavior analysis and constructional design for learning to create educational experiences for human visitors to the sanctuary and to optimize enrichment and management practices for animal residents.

Lucy spent her childhood and teen years riding horses and working in traditional boarding barns. Her passion these days is teaching resident animals skills and behaviors that improve their quality of life using Modern Constructional Horse Training as developed by Alexandra Kurland. The method’s emphasis on positive reinforcement, constructional design and physical balance leads to happy, safe, relaxed horses and donkeys who are more likely to remain sound and vital into their advanced years.

Lucy holds a dual BA in Honors Liberal Studies and History from Villanova University, a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Rhode Island College and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Cognitive and Neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University.

Lucy can usually be found in the River Haven’s round classroom with a resident learner and her treat pouch surrounded by her oversized collection of pool noodles, sports cones, doormats, hula hoops, duck taped objects and other colorful teaching props.