Help care for rescued animals at the Kapiti Coast, New Zealand

Imagine waking up on New Zealand’s Kapiti Coast, close to the Ōtaki River and not far from Ōtaki Beach, surrounded by animals and fresh air. You’ll spend your days helping care for rescued animals, doing hands-on tasks, and being part of everyday life at a small sanctuary. In return, you get a place to stay, meals, and the chance to learn useful, real-life skills. If you’re looking for more than just sightseeing, this is your chance to be part of something meaningful. Meet like-minded people, try a different way of living, and make your time in New Zealand count.

About the work exchange program

Located on New Zealand’s Kapiti Coast, close to the Ōtaki River and about 20 minutes from Ōtaki Beach, The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary offers a unique work exchange focused on animal care and community living. The sanctuary provides a safe home for rescued farm animals, including goats, sheep, cows, ponies, pigs, chickens, ducks, and rabbits, each with their own story and care needs. There are different ways to get involved depending on your goals and availability.

The animal care internship: It’s ideal if you want deeper, long-term experience. These run for a minimum of three months and involve working 6 to 8 hours a day, five days a week. You will learn essential skills such as preparing feed, feeding animals, cleaning and maintaining their environments, assisting with medical care, observing behaviour, and supporting enrichment activities. Longer stays can lead to more advanced learning, including giving medication, animal first aid, handling emergencies, hoof care, and even helping with volunteer coordination and vet communication.

For shorter stays, work exchange options are available with a minimum stay of six weeks. You will work around 5 to 6 hours a day in exchange for food and accommodation, helping with feeding animals, cleaning spaces, and general upkeep.

There are also a limited number of paid roles during certain months of the year, usually requiring a three-month commitment and a valid New Zealand work permit and driving licence.

Life at the sanctuary is based on shared living. Around 12 people stay on site, each with a private room, and everyone contributes to cooking vegan meals in the evenings. The space is inclusive, welcoming, and community-focused, with shared areas like a games room and sauna. It is also a vegan environment, so all participants are expected to follow a vegan lifestyle during their stay. Days can be physically demanding and take place in all weather conditions, but the experience is rewarding, social, and full of learning opportunities.

Requirements

• Minimum stay of six weeks for wwoofers or three months for internships.
• Willingness to work 5 to 8 hours a day depending on the role.
• Good level of English and ability to follow instructions.
• Physically fit and comfortable with outdoor, hands-on work.
• Genuine interest in animal care and welfare.
• Positive attitude and openness to feedback.
• Ability to live in a shared, communal environment.
• Commitment to a vegan lifestyle during the stay.
• For paid roles, valid New Zealand work permit and driving licence.

Your responsibilities

• Preparing and distributing animal feed daily.
• Feeding a variety of rescued farm animals.
• Cleaning and maintaining animal living spaces.
• Supporting general maintenance of the sanctuary.
• Assisting with basic medical care and observing animal behaviour.
• Helping with enrichment activities for the animals.
• Cleaning shared and communal spaces.
• Taking part in occasional projects or tasks as needed.
• For longer stays, possibly assisting with admin, vet communication, or volunteer coordination.

What’s in it for You?

• Free accommodation with your own private room.
• Daily meals with shared vegan dinners.
• Hands-on experience with a wide range of animals.
• Opportunity to learn both basic and advanced animal care skills.
• Insight into running an animal sanctuary.
• Supportive, like-minded community living experience.
• Access to shared facilities like a games room and sauna.
• Time to explore the Kapiti Coast, rivers, and nearby beaches.
• A meaningful, skills-based travel experience that goes beyond typical tourism.

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