The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary

❤  THE SANCTUARY PIGS  ❤

Pigs are incredibly intelligent, inquisitive, and playful animals, and we are lucky to have seven of them here at the Black Sheep. Our pigs have a variety of background stories, from orphaned wild piglets to failed ‘house pigs’.
We take great joy in supplying our pigs with all of their necessary care including enrichment, appropriate housing and warmth, wallows during the summer months, and yearly vaccinations.
Feeding pigs a suitable diet is also essential. We are so grateful to receive donations of excess, unused food that would otherwise go to landfill and instead contributes to full happy bellies. These donations of fruit, vegetables, and bread are kindly provided by Wellington based Woolworths and Kaibosh. Many pigs on commercial farms are fed grower pellets which are designed with rapid weight gain prioritised over pigs’ wellbeing and health.

Pig factory farming

Sadly, most pigs here in Aotearoa are not nearly as fortunate as our sanctuary friends, with over 600,000 slaughtered annually on farms, many as 6 month old piglets. Pigs have a natural lifespan of 10-15 years and it is heartbreaking that most will spend their short life living in filthy, crowded conditions.

​About half of New Zealand pig farms also keep sows in farrowing crates, a metal cage so tiny the pig is unable to even turn around. Sows are confined here from a few days prior to giving birth up to when their piglets are taken away 3-5 weeks later. Sows in farrowing crates experience extreme distress, discomfort, and boredom as they are unable to engage in any natural behaviours, including ‘nesting’ (digging a shallow dirt burrow and lining it with straw) and tending to their babies.

Living the Sanctuary Life

Our seven rescued pigs have plenty of space to run, rootle, play, sunbathe, and enjoy the company of their paddock mates. Many of them also love attention from caretakers and volunteers, especially if the interaction involves belly rubs! We are honoured to support our pigs into old age through a life full of compassion, love, and freedom.
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❤  How to Help Pigs  ❤



Make a general donation towards care for our lovely pigs.

Subscribe to our mailing list to find out about working bees where you can meet the Sanctuary pigs.

​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 pigs
Join the campaign to stop intensive pig farming, by distributing leaflets or organizing stalls and protests!
For more information, contact organisations such SAFE, Farmwatch, or Wellington Animal Rights Network. 

Sponsor a Pig ​or a Sounder of Swine at the Sanctuary
Ongoing Sponsorship of
​An Individual Pig
One-off Donation for the Care of All the Pigs
 – BOYCOTT PORK & BACON! -

 Introducing Chicory – Our Blind Explorer


Chicory is a Canterbury Blue rare breed pig who arrived at the sanctuary in July 2022. Born almost completely blind, he needed a safe and supportive place where he could live without the challenges and risks that come with impaired vision. We were delighted to welcome him to the sanctuary, where he could enjoy the company of other pigs and the freedom to simply be himself.

Despite his blindness, Chicory is a confident and capable pig. He has learned to navigate his large, flat paddock with remarkable ease, using his other senses to explore the world around him. He shares his home with his friends, Jam and Marmalade, and the trio can often be found grazing, snoozing, or investigating anything new that appears in their environment. Chicory is particularly fond of human attention and enjoys spending time with the volunteers who care for him.
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If you'd like to support Chicory's ongoing care, you can sponsor him with a small monthly contribution. Your support helps provide his food, veterinary care, bedding, and the safe environment he needs to continue living a happy and fulfilling life at the sanctuary.