The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary fundraises for muddy pig pens

A volunteer with Doris in her extremely muddy paddock at the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary. Photo / Supplied

Heard the saying 'happy as a pig in mud'? Well there can be too much of a good thing.

A Wellington animal sanctuary has found itself in the midst of a "serious mud crisis" with pig pens bogged down in everlasting sludge. The animals are scrambling for dry patches and in danger of footrot as the country's wet weather worsens the issue.

The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary needs $5000 to fix their "mud crisis". Photo / Supplied

Some of the pigs, who are highly sociable creatures, are wallowing in loneliness as they get trapped on one side of the paddock away from their friends - unable to cross the vast puddles.

The Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary are trying to raise $5000 to hire a digger and truck so they can elevate the affected paddocks - they'll do the grunt work themselves.

Animal caretaker Coces Vehreschild said the issue affects around 11 pigs and 17 goats who "hate water on their feet".

"Pigs like having a little bit of mud for sun protection to roll in while everything else is solid ground. They don't like being in the mud non stop

"They use it for cooling down and having fun, but they're like us - we don't want to be in the bathtub all the time."

Punky Pig can't escape the wet mud at the Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary. Photo / Supplied

The Ōtaki sanctuary rehabilitates and re-homes abused, injured and neglected animals. They currently have around 200 animals from different places.

The mud problem is particularly bad as the heavy pigs, sometimes weighing up to 350kg, compact the deep ground as they walk around, resulting in poor drainage. Their constant rooting of the upper layer of earth turns more dirt into mud, Vhreschild explained.

"Basically it turns the pig paddock into pools. The pigs keep digging, it's like stirring dough being nice and creamy."

Constantly squelching around in mud can give pigs foot rot and makes them unhappy. Photo / Supplied

Vehreschild, who is originally from Germany, estimated it would take around four days to transport loads of gravel, build the elevation of the paddocks and cover them with dirt. They also want to make a hill for the goats.

The digger costs $300 to get to the property and $145 an hour and the truck is $120 an hour.

Visit their Givealittle to donate here.