The Ethical Vegan Covenant

El Santuario is founded on the principle that animals are individuals, not resources for human use.

Veganism is an ethical commitment to avoid exploiting other animals for food, clothing, entertainment, cosmetics, breeding, commerce, or any other purpose.

This is not simply a dietary preference. It is a way of life that applies to our personal households, purchases, activities, and relationships with animals.

All owners, residents, tenants, occupants, and visitors must follow the standards applicable to them under this Covenant and the community's governing documents.

Residents must not intentionally purchase, consume, use, sell, or promote products derived from animal exploitation. This includes:

• Food: Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, and other animal-derived ingredients. All community meals, events, and market food must be 100% plant-based.
• Clothing and furnishings: Leather, wool, silk, down, fur, and other animal-derived materials, including in footwear, accessories, bedding, and furniture.
• Personal care and household products: Products containing animal-derived ingredients or associated with animal testing.
• Entertainment and services: Activities or businesses that exploit animals for entertainment, tourism, sport, or profit.
• Animal commerce: Breeding, purchasing animals from breeders or commercial sellers, animal trading, and other practices that treat animals as commodities.

These standards apply to private homes and personal purchases, not only to shared facilities. Community-funded purchases and businesses operating within El Santuario must also comply.

Residents should choose suitable alternatives and use reliable product information to verify compliance.

Residents are discouraged from retaining, using, displaying, promoting, or selling existing animal-derived products.

Those arriving with such belongings should make a good-faith effort to transition away from them. Selling secondhand animal-derived products is also discouraged because it continues their circulation and commercialization.

The community will establish a reasonable transition process for existing possessions.

Only companion animals whose nutritional needs can be met through a fully plant-based diet may be kept at El Santuario.

Companion animals must receive fully plant-based, nutritionally complete food appropriate to their species and life stage. Animal-derived food is prohibited, with no feeding exceptions. Residents must provide appropriate veterinary care, shelter, clean water, and enrichment.

Commercially available, nutritionally complete plant-based dog and cat foods offer a practical way to meet this standard. Residents should select food formulated to meet recognized nutritional standards, such as AAFCO nutrient profiles, for the animal's species and life stage. Nutritional adequacy depends on the complete formulation, not on the inclusion of animal-derived ingredients. This requirement concerns complete, balanced food, not a diet of rice, potatoes, or other unbalanced household foods.

Our ethical commitment does not permit killing or exploiting one animal to feed another. Guardians remain responsible for compassionate veterinary care and must not neglect an animal's welfare.

All companion animals must be sterilized (spayed or castrated) by a qualified veterinarian.

Cats must wear a bell on a properly fitted breakaway collar to help reduce bird predation. Bells do not replace supervision or the responsibility to prevent harm to wildlife.

Residents must not breed or commercially purchase animals, neglect companion animals, or allow them to harm wildlife.

Residents should choose vegan medicines and medical products where suitable alternatives are available. No one is required to refuse medically necessary treatment or endanger their health to comply with this Covenant.

Any necessary accommodation should be handled confidentially and limited to the circumstances requiring it.

Owners, residents, tenants, occupants, and visitors must comply with the rules applicable to them.

Residents are responsible for informing their guests of the relevant standards. Owners must ensure that rental arrangements communicate and incorporate applicable community obligations, to the extent permitted by law.

The Board of Directors is responsible for reviewing complaints, determining whether violations have occurred, and imposing or recommending sanctions within its lawful authority. The enforcement process will include:

1. 01A report or identification of a potential violation.
2. 02Notice to the person concerned.
3. 03A reasonable opportunity to respond.
4. 04A documented decision.
5. 05Appropriate corrective action or sanctions.
6. 06A defined review or appeal process.

Depending on the seriousness and frequency of a violation, consequences may include warnings, corrective requirements, recovery of authorized costs, lawful fines, restrictions on shared facilities, or legal action. Termination of occupancy or other more serious remedies may be pursued only where legally permitted and through the required procedures.

The community intends to use the strongest lawful measures necessary to protect its ethical standards. Reports will be handled fairly and confidentially where possible. Retaliation against good-faith reports is prohibited, and arbitrary searches of private homes or belongings will not be conducted.

This Covenant establishes El Santuario's ethical principles and standards. It must be read alongside the registered condominium regulations, Community Rules and Regulations, and applicable purchase, rental, and occupancy agreements.

Before adoption, qualified Costa Rican legal counsel must determine how these requirements can lawfully bind owners, future purchasers, tenants, occupants, and visitors, and which sanctions and remedies are available.

The final documents must clearly establish the Board's authority, complaint procedures, enforcement powers, and amendment process. No restriction or sanction should be represented as legally enforceable without an appropriate legal basis.