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Barn Sanctuary
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    Meet Our Residents

    There are over 100 rescued animals living at Barn Sanctuary. They each have a unique story, personality and history. Find out who lives here and read their stories. 

    Learn About Each Species

    Cows

    Pigs

    Chickens

    Turkeys

    Goats & Sheep

    Ducks & Geese

    Donkeys

    Featured Resident

    Betty the Turkey

    I love my best friend Sophia and hanging out with my guy pals Ben, Jerry, and Harry.

    Get to know Betty

    Did You Know?

    Turkeys have regional dialects!

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Get Involved Donate
  • The Barn
  • Meet the Animals
  • Learn

    Meet Our Residents

    There are over 100 rescued animals living at Barn Sanctuary. They each have a unique story, personality and history. Find out who lives here and read their stories. 

    Learn About Each Species

    Cows

    Pigs

    Chickens

    Turkeys

    Goats & Sheep

    Ducks & Geese

    Donkeys

    Featured Resident

    Betty the Turkey

    I love my best friend Sophia and hanging out with my guy pals Ben, Jerry, and Harry.

    Get to know Betty

    Did You Know?

    Turkeys have regional dialects!

  • Store
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Meal Planner

Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer support is essential to our organization. Barn Sanctuary is always looking for volunteers to help us in the shelter and at the office. Volunteering at Barn Sanctuary is a truly rewarding experience. You will have the rare and unique opportunity get to know our resident animals and participate in a cause that makes a difference.

If you choose to volunteer with our Animal Care team, you must be able to volunteer, in person, twice a month. Office volunteer opportunities can be in person or remote with no minimum hour requirements.

Sign Up

In-person volunteer opportunities are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. We are not hosting regular monthly orientations at this time. You can still fill out this volunteer application so that when we do start back up, you can be contacted.

 

We are currently seeking volunteers who are interested in helping remotely with the following:

Development: Must have fundraising/development and customer service experience. Please email volunteer@barnsanctuary.org if you are interested in this opportunity.

I have been volunteering for different organizations in one way or another for the past 20 years or so and I never (NEVER!) felt such sincere gratitude and appreciation! I know we don’t do this work for the recognition, but hearing how much we as volunteers mean to the staff was almost overwhelming. THANK YOU for making this feel more like a family than a volunteer position, and for running a volunteer program that is truly the best I’ve ever seen!

– Daniel Earle, Volunteer

 

Animal Care Volunteer Questions

What are the typical volunteer tasks?

Typical volunteer activities include mucking barns and coops, raking, and pasture cleaning.  Many of the animals will visit you while you complete your tasks but please remember that some tasks might not include much animal interaction. Volunteering is physically intensive, so expect to get a good workout!

Are there age restrictions?

Yes. For safety and liability purposes, all volunteers must be at least 14 years of age, no exceptions. Volunteers between the ages of 14 and 17 will need parent/guardian supervision for the duration of the day.

What time commitment is required?

You must be able to dedicate at least two days a month to volunteering in order to join our volunteer program. Preferably, volunteer shifts will last a minimum of two hours. If you can only commit to one day per month, we frequently host public volunteer days. Find more information about upcoming volunteer days on our events page.

Can I live in a different city?

Please note that we are located in Chelsea, Michigan, 15 minutes west of Ann Arbor. While we will not reject volunteer applications based on location within reason, please do keep distance in mind when applying. We recommend ensuring you have reliable transportation and live within a radius that allows you to adhere to our minimum availability requirements (twice a month). Please bear in mind that we do not have available space for volunteers to stay on property.

Though we always appreciate it when people from out of town attend monthly open work days to volunteer with us, we are currently unable to offer room and board for volunteers and we are not affiliated with WWOOF.

How should I prepare for my first volunteer shift?

Bring clothes and boots that are weatherproof and that you don’t mind getting muddy, and work gloves if you have them. Check the weather forecast for zip code 48118 and dress appropriately. Rugged boots (not sneakers) are a must. Don’t forget your sunglasses and sunscreen in the summer. We encourage you to pack a vegan brown bag lunch — no meat, eggs, or dairy, out of respect for the animals.

Are there health risks involved?

Please note that diseases occur naturally among farmed animals. We have high care standards and monitor all rescues for 30 days in quarantine before allowing outside interaction, so while the likelihood that diseases arise are low, there is still always the possibility when working around animals. And some such diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans. Pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk. Pregnant women should not handle calves, kids (baby goats) or lambs younger than four months old, or mother animals who have given birth in the previous four weeks. Volunteers working directly with animals or in areas where animals live and produce waste should wear gloves and face masks. All visitors and volunteers should practice excellent hygiene after performing such work, by thoroughly washing their hands and scrubbing the bottoms of their shoes with antibacterial agents – especially prior to touching their faces or eating. And ideally, it’s a good idea to change clothes before spending time back in your home after a visit to the sanctuary.

We Love Our Volunteers

Barn Sanctuary

We rescue and rehabilitate abused and neglected farmed animals by creating a safe haven where these individuals can recover and thrive.

We envision a world in which farmed animals are seen as individuals and treated with empathy and compassion. 

Connect with us

Contact Us

Barn Sanctuary
20179 McKernan Dr.
Chelsea, MI 48118

(734) 746-5009

© 2021 Barn Sanctuary is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation (tax ID number 81-2637884). Barn Sanctuary and its logo are trademarks pending federal registration. All rights reserved.

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