Herder Jigmed with liberated goats, Animal Liberation Project, FPMG Mongolia..

The Animal Liberation Fund continues to fulfill the holy wishes of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche by supporting the liberation and care of animals through extensive prayers, dedications, and compassionate action. These efforts benefit not only the animals but also those to whom the prayers are dedicated – including our sponsors, the sick, and those facing untimely death.

The fund enables weekly liberations and extensive dedications at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in Washington State, USA. We are delighted to share that the Animal Liberation Fund provided US$13,139 in grants in 2025. Please read below to learn about the different grants offered and some of the ways that we are benefiting animals in the organization.

Animal Liberation Sanctuary in Nepal | Washington State, USA | FPMT Mongolia | Nalanda Monastery , France | Thank you!

Kopan Animal Liberation Sanctuary in Nepal

We were overjoyed to share the uplifting news that three young buffalo – Losang (Wise), Ngawang (Lord of Speech), and Jampal (Gentle Glory) were rescued from imminent slaughter in Kathmandu, in celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ninetieth birthday and in sincere prayers for His enduring health and happiness. 

These precious animals now enjoy a peaceful sanctuary near Kopan Monastery, where they are enfolded in daily care and kindness. Here, they rest in warm shelters, graze on nourishing food, and are gently soothed by the constant resonance of mantras and sutra recitations.

One of the buffaloes at the Kopan Animal Liberation Sanctuary receives a blessing of millions of different mantras placed on his head.

At the request of Ven. Roger Kunsang, H.E. Ling Rinpoche bestowed upon them the names Losang, Ngawang, and Jampal – each a reflection of the profound qualities we aspire to cultivate. His Holiness the Dalai Lama reminds us that universal responsibility extends beyond our own lives to embrace all sentient beings and the environment that sustains them. In honoring this responsibility, we nurture compassion for every creature. 

The Animal Liberation Sanctuary currently houses: 61 goats, 5 cows, 1 buffalo (named Bodhichitta), several dogs, and 3 ducks. Bodhichitta was personally blessed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2021. The animals receive food, shelter, and daily blessings, including mantra recitations, and circumambulation around stupas. They are blessed by microfilm mantras printed billions of times, as instructed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to create the causes for enlightenment

In 2025, the Animal Liberation Fund offered a granted in support of the sanctuary’s ongoing care.

We also have a large future grant prepared for the development of a new animal sanctuary, including infrastructure and construction of eight stupas.

Thanks to the perfect example and guidance of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, these three buffalos – and all the residents of the Animal Liberation Sanctuary – are now enveloped in love, safety, and spiritual care.  Their liberation was made in the name of the entire FPMT family, a collective act of devotion and loving kindness. 

Animal Liberation Practices in Washington State, USA

At Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in Washington State, USA, Sangha members continue to dedicate themselves to animal liberation practices with deep compassion and care. Over the past year alone, 33,780 animals – mostly crickets – were liberated, supported by the Animal Liberation Fund. With every animal liberation extensive prayers are made for those who have requested or who support the Fund.

Following the precious advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the monks create as many opportunities as possible for animals to encounter the Dharma and accumulate merit. Ant nests in the area are offered charity in the form of tsampa, sugar, butter, and crushed mani pills, while lakes are blessed with mantras and recordings, and special fish food. Bird feeders are filled not only with seeds and water but also with blessings – sunflower seeds are consecrated with mantras, the water is infused with the mantras and crushed mani pills, and continuous Dharma audio plays in the background so that even the simple act of eating becomes an occasion for purification and awakening.

Venerables Tarchin and Tenzin, the monks in residence, recently shared inspiring glimpses of these activities. Videos show birds gathering under a Namgyalma mantra roof to eat blessed seeds and drink consecrated water, crickets being liberated during the summer months with microfilms of powerful mantras placed on top of their containers, and ants receiving blessed offerings. Each of these practices – whether blessing, feeding, or liberating – creates the conditions for animals to meet the path to enlightenment and to be freed from suffering.

Bird feeder at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in Washington State, USA.

Through such dedicated efforts, Buddha Amitabha Pure Land embodies Rinpoche’s vision of caring for every living being, ensuring that no act of compassion is too small to bring benefit.

Animal Liberation Project in FPMT Mongolia

Since 2019, FPMT Mongolia has been deeply committed to one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s most cherished activities – liberating animals from suffering and premature death, while offering them the opportunity to receive positive Dharma imprints. This unique project, now in its seventh year, has grown into a vibrant and compassionate initiative that continues to inspire communities across Mongolia.

Currently, the liberated herd includes 96 animals (mainly goats), lovingly cared for by a dedicated local herder Jigmed (pictured at top of page). These animals roam freely across the vast landscapes of Bulgan Aimag, marked for identification and protected throughout the harsh Mongolian winters with supplemental food and shelter.

In 2024, several new animals were added to the herd and received blessings from Geshe Thubten Soepa and other geshes during H.E. Jhado Rinpoche’s visit. These additions have expanded the animal family and deepened the responsibility to care for them until their natural passing.

Unlike traditional animal liberation practices where animals are released and never seen again, FPMT Mongolia’s approach emphasizes ongoing care, spiritual blessings, and community engagement. Each year, staff and nuns travel to visit the herd, meet with the herder, and perform prayers and rituals, ensuring the animals continue to receive Dharma imprints.

In 2025 the Animal Liberation Fund offered a grant to support:

• Herder salary and community gifts
• Annual team visits for blessings
• Supplemental food and winter care
• Veterinary and medical supplies

This compassionate work is gaining recognition among local herders, many of whom now believe that having liberated animals in their herds brings protection and better health to all. This unique liberation model ensures long-term care and Dharma exposure, fulfilling Rinpoche’s vision in a culturally resonant way.

Nalanda’s Animal Welfare Initiative

In 2025, the Animal Liberation Fund contributed a grant to support the meaningful work of Nalanda Monastery’s Animal Care Project, a unique initiative dedicated to the welfare of animals living in and around the monastery.

The grant covers essential care and expansion efforts, including:

• Veterinary treatment for stray and injured cats, including infections, cancers, dental issues, and parasite control
• Nutritious food for resident cats
• Onsite nursing, rehoming, and wild release, including support for local monastics caring for animals
• The BeeKind Project, which provides winter feeding, hive maintenance, and colony support for bees
• New wildlife support structures, including 40 songbird nesting boxes and 6 pipistrelle bat roosts built in Nalanda’s workshop.

Songbird nesting boxes with mantras at Nalanda’s workshop.

This project demonstrates how Dharma practice can extend into ecological and community care. The support from FPMT ensures that Nalanda can continue offering refuge and healing – not just to humans, but to the animals who share their beautiful space.

With Deepest Gratitude

To our compassionate sponsors: your generosity is the lifeblood of these auspicious activities. Through your support, countless beings are saved, blessed, and guided toward enlightenment. May all the merit generated be dedicated to the enlightenment of all sentient beings!

All are welcome to contribute to the Animal Liberation Fund to help ensure that our work sponsoring animal rescue, care, and liberation continues.