Wildwood is a great place to volunteer at: their staff and other volunteers created a welcoming, organized, and efficient space to care for animals, learn new skills, and get out in nature while petting cute goats, cows, and birds! People are really nice and the animals are sociable and very friendly. I have been volunteering at Wildwoood for over a year now and I can say that this work is good for my mental health, for my community, and for the animals who need our love and care.
I am coming up on 6 months of volunteering at Wildwood and have been so blessed to find this refuge. I have so much respect for the dedicated volunteers that I get to work alongside. We share a love for Wildwood's residents and a common goal of making it their forever home, filled with warmth, respite, and safety. I have also had the pleasure of joining the social media committee and have formed a passion for sharing Wildwood's mission with the world. I was in search of something fulfilling and rewarding, a way to give back and be of service to those without a voice. I found this and more stepping into Wildwood's barn doors.
I have been volunteering with Wildwood for about 5 months. I retired six months ago, after 35 years working as a mental health consultant. I was worried about what I could do to keep feeling like I had a place on this planet that would make me feel like I had a purpose.
I found it! The people are beyond dedicated to loving and caring for each animal (and that if a lot of love and a lot of animals).
Each animal is treated (and thought of) as a member of the family and taken care of as I wish all animals were. I can't recommend this organization enough as a place to donate and/or a place to volunteer.
I have been volunteering at Wildwood Farm Sanctuary & Preserve for over 3 years and I am blessed to be able to work side by side with some truly amazing people. Every person who volunteers their time caring for the animals is a compassionate, loving human being. From the owner, Shauna to the weekly volunteers, the love they have for these once abused and neglected creatures is beautiful to see. From daily chores - feeding, cleaning stalls & pens - to more intense work such as hoof trims, temperature taking, bird baths and medications, every act is done with love and tenderness and the animals know that they are in good, loving hands. I can't say enough about this wonderful place. It is a slice of heaven and the volunteers are angels!
Volunteering at Wildwood has been amazing! I love getting to know and care for the animals. The people I have met volunteering are great, caring people.
I highly recommend volunteering with WIldwood if you are an animal lover.
Working with this sanctuary is the highlight of my week. I can't imagine the animals who live here enjoying a better quality of life anywhere else.
One of the many things I’m grateful for is Wildwood’s focus on humane education. Wildwood uses social media to inform the public about animal agriculture in addition to inviting people to learn on the property. This sanctuary takes their role seriously and encourages people to go vegan for the animals.
Of course, while speaking for all of animal kind, they also care for their residents competently and compassionately. The staff and volunteers are experienced, hardworking, and loving.
Part of the reason I go is because of the wonderful people I get to see and meet. This includes meeting all of the non-human people there. The sense of community at Wildwood is gratifying and I enjoy working with everyone towards common goals.
At the moment, we’re raising funds for the purchase of a new property that will meet the needs of all residents. Fundraising events like the GOAT Games and pear picking have been hosted and it’s heartwarming to get support from the community.
Animal lovers from the area have also donated their time to instruct yoga at Wildwood to promote the sanctuary and raise funds. Multiple night markets have also been held to benefit Wildwood and other events are being planned to help the Wildwood residents. There have been so many demonstrations of support for these animals because of what a great deal it means to the community and animal kind.
I rate Wildwood a million stars.
My husband and I have volunteered regularly with Wildwood for over 1 year now. While the work can be hard at times, the reward of taking care of the animals and getting to spend time with them afterwards is more than worth it. My favorite is when certain animals get to know you and your voice and they come running when you say their name. Charlotte and Lola are two of the cows we take care of and I love to see them when I volunteer; they love scratches and treats. Lola came to the sanctuary when she was just a baby and was recently introduced to the same pasture as Charlotte, and they have become the best of buds. It is amazing to see their relationship blossom.
The community of volunteers is a bonus that keeps us coming back. Working with like-minded individuals helps to reinforce the good work that is being done. The tremendous task of fundraising to purchase a new property for our residents will be difficult, but I know with our team we can do it!
Among the goats, chickens, cows, many other animals, and people at Wildwood you can find peace, love, and happiness.
The love and compassion that these animals get is amazing. They are treated like family as they should be. I truly enjoy spending time at this farm and interacting with the fun, goofy and loving personalities of the animals. This Farm Sanctuary has great veterinary care, loving & compassionate volunteers, great communication and is very well organized. I look forward to volunteering here every week and spending time on this serene farm.
I have only been volunteering at Wildwood - my happy place - since June but from day one I knew this sanctuary was special. The animals are so loved and cared for and the volunteers are the most kind and generous people and clearly love these beautiful creatures who finally have found their happy place.
