The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary

Support the Sanctuary Animals ​Through Sponsorship


​There are many meaningful ways to support the sanctuary and the animals who call it home. One of the most impactful is through our sponsorship program, which offers two options to suit different levels of support:
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1. Individual Sponsorship
(Ongoing Monthly Contribution):
Sponsor one of our permanent residents with a small monthly contribution and make a real difference in their daily care. Your support helps provide food, vet treatment, safe housing, and everything they need to live a happy, healthy life. Sponsorship starts from just $5 a month, and some animals may have more than one sponsor to help meet their full needs.
As a sponsor, you’ll receive a sponsorship certificate, regular email updates, and an invitation to visit during our summer open days — including a guided tour, time with the animals, and a vegan morning tea.


2. Group Care Donation
​(One-Off Contribution):
If you’d prefer to make a single contribution rather than an ongoing monthly sponsorship, you can choose to support a group of animals — such as “the cows,” “the goats,” or “the bunnies.” Your donation helps with shared needs like food, vet care, enrichment, and safe housing for that group. It’s a meaningful one-off way to contribute to the wellbeing of animals at the sanctuary.

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Browse the profiles of our residents below, choose the one you’d like to support, and click the button to fill out a sponsorship form.

– Sponsor One of Our Permanent Residents –
– WITH A MONTHLY DONATION –
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Blue arrived at the sanctuary in November 2019 at just a couple of months old. He was an orphaned wild piglet whose mum was likely killed by a hunter. A couple found him and several siblings while out for a walk and luckily managed to catch Blue. He was the runt of the litter and he would not have survived on his own for very long. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Blue met Teapot, another rescued piglet, and the two have been living together happily ever since.

Your monthly support will help provide Blue with cosy straw bedding, yearly vaccinations, vet visits, and infrastructure like housing and fencing.
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Toffee arrived at the sanctuary in September 2019 with severe injuries. As a wild goat kid, he had become stuck upside down in a tree after being chased by hunters, cutting off blood flow to his hind legs and causing temporary paralysis. After months of physiotherapy and veterinary care, Toffee made remarkable progress. He can now walk, run, and climb on his playground. His mobility is still affected, so he lives separately from the main goat herd with his best friend, Nooch.

Your monthly support of Toffee will help provide him with hay, parasite treatments, hoof care, and yearly vaccinations.
Casper is our cheeky sulphur-crested cockatoo. She first arrived at the sanctuary in September 2017 at the age of six. Cockatoos can live incredibly long lives, so Casper will be with us for many happy years to come! As an inquisitive and curious bird, she requires plenty of enrichment, stimulation, and attention to keep her happy. Casper loves exploring the sanctuary, interacting with her fellow residents, and enjoying cuddles and gentle attention from volunteers who look after her.

Your monthly support will help us provide Casper with her favourite foods - a seed mix and parrot pellets!
Cricket was born on a farm and rescued at just a couple of days old after being abandoned. Someone stepped in, saved him, and cared for him in a temporary home before he came to the sanctuary. When he arrived at one week old, he could barely hold his own weight and couldn’t walk. We suspect he was born prematurely, which may be why he was abandoned. With time, care, and gentle support from our volunteers, Cricket slowly gained strength and confidence, growing into a happy, energetic sheep who now enjoys life at the sanctuary.

Your monthly support of Cricket will help us provide him with hay, pellets, veterinary care, and annual shearing.
Orzo was born on a farm in August 2024. He was a happy, healthy lamb, but he required additional time and attention due to being born with only three and a half legs. The farmer asked if we would take Orzo when he was a couple of weeks old and we happily agreed. We began the process of making him a homemade prosthetic leg. He learned how to walk with it rather quickly, and he gets around without any issue. Once he is two years old and fully grown, we will be getting him a professionally made prosthetic leg.

Your monthly support will help us provide Orzo with hay, pellets, and annual shearing and vaccinating.
Mr. Floofypants is one of 35 roosters that call our sanctuary home. He arrived in January 2020 as a young chick, along with his mother, Rachel, and siblings. Rachel had been spotted spending time in a supporter’s garden, and one day appeared with her entire brood! The family needed a safe place to grow up, so they were welcomed to the sanctuary. Since then, Mr. Floofypants has thrived, exploring, socialising, and becoming a lively part of our rooster community.

