Thank you for caring about animals. Whilst witnessing cruelty or neglect is hard, please remember you may be the only one to speak up for the animal, or you may inspire those around you to care as well.

Sadly we receive many requests to help animals in need and given our limited resources (that are already pushed to the max) and our lack of legal powers to enter property, compel people to act or seize animals, we are not the best place to assist in the first instance. Please consider also that as we have not witnessed the situation as you have, you really are in the best place to speak up and relay the circumstances of the animal/s concerned.

The following relates to cruelty complaints in New South Wales, Australia. Please note states, territories and countries will have similar equivalents.

Action Checklist

1. Contact owner of the animal/s direct or the property owner if they can be identified, and if you are comfortable doing this.
2. Contact both the local ranger/shire or council and the RSPCA if less than ten (10) cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer and fifty (50) in the case of poultry, otherwise Department of Primary Industries.
3. If the matter is a priority and you have been unsuccessful in making contact with any of the aforementioned parties, please contact the local police as a matter of urgency.
4. If no action has been taken and the animal/s remain in peril contacting the media may be of assistance in rattling the necessary cage to get the matter resolved. You may also wish to contact the 1800 cruelty hotline number, 1800 751 770. This number applies Australia wide.

It is helpful to record as much information as possible including time, date, weather conditions, state of the animal. Photos, without trespass or breech of privacy can readily convey conditions to responders as well.

Once again we sincerely thank you caring and understanding our position on this important matter.

We are here to help and can take in your animal. All you need to do is fill out the Animal Surrender form, and we will take care of the rest.

ANIMAL SURRENDER FORM

So who can we rescue?

The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary Pty Ltd was created to rescue farmed animals who have absolutely not a friend in the world to look out for them – the lost, abandoned and neglected ones.

One of our great challenges is working out which animals need our care and which humans need a hand and guidance to rehome the animals in their care. While we would never begrudge helping an animal in need, we do not wish to encourage people to abdicate their responsibility to the animals in their care.

Finding a forever home for your animal

As advocates for animals, we strive daily to guide people to see animals as living, breathing, thinking and feeling individuals who require a lifetime of care and commitment. To this end, we encourage you to take ownership of the situation, and we can work with you in finding ways to assist with the rehoming process of the animal – after all, you are in the best position to know the needs and nuances of the animal in your care in order to secure the best outcome for everyone.

We strongly advise that, where possible, your animal is desexed to ensure that only genuine animal lovers enquire and not someone looking for a breeding proposition.

Emergency accommodation options

Should your situation be urgent, and you require temporary options until a permanent home is found please consider the following:

• Your local showgrounds
• Your local stockyards
• Your local pound

Although it may take patience and time to find the right home, as a duty to the animal you have taken responsibility for, it is the least you can do for them. Remember they will have come to see you as a part of their family, someone they rely on, and will not understand the circumstances calling for their relocation. It will be difficult for them too.

Whilst The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary cares deeply about all animals it has been determined that our limited resources must be directed to rescuing and caring for farmed animals in need. We truly believe through our outreach and advocacy work we shine a light on caring for all animals regardless of the shape they are, our familiarity with them or our use of them. We promote kindness without borders.

Although, it is our plan in the future to be setup to take in Wildlife

No. As a not-for-profit sanctuary for rescued animals, we do not undertake commercial activities such as agistment. To do so would take time and space away from the essential work of rescuing, caring for and advocating of behalf of farmed animals.

If you need to rehome your animals, please do your due diligence to ensure they are going to a loving forever home who can meet their specific needs. Here are some recommended questions you can ask:

Animal information

• Why are you interested in adopting?
• Do you have other animals? You can ask if males are desexed to ensure no breeding.
• Have you had any experience with [species] before? If not, explain their specific needs or refer them to Open Sanctuary’s care guides.
• How often will you check the animal/s? *

Your Property

• What address would the animal/s be living? You are entitled to ask to do a property inspection or get photos of where the animal will live including fencing and shelter.
• What shelter would you will be able to provide for them?
• Please describe your fencing, pasture and land size available for them?
• Do you own the property where the animals will live? If you are renting, do you have permission from the landlord?
• Have you checked with your local council to ensure you are legally permitted to keep the species on your property?
• Are you ready to accept the animal/s now? If not when?
• If you left your current address, would the animals be taken with you?

Ongoing Care

• Will you be able to provide physically and financially should the need for a vet arise?
• Do you have access to a local vet who treats farmed animals?
• Do you intend to tether the animal at any time?
• Do you understand and undertake that the animal/s will not be used for breeding, given away or sold?
• Do you understand and undertake that these animals are never to be killed (unless humane euthanasia is necessary)?
• Do you have an animal emergency plan in the event of a natural disaster (i.e. bushfire, flood)?

Jump over to our Sponsorship page to find out how you can sponsor one of our rescued residents.