I have only been volunteering at Wildwood for less than a year but it has been so amazing! All of the animals are treated with love and compassion and the grounds are beautiful. Everyone gets high quality vet care and all of the areas are kept so clean! Not to mention, there’s clear communication between all the volunteers and everybody is super friendly! Volunteering here has been such a joy and I always look forward to visiting every week. I couldn’t recommend Wildwood more!
When my husband and I first moved to the area, we would drive by the sanctuary and marvel at the most peaceful & content farm animals we’ve ever seen. After a little research we were so happy to find out that farm was actually a sanctuary for beloved farm animals to have an opportunity to live out their lives being cared for and loved by the most amazing set of volunteers! Wildwood truly walks the walk of giving animals a fair shot at living lives that don’t serve those higher on the food chain. We’ve been able to attend a couple of their sanctuary events where we were educated on where the animals came from, how they’re cared for and what the staff and owners do to advocate for the animals and others like them. I truly hope to see this sanctuary thrive and continue on for many years to come!
The love and care these animals receive is so incredibly heartwarming. Especially since so many of them had been mistreated before they arrived at Wildwood. Here they have room to run and play, plenty of nutrias food, veterinary care (many have ongoing health issues due to prior abuse) and tons and tons of love. I'm very proud to serve as a board member for Wildwood and hope to for years to come!
I am a former undercover investigator for animal cruelty and not long after I retired, I wanted to volunteer at a farm sanctuary to continue being helpful to the animals and be physically involved in my animal rights advocacy. After volunteering at other sanctuaries before and not feeling as though I fit there, I am so so happy that I was welcomed to volunteer at Wildwood Farm Sanctuary. At this small sanctuary, every animal is treated with individualized loving care. I've gotten to know all the cows by name and I know that each day everyone is working hard to make life better for every animal there. This is a wonderful place that deserves every bit of my time and effort and clearly uses every dollar donated to benefit the lives of the animals.
Such a wonderful caring sanctuary. They provide beautiful lives for the animals and a beautiful natural setting. They educate us about the animals and nature. Simply the best.
What a wonderful place to volunteer. Spending time with the animals and hearing their stories is a great experience everyone should have.
Amazing organization that provides each and every one of its rescued residents with compassion, providing them with a safe haven for the rest of their lives.
I've been volunteering with Wildwood for about 2.5 years now. The animals (we call them residents) are treated with the utmost respect and watched over so carefully. Who better to run a sanctuary than a vet tech? We all have very special bonds with the animals, which is evident in the way they give us trust and affection like any cat or dog would. We have a little corner of the world and we've decided to make it kinder for animals that people would otherwise think of as nothing more than objects. I love Wildwood.
Wildwood is the reason I became vegan. They do so much great work to ensure that the animals rescued are well taken care of and loved. They also are really great at being open and honest about what is happening with the world and what we can do.
I’ve been a weekly volunteer at Wildwood for some time now and it is the one thing in my week that I refuse to give up when I need to schedule something! The animals are amazing and so loved, the volunteer team cares deeply that they get exactly what they need but also what they enjoy individually! Shauna is absolutely incredible and works unbelievably hard. I can’t imagine my week without it. Talk about the perfect place to center myself and stay grounded. Plus, who doesn’t love goat kisses?!
I recently spent some time volunteering at this sanctuary and was impressed with the care and respect for the animals (as well as the volunteers). All the animals seemed relaxed and at home in the sanctuary. Their accommodations are well kept and clean (we were even cleaning windows in the chicken house!). It was clear the regular sanctuary workers and volunteers view the animals as fellow beings rather than property or commodities. They moved around the animals with care, spoke to them by name, and provided some information about their history. We were asked not to wear leather shoes as respect for the cows, and I learned that eggs laid by the rescued hens are disposed of rather than eaten as a gesture of not continuing to use the birds for human gain. During my time there, we mucked out a barn, stacked fresh hay, washed various feeders and equipment, and cleaned out the hen house. There were activities for a variety of abilities and ages. After the work was done, we got to feed watermelon to the chickens and play with the goats- they loved to be brushed. My understanding is this property has been in the owner’s family for several generations. She and her husband were both working with us during the volunteer work party, and they were friendly and thankful for everyone there. I feel my time and financial support of this sanctuary is truly put to good use.
I have volunteered here a handful of times for work parties and have enjoyed my experience so much that I am considering a weekly standing volunteer position. I greatly value my time at Wildwood knowing all of the animals there are someone, not something, and will get to live out their natural lives.
The sanctuary is truly beautiful, the animals receive amazing care, and best of all Wildwood does a spectacular job at promoting a compassionate lifestyle in a way that brings people in rather than pushing them away.
This is a piece of Heaven on Earth. The forest, fields, orchards, wildlife, rescued animals: every bit of life and nature is so lovingly protected and cared for here. Going there for a work party or an organized event is a way to refresh and recharge. The animals there have often come from horrifying conditions, and in this environment they thrive, make friends, and learn to trust humans. It's such important work, and truly an inspiration.