The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary

The Sanctuary Goats

When you visit the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary you are likely to be greeted by Zip and Merge, two inquisitive young goats who are eager for cuddles and possible treats. 
Some of the goats at the sanctuary were rescued from dairy goat ​farms, while others were neglected, abandoned or orphaned. They are spirited creatures, full of character and mischief.
 Goats are extremely adventurous and they love their goat playground. Vincent will try and climb on your back if you bend over! Their bleating blends with the cackling of the hens, baaing of sheep, grunts from the pigs and an occasional neigh. This is a place where animal rather than human voices dominate.
Dairy goats

Zip and Merge are lucky survivors – they were rescued from a dairy goat farm in spring 2016. Few people realise that the dairy goat industry is a smaller version of the dairy cow industry. With around 66,000 dairy goats in New Zealand, every year thousands of tiny goat kids are killed. Does are impregnated regularly so that they will continue lactating, and their male kids are killed just after birth for pet food or rendering. The majority of dairy goats are reared intensively, in large barns or sheds.

Around twenty percent of female kids are spared to replace their mothers, but the other eighty percent are killed. Adult females are sent to the slaughterhouse if their milk production declines, or if they fail to become pregnant. According to figures from Statistics New Zealand, 124,648 goats were slaughtered in 2015. 
Goats as pets

Pet goats are not necessarily more fortunate - they often endure miserable and lonely lives. In rural areas, people frequently tether goats at the roadside to keep the verge tidy. Goats are sociable animals, who have very specific food requirements and a small area of dusty, oily grass does not represent adequate food.

Tethered goats frequently lack shelter, and they are vulnerable to attacks by dogs or to being hit by vehicles. We’re glad that the Black Sheep goats can live out their natural lives in the company of their friends, with even a purpose-built adventure playground to enjoy!

If you have a pet goat, check out the SPCA guidelines for goat care here.

How to help goats



Make a general donation towards care for our goat herd. Just $15 buys a bale of hay!

Subscribe to our mailing list to find out about working bees where you can meet the Sanctuary goats.
If you don't live in the lower North Island, please get in touch so we can let you know about other sanctuaries who rescue goats
Download a poster about goat well-being and put it up in your community
Don't consume dairy goat products!

Sponsor a goat or herd of goats at the sanctuary
Sponsor an individual goat at the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary
Sponsor a herd of goats at the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary

Goat Profiles


Introducing Roscoe

Roscoe was born on a dairy goat farm in 2014. Male kids are routinely slaughtered, but luckily  Tony and Jesse, two of our kind supporters, rescued the tiny kid from death row. The Black Sheep was able to take him, and he quickly settled in, charming us all with his affectionate nature, and his curiosity about the world. Although Roscoe is now a strong young goat, he’s still playful and interactive. He loves climbing on the goat adventure playground that we built for him and his friends. It’s a delight to watch him, and also a sobering reminder of the thousands of kids who are killed by the dairy goat industry every year.


Introducing Sammy

Sammy was found curled up beside a river washed away from her flock. She was the size of a cat, a tiny black wet sad creature. A vegan family was out walking with dogs and found her and assumed she was dead, but closer investigation showed the very young goat was still alive. They bottle fed her and got her back on her feet and she very quickly recovered from her ordeal and embarked on the usual goat kid antics! When she became too much of a handful a few weeks later she came to the Black Sheep where she impressed us with her love of climbing and interacting with everyone. She was so tiny that she started as a house goat and would curl on laps like a cat after a day of  jumping from the furniture and trying to steal human food.