GUYTON, Ga. () — Tucked away just outside Savannah, on a quiet stretch of land in Guyton, Georgia, Starland Animal Sanctuary is rewriting the narrative for one of the most overlooked animals in the rescue world: chickens. Founded by Rachel and Scotty McDowell, this vegan-run sanctuary offers a forever home to fowl who have known little more than suffering—until now.

While many sanctuaries focus on larger farm animals, Starland’s main mission is healing and caring for chickens. “Animal rights, animal welfare and animal farming are the three things we considered when we started this journey,” Rachel tells . “We decided to have chickens as our focus because they are the animal who suffers greatly and in the greatest quantity.”

And yet, as Rachel passionately describes, chickens are anything but simple creatures. “They are amazing little individuals. They have complex languages. The mother hen speaks to her babies before they have even hatched. They form friendships; they recognize faces among themselves and humans. They have enemies and frenemies and best friends and little family bonds.”

Some of the birds at Starland — 49 chickens (37 of those roosters!) at present count — thrive on human interaction. Others prefer their space. “They make great pets or, as I prefer to say, animal companions,” Rachel adds. “Some of our birds love human attention and others are like, ‘No, thank you.’”

The sanctuary sits on just under five acres of land, about half of which is dedicated to the animals. “We talked with the Army Corps of Engineers,” Rachel recalls. “I said, ‘These are my dreams for the property and I understand that half of it is wetlands. Can I do what I want to do?’ And they said, ‘Yes, as long as you follow the guidelines.’ So we did our due diligence and decided [Guyton] would be the perfect place.”

The rural setting isn’t just practical—it’s part of the sanctuary’s soul. “I love where we are, sort of out in the country,” Rachel says. She and Scotty once lived in Savannah and were enamored with the part of town known as Starland. She says the name honors the duality of the two communities. “We love that [the Starland area in Savannah] used to be a dairy farm, and for us as vegans, we love that it is no longer a dairy farm. It is this thriving little community of artists and small business owners. And I love where we are now….sort of out in the country.”

Starland’s mission is deeply rooted in vegan values. For Rachel, the shift to veganism was a profound awakening. “Some people can become awakened to things and literally go, ‘That’s it.’ That’s amazing to me because it’s a lot of change. And it affects every aspect of your life.”

Each chicken that arrives at Starland carries a story of hardship. But each is given the time and space to heal. “One of them is named Paul,” Rachel shares. “He was so shy at first and who could blame him? He came from a terrible situation. I kind of give each of them their space and let everybody decompress and just do what they need to do when they first arrive.”

Over time, Paul began to trust the McDowells. “Now when he sees me coming, he does a little wing dance. To me, it’s like he’s saying, ‘I’m so excited to see you!’”

That commitment to compassion is evident in every corner of the sanctuary—from the careful attention to each bird’s needs to the enormous vet bills that come with rescuing severely injured animals. “Some of these animals come to us in heartbreaking condition,” Rachel says. “We do everything we can to give them a second chance.”

Running a sanctuary like Starland isn’t easy. The cost — especially for medical care –is steep. But the McDowells remain committed and they welcome support from those who believe in their mission. Donations can be made through their Linktree page, helping to fund everything from feed to life-saving medical treatment.

Starland Animal Sanctuary is more than a refuge—it’s a testament to the power of empathy, the resilience of animals and the quiet beauty of a life lived in service to others. As Rachel puts it, “In the evening… I can look up and it is Starland.” And for the chickens who now call it home, it truly is a place where stars align.