Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary
Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary is in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England. It was started in 1979 by Barby Keel. The sanctuary helps abused and abandoned animals and has cared for more than 10,000 animals over the years.
In the 1970s, Keel and her partner bought four acres of land in Bexhill. The work began after a British Army soldier asked Keel to look after his dog, Cat, while he was deployed in Northern Ireland. The soldier never came back for the dog. Keel then adopted another dog and was asked by the Bexhill Cats Club to care for some cats. Her partner eventually asked her to choose between him and the animals, and she chose the animals. The sanctuary opened in 1979 with three animals and later cared for farm animals such as pigs, sheep, goats, and cows.
Today, some animals are rehomed, but most live permanently at the sanctuary. It buys dog and cat food and sells it at half price to help other pet owners. An annual open day fête raises money for the sanctuary. The sanctuary follows a no-kill policy, except when euthanasia is medically necessary.
As of 2025, the sanctuary houses about 600 animals, and more than 10,000 have lived there in total. Barby Keel was 90 years old in 2025 and has survived cancer three times; she has no plans to retire. There are plans for trustees to continue caring for the animals after Keel’s death. Keel has written four books.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:14 (CET).