SPONSOR AN ANIMAL

To ensure the highest standards, the lambs drink Wambaroo Sheep Milk Replacer and the kids drink Passwell Formula One, both give the orphans and their compromised immune systems the best fighting chance possible.

The formulas are made from cow milk derivatives, unfortunately we, like every other sanctuary, are stuck between a rock and a hard place in this regard. We could allow the lambs and kid goats to perish or we can save them, if they are to live we must feed them formula. If there was another option to products that contain dairy, we would certainly use it.

The sad reality is orphaned lambs and goats should not be in this situation to begin with, they should be drinking their own mother’s milk. But on that note, the fact that they have arrived at our sanctuary means they have been spared the dire fate of most commercially bred animals. We only hope that as the message of kindness spreads and concern for farmed animals grows, bottles of formula will no longer be needed.

Not currently, we are applying for tax-deductible status.

Donations can be made via a bank transfer to our bank account via the details below.

Please remember to add your surname to the donation description and email us your contact details and amount donated so we can send you a tax receipt!

Westpac
Account Name: The Goat Pen
BSB: 032 543
Account Number: 302327

No we do not.

We ALWAYS need more animal towels, bedding or linen.

Please jump over to our Wish List to see what is needed

WISH LIST

Shipping costs fluctuate as per Australia Post’s pricing, and is subject to change.

Go to: Shop

No, we don’t currently offer free shipping

Go to: Shop

If your order is incorrect or damaged, please contact us so we can help. Please check your order and sizes carefully to avoid returns.

Go to: Shop

If you have any issues with your order, please email us with your order number and we will be happy to assist you.

Go to: Shop

You can visit our beautiful sanctuary by pre-booking one of the following (please note visits are strictly by appointment only):

Tour options can be found here including:

• Tours
• School visits
• Community and bus group tours
• Virtual tours for school and community groups

Please note that we cannot admit people to the sanctuary if they have not booked. With over 100 animals in our care and small team, we simply don’t have the resources to accompany guests without prior arrangement.

We are closed over winter and on days of severe fire warning.

Volunteer options can be found here.

The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary is situated in Wang Wauk, NSW Australia, just over an hour’s drive north of Newcastle or a 3.5 hour drive north of Sydney.

409 Trapyard Road, Wang Wauk NSW 2423, Australia.

A map will be supplied when you make a booking.

Our postal address is:

The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary
409 Trapyard Road
Wang Wauk NSW 2423
Australia

Unfortunately, there is no public transport directly to the sanctuary. The closest train station (Taree) is a 35 minute drive away. If you do not have a car, the best way to get here is to hire one.

Our sanctuary is situated on 5 beautiful acres (with expansion in our future sights), where our visitors have the chance to interact with our residents.

While pathways could be negotiated by wheelchairs or walkers, the journey around the sanctuary is several hundred meters long and can be bumpy. For safety reasons, we would not be able to grant access to animal paddocks or enclosures.

A toilet with disability access is available onsite.

Currently No catered hot foods.

At other times we have snacks, sweets, non-dairy ice creams, and cold drinks available for purchase.

If you bring something to eat and drink, out of respect for our animal residents, we request that no animal products make their way onto the sanctuary grounds via your lunch box (this includes meat, dairy and eggs). And avocado is banned as it is deadly to our birds. Thank ewe!

We love dogs and we know we’d love yours, however not all of our residents may. It is for this reason we advise you to leave you beloved pooch at home (not in your car – that is not safe).

Please visit our volunteer page for information on the different ways you can lend a hand. Please note that volunteering is strictly by appointment only.

Whilst the saying goes “many hands make light work”, we take the role of caring for our animal residents and their sanctuary grounds very seriously. For this reason, much time goes into training our regular volunteers.

Alas, we do not have the resources to train and guide new recruits for short-term assistance around the sanctuary while still maintaining our high standards of animal care.

Please note that due to public liability issues, we are not able to offer volunteering opportunities for persons under the age of 15 years.

We do!

Please visit our volunteer page and click on ‘Groups’ to be taken to our corporate group volunteer information here.

At The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary, we offer a limited number of placements each year for students to participate in our work experience program.

With over 100 animals under our care and a small team of volunteers, we greatly appreciate any additional help and assistance.

When you make a transaction on The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary Pty Ltd’s website including donations, shop purchases, or animal sponsorships, your account will automatically be set up.

You will receive an email after making the transaction with your account login details for future visits. You can then log in and check your transactions at any time.

If you cannot find your account login details or are having trouble logging in, please contact us.

We love inviting our friends from near and far on tours around the property to meet some of our many residents and learn about what we do. While at The Goat Pen & Animal Sanctuary any content, including photographs or videos taken by you, our guests, and volunteers, can be used for personal use only, thus not for commercial or any other use.

If you have taken photographs or any other content and wish to use or share it beyond your circles or for a special project, we ask that you contact us for permission first.

The Goat Pen
409 Trapyard Road
Wang Wauk NSW 2423
Australia