Animal Caretaker Position
Sisu Refuge is a nonprofit animal sanctuary and farm caring for 100+ rescued animals, including pigs, cows, goats, chickens, ducks and other animals. We are currently hiring two part-time Animal Caregivers to assist with the day-to-day care of our residents.
This is a physically demanding, outdoor position best suited for self-motivated and self-reliant individuals with strong work ethic, excellent observation skills, and a genuine affection for animals. The work is hands-on, fast-paced, and varies daily depending on animal needs, weather, and rescue activity.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Provide daily care for animals of varying species, including feeding, watering, cleaning barns, grooming, enrichment preparation, and administering daily medications.
- Open and close barns and coops according to weather and animal needs.
- Prepare and administer AM & PM medications, including oral, intramuscular, and subcutaneous injections (training provided as needed).
- Perform basic medical care such as wound cleaning, bandaging, hoof trimming, and applying sunscreen and other topical treatments.
- Participate in routine health checks (morning and night) and monitor animals for changes in behavior or condition.
- Identify and report common health issues and abnormalities.
- Maintain clean, safe housing, bedding, and water sources.
- Restock, organize, and maintain animal care supplies.
- Participate in proper record keeping and documentation.
- Communicate animal observations clearly with colleagues and managers.
- Assist with vet visits, transports, rescue intakes, hoarding cases, and sanctuary events or tours as needed.
- Train and work alongside interns or volunteers when applicable.
Farm and rescue work varies by season and animal needs, and no two days are exactly the same.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Experience working with animals (farmed animals preferred, including pigs, cows, goats, and chickens).
- Ability to work independently while also being a strong team player.
- Excellent observation skills, particularly regarding animal behavior and health.
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions accurately.
- Comfortable adapting to changing situations, including emergencies.
- Physically able to lift 50 lbs consistently (often heavier).
- Perform manual labor in an outdoor, non–climate-controlled environment.
- Work in all weather conditions, including rain, heat, and cold.
- Reliable and dependable with a strong sense of responsibility.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Reliable transportation and a clean driving record.
- Experience driving with a trailer is a plus.
- Demonstrates proper and safe animal handling techniques.
Schedule & Compensation:
- Part-time positions (two available)
- Flexible scheduling: 6-hour or 8-hour shifts
- Weekdays, weekends, or a combination – choose your availability
- Pay is based on experience and skill level ($15-18 hour)
- Paid training provided
Hiring Process:
- Initial Zoom meeting + on-site orientation and working interview
- Second working interview (on-site)
- Paid training and trial period (3 shifts)
- Job offer (contractor position)
About Us:
Farm chores and rescue work are varied and depend on the season and the needs of the animals. We encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with our mission and daily environment. Please email Erika@sisurefuge.org with resume
Volunteer Positions We are currently trying to fill:
Flexible Commitment:
Because we are a nonprofit sanctuary, these roles are flexible and can often be done in small increments of time. Even 1–3 hours per week can make a meaningful difference for the animals.
Volunteer Positions We are currently trying to fill:
Animal Health Database Volunteer (Tech / Data)
Help us build a long-term animal health database that could contribute to improving veterinary knowledge for large-breed pigs and other farm animals.
This role involves helping organize medical records, necropsy findings, and diagnostic reports into a structured system using Python, Airtable, or similar tools.
Ideal volunteers may have experience with:
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Python
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Airtable or database design
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Data organization
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Veterinary or biological data (a plus but not required)
This project will help transform years of sanctuary medical records into a dataset that could support future veterinary research and improved animal care.
Animal Health Records Data Entry Volunteer
Help us organize years of medical and diagnostic records for rescued farm animals.
This role involves entering information from necropsy reports, diagnostic lab results, and medical records into our developing animal health database.
Tasks may include:
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Entering necropsy findings
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Recording causes of death
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Logging diagnostic results
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Organizing clinical notes
Accuracy and attention to detail are important. No veterinary background is required — just patience and care.
Vegan Outreach & Education Coordinator
Help expand the educational impact of Sisu Refuge by assisting with vegan outreach, blog posts, and educational content.
This role may include:
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Writing blog posts or educational articles
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Helping develop compassionate food guides or recipes
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Assisting with outreach campaigns
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Supporting educational resources about farm animals and ethical eating
Ideal for someone passionate about animal advocacy, plant-based living, and compassionate education.
Remote Volunteer Coordinator
Help manage and support our growing team of remote volunteers.
This role involves helping keep our Trello volunteer system organized and making sure volunteers have clear tasks and support.
Responsibilities may include:
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Monitoring the volunteer Trello board
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Helping assign tasks
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Answering volunteer questions
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Helping onboard new volunteers
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Tracking project progress
Great for someone who enjoys organization, communication, and community building.
Animal Sponsorship Coordinator
Help maintain relationships with the wonderful people who sponsor animals at the sanctuary.
Responsibilities may include:
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Sending sponsorship updates and photos
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Helping maintain sponsor records
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Assisting with sponsor communications
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Helping create occasional sponsor newsletters or updates
This role helps ensure sponsors feel connected to the animals they support.
Donor Outreach & Newsletter Volunteer
Help us stay connected with the supporters who make our work possible.
Tasks may include:
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Assisting with donor outreach emails
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Helping write or format newsletters
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Updating donor contact lists
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Highlighting sanctuary updates and impact stories
This role supports the long-term sustainability of the sanctuary by strengthening relationships with donors and supporters.
General Communications Monitor
Help us respond to the many general inquiries that come into the sanctuary each week.
This role involves monitoring our main email inbox and helping respond to common questions about the sanctuary, volunteering, animal care, and visitor information.
Responsibilities may include:
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Checking incoming messages
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Responding to common inquiries using provided templates
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Flagging important or sensitive emails
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Helping keep the inbox organized
Ideal for someone who is friendly, organized, and comfortable communicating with the public.
Facebook Community Moderator
Help maintain a positive and welcoming environment in our sanctuary’s Facebook community.
This role involves helping moderate comments and discussions to ensure conversations remain respectful and supportive.
Responsibilities may include:
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Monitoring posts and comments
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Removing spam or inappropriate content
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Answering simple questions from community members
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Helping keep discussions focused on animal welfare and sanctuary life
Great for someone who enjoys online communities and wants to help foster a supportive space for animal lovers.