Starting Over Sanctuary

What Starting Over Sanctuary does

Starting Over Sanctuary is an Israeli non-profit animal welfare organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Herut, Israel. It rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes abused and neglected animals — primarily working donkeys but also horses, cats, cattle, and other species — with a current population of roughly 1,700 animals across its facilities. Its flagship operational program is the Donkey Flight Project, which relocates donkeys from Israel to partner sanctuaries in Europe (notably France and Belgium), at a unit cost of approximately 3,500 NIS per donkey; over 600 donkeys have been relocated across 15 completed flights since 2022.

The sanctuary is funded almost entirely by donations, with monthly operating costs of approximately 700,000 NIS (~$190,000) and a dedicated cattery budget of 50,000 NIS per month. It holds Israeli tax-exempt status under Section 46 and US tax-deductible status via JGive, enabling cross-border fundraising. It is led by founder Sharon Cohen, operates with 11–50 staff, and is supported by an international partner network that includes Network for Animals, CAF America, Animal Kind International, Animal Aid Abroad, European Sanctuaries, and Freedom Center.

The organization maintains a strong social media presence and runs supplementary programs including a virtual adoption scheme, educational outreach, and international advocacy. Its core operating model combines on-site long-term care with cross-border rehoming, with capacity absorbed sharply upward during the Israel-Hamas conflict when its donkey population roughly doubled to ~1,200.

Name

Starting Over Sanctuary

Legal name

להתחיל מחדש (Starting Over Sanctuary)

Website

https://startingover.org.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Starting Over Sanctuary is an Israeli non-profit founded in 2017 that rescues and rehabilitates abused and neglected animals — primarily donkeys, horses, and cats — and relocates donkeys to European partner sanctuaries through its Donkey Flight Project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Herut

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization is 100% funded by donations from the public. Accepts monthly recurring donations, one-time donations, and provides tax-deductible donation receipts for Israeli (Section 46) and US donors through JGive Friends of Asor Fund USA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Starting Over Sanctuary is a non-profit animal sanctuary based in Moshav Herut, Israel, that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes abandoned or abused animals — primarily donkeys, horses, and cats. Its signature offering is the Donkey Flight Project, which relocates rescued donkeys to vetted European sanctuaries, supported by ongoing donations, a virtual adoption program, and on-site education.

Product overview

Starting Over Sanctuary operates as a nonprofit animal welfare organization offering a comprehensive suite of services centered on animal rescue, rehabilitation, and placement. The core offering is the rehabilitation sanctuary in Moshav Herut, Israel, which serves as a safe haven for abused, neglected, and abandoned animals—primarily donkeys and horses, but also cats, dogs, and farm animals. The sanctuary operates specialized programs including The Cattery (housing ~300 cats), the Donkey Flight Project (an innovative initiative flying rehabilitated donkeys to partner sanctuaries in Europe), educational tours, virtual adoption, and community sterilization services. The organization is funded entirely through donations and operates without government support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Sanctuary Core sanctuary service providing long-term rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming for abandoned or abused donkeys, horses, and other animals in Israel.
• Donkey Flight Project International relocation program that flies rescued donkeys from Israel to vetted European sanctuaries for lifetime care, funded by donations and donor partnerships.
• The Cattery Dedicated cat sanctuary providing rescue, shelter, veterinary care, and adoption for rescued cats, with the option to be paired with a dog companion.
• Community Cat Sterilization Program Outreach sterilization service for community cats in surrounding municipalities, aimed at reducing local overpopulation and improving cat welfare.
• Educational Programs On-site educational programs at the sanctuary designed to raise awareness of animal welfare and responsible care among visitors, students, and community groups.
• Virtual Adoption Donor subscription program that lets supporters remotely sponsor a specific animal, with monthly contributions funding that animal's daily care and updates from the sanctuary.
• Sanctuary Visits and Tours On-site visits and guided tours of the sanctuary, letting donors and visitors meet the animals and see the organization's work firsthand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 donkeys rescued and rehabilitated since founding in 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Animal Kind InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational animal welfare organization that partners with the sanctuary, supporting their mission and validating their work.
• Freedom Center (מרכז חירות)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational center that works with the sanctuary on educational programs. Conducts tours, workshops, and lectures for thousands of children, teenagers, and families. Provides mutual rehabilitation relationship between animals and special populations.
• European Sanctuaries (France and Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner sanctuaries in France and Belgium that receive donkeys through the Donkey Flight Project. Shelters like La Taniere in France have taken in dozens of rescued donkeys. These partners provide lifelong care, green pastures, and dedicated attention to the donkeys flown from Israel.
• The Donkey Sanctuary UKminorOthersSource of research and data on the global ejiao industry. Their 'Under the Skin' report is cited as a reference for information about donkey skin trade and industry practices.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Donkey Sanctuary: UK-based global organization dedicated to donkey welfare, and a cited source of research on the ejiao industry for Starting Over. Operates sanctuaries worldwide with similar rescue, advocacy, and education missions at a far larger scale.
• Four Paws International: Global animal welfare organization with sanctuaries and rescue operations across multiple countries. Comparable in mission and international donor base, though broader in species focus and significantly larger in scale.

Others

• Network for Animals: International animal welfare funding organization listed as a core financial partner of Starting Over. Provides funding and validation for the sanctuary's rescue operations, but is a grantmaker rather than a direct operator.
• Animal Kind International: International animal welfare organization listed as a strategic partner of Starting Over. Operates as a supporting/donor organization in the animal welfare ecosystem rather than a direct sanctuary operator.

Direct peers

• SOS Animaux: Israeli non-profit animal welfare organization where founder Sharon Cohen began volunteering at age 14. Comparable mission focused on companion animal rescue and welfare in Israel.
• Let Animals Live: Israeli non-profit animal sanctuary and the organization where founder Sharon Cohen previously worked. Operates with a similar rescue-and-rehabilitation model for abused and abandoned animals in Israel, making it the most directly comparable local peer.
• La Tanière (French sanctuary partner): French sanctuary that has received dozens of donkeys through Starting Over's Donkey Flight Project. Operates a similar animal sanctuary and rehabilitation model in Europe with comparable species focus.

Regional players

• Hillside Animal Sanctuary: UK-based sanctuary specializing in rescued farm animals and equines. Shares the equine/farm animal rescue focus and donor-funded operational model, with comparable tour and educational programming.
• SAFE (Saving Animals From Exploitation): Australia-based animal sanctuary that rescues farmed animals from exploitation and abuse. Shares Starting Over's sanctuary-based rehabilitation model and farm-animal species focus, but operates in a different geography.
• Animal Sanctuary of the United States: Non-profit animal sanctuary providing lifelong care for rescued farmed and wild animals. Comparable in sanctuary-based operating model and fund-raising mechanics, though US-based rather than Israeli.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StartingOverEng
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@startingoversanctuary
• Facebookfacebook.com/StartingOverSanctuaryIsrael
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starting-over-sanctuary
• Instagraminstagram.com/startingoversanctuary
• TikToktiktok.com/@startingoversanctuary

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starting Over Sanctuary