Your monthly support of Mr. Floofypants will help us provide his arthritis medication, regular parasite treatments, food, and veterinary care.
Iris was born into the dairy industry but was thankfully spared the fate of becoming a dairy cow. She, along with three others, was rescued as a calf and came to the sanctuary in November 2010, aged around six months old. Iris is truly a gentle giant with a heart to match. She loves cuddles and attention, and is a wonderful ambassador for her species, showing visitors that cows can be playful, affectionate, social, and endlessly curious beings.

Your monthly support of Iris will help us provide her with hay, veterinary care, and infrastructure costs such as fencing.
These two bunnies are the best of friends! Ellis arrived at the sanctuary when she was just a day or two old in August 2024. Ember arrived a few months later in January 2025 when he was about 3 weeks old. After each were desexed and vaccinated, we began bonding them together, a process that can be tricky and lengthy. Luckily, they formed an attachment to each other fairly quickly and have been happily living together in our enclosed bunny paddock ever since. 

Your monthly support for Ember and Ellis will help provide them with hay, pellets, veterinary care, and yearly vaccinations.
Chester arrived at the sanctuary in early 2016. He and his friend, Lily, were looking for a safe and caring home, and our resident pony, Thunder, was in need of companions. Chester quickly settled in and has proven to be a sweet, gentle pony who loves attention, pats, and being groomed. He enjoys spending time with his friends in the paddock, exploring his surroundings, and soaking up the calm, peaceful life at the sanctuary.

Your monthly support for Chester will help us cover the cost of hay, supplements, farrier visits, and dental procedures.

– Sponsor a Group of Sanctuary Animals –
– WITH A ONE-OFF DONATION –
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The Black Sheep is home to a small herd of cows, including Iris, who was rescued as a young calf after being born into the dairy industry. Cows are deeply social, gentle, and intelligent beings who form strong friendships and enjoy affection and connection. At the sanctuary, they are free to graze, play, rest, and live at their own pace in a safe, peaceful environment. Our cows are wonderful ambassadors for their species, showing visitors just how curious, affectionate, and emotionally rich cows truly are.
The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary cares for a growing group of pigs. Some, like Horace and Dorris, were rescued from factory farming, while others came to us as unwanted pets or after being used for breeding. We have also welcomed orphaned wild piglets whose mothers were killed by hunters. Pigs are intelligent, social animals who form strong bonds and enjoy exploring, grazing, and relaxing together. We’re grateful to offer them a safe, loving home where they can live freely and be themselves.
The sanctuary goats are full of character and mischief, and always keen to greet visitors! Some were rescued as young kids from the dairy industry, while others arrived after being neglected, abandoned, or orphaned. Sadly, thousands of goats are discarded each year as unwanted byproducts, and many pet goats are poorly cared for. At the Black Sheep, our goats enjoy secure, spacious living, enrichment, and plenty of affection. We are delighted to provide them with safe, loving forever homes.
Although New Zealand is famous for its sheep, thousands are slaughtered each year, while many others are neglected or mistreated. The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary cares for a small flock, including some rescued from slaughter as tiny lambs. Sheep are intelligent, social animals, and we love getting to know the unique personalities of each member of our flock.
While some animals are rehomed when possible, many rabbits remain permanent residents at the sanctuary. Some came as unwanted pets, while others arrived as orphaned babies after their mothers were killed. Rabbits in New Zealand often face neglect, abandonment, or harm, but our sanctuary bunnies enjoy a safe, loving home with plenty of treats, playtime, and care.
While some animals are rehomed when possible, many remain permanent residents at the sanctuary. The Black Sheep cares for over forty roosters, who would otherwise have been killed or abandoned. Many roosters are slaughtered simply for crowing or because they don’t lay eggs. Now our beautiful boys enjoy a safe, happy life in the sanctuary orchard.
Click on one of the groups of animals above to make a one-off sponsorship donation.
The animal sponsorship scheme enables us to help more animals through the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary.
We are only able to care for animals because of the support of generous people like you.
For this support we are very grateful.
Check out all the animals that have been sponsored in the past here
Respecting animals, respecting relationships, respecting the environment
    PO Box 15005, Ōtaki 5542, Aotearoa New Zealand, 06 364 2241, [email protected]