Goathouse Refuge
 Goathouse Refuge logo | |
| Founded | 2007[1] |
|---|---|
| Founder | Siglinda Scarpa |
| Dissolved | N/A |
| Type | 501(c)(3) |
| Location |
|
| Services | Cat Sanctuary |
| Website | http://www.goathouserefuge.org/ |
The Goathouse Refuge in Pittsboro, North Carolina, is a nonprofit no-kill animal sanctuary for cats, run on a volunteer-basis. The refuge is cage-free so the cats can freely roam around within the boundaries of the property.[2] Founded in 2007 by Italian-born artist Siglinda Scarpa, the refuge can hold up to 300 cats on their 16-acre farm. There is an art gallery located on the first floor of the house where Scarpa sells her handmade art such as pottery, sculptures, and even cookware to help support the refuge.[3]
Founding
Siglinda Scarpa's father once brought a stray kitten home and placed it under her sheets, and she felt she could communicate with someone.[4]Scarpa had encountered issues with communication as a child, stating that “people were not seeing me, that they were talking, but never to me.”[3] The kitten was a year old when he became very ill, prompting Scarpa’s many trips to the vet. He was not able to survive his sickness. After his death, Scarpa was inspired to take in as many cats as possible, with the hopes of eventually creating a safe haven for cats.[5] Scarpa created the Goathouse Refuge in 2007, naming it after an old goat who came with the dilapidated plantation house and the 16 acre property she purchased. As the land was originally intended for her pottery studio, the initial ideas did not include a plan for the sanctuary. The house and studio burned down after she had the building renovated, so she decided to rebuild it with plans that included a sanctuary for cats, using personal resources and proceeds from her pottery sales to make it possible.[4]
The Goathouse Refuge differs from many other shelters in that all cats are welcome, and none are subject to euthanasia unless past all hope of recovery, for the cat's comfort only. Neither disposition, age, nor illness affect whether a cat will be accepted to stay at the Refuge. Adoption is the ultimate goal, but unadoptable cats may live out their lives on the property as well. On-site medical care, high-quality food, and an abundance of human interaction and affection is key to the lives of the animals, with their comfort and happiness being the top priority.[6]
Adoption
The Refuge has found homes for at least 900 cats since they opened in 2007.[7] They ensure that the cats have been tested, de-wormed, and have had their first shots. Since the cats have much interaction with humans as well as cats before they are put up for adoption, the cats have already been socialized. The adoption fee covers spaying/neutering, micro-chipping, and vaccinations. There is also an application that must be filled out. Cats may have sponsors who donate to cover for some or all of the adoption fee.[8] The application itself thoroughly covers basic things like current family members and current/past pets to things like who would take care of the cat when they are away, where would the cat sleep, and even hypothetical questions in the event of if the applicant moves or has kids. There is a section for applicants to describe what a typical day would be like for the cat if they were to be adopted.[9] The applications are reviewed first by staff to see if the applicants are a good fit for the cat. Afterwards, a home visit is required to see if the house is suitable for the cat.[8]
Donations
Because the Goathouse Refuge offers their 300 cats (number as of January 2013) medical treatment on-site, quality food, toys and comfort items such as lots of blankets, the cost of maintaining is higher than the average shelter. Donors contribute in many ways to the shelter, including providing items the cats need, donating money, or attending fundraisers, which Siglinda holds often with such recent themes as Burrito Bash, Venetian Carnival, Garden Gourmands, and Mad Hatter's Tea Party. These events are listed in such online and written publications as Raleigh's Indy Week, Chatham County's Chatham Chatlist, Chapel Hill's The Daily Tar Heel, etc., as well as on the Refuge's website and Facebook page.[10]
There are also alternative donations for those who wish to have a cat or want to see them go to a good home, but cannot adopt the cat themselves. There is an option to sponsor a cat by donating to cover their adoption fees. Donors can choose whether or not to do a full sponsor or even a 50% sponsor so that the cat may have a higher chance of being adopted. The refuge also provides "virtual cats" as gifts. By donating and filling out the virtual cat form, donors can choose a particular cat from a gallery of available cats. Afterwards the refuge will send them a photo of the cat as well as a behind-the-scenes story about him/her. For those who wish to donate regularly there is an option to sponsor a "Coffee Cat," at the cost of approximately a cup of coffee a day.[4] The donations from Coffee Cat is spent on food, medical needs, and litter for that particular cat.[11]
Volunteering
As a nonprofit shelter, the Refuge is run mainly by volunteers. They are oriented to the process of the daily work by other volunteer workers, and introduced to the cats who need to receive special attention such as allergies to certain cleaning products and special diets, which is made clear by charts and signs on the cats' cages. The daily volunteers clean litter boxes, change food and water, wash dishes and blankets, sanitize areas, etc. There are two shifts of volunteers- early morning and late afternoon, which revolve around the feeding habits of the cats. The volunteers also need to socialize new kittens and cats with behavior issues to make them ready for adoption.[12] At least two volunteers are the goal for each shift. Anyone is open to apply to volunteer via the website.
Controversy
In March 2013, the Goathouse Refuge was a cover story in the Indy Week paper. The article claims that there are too many cats falling prey to illness, and that the sanctuary is out of control. The author, Lisa Sorg, says that according to former volunteers at the Goathouse Refuge, there are twice as many cats on the premises as recommended by a veterinarian, and that Scarpa makes volunteers sign an anti-defamation agreement and instructs them to lie to state inspectors, among other allegations that Scarpa denied and justified. The Comments section on the online page for the article became so heated that Denise Prickett, INDY Editorial Web Director posted "We have closed comments on this story for the weekend. We will reopen comments Monday morning. All future comments must respond directly to the story and must be civil. Comments that do not follow these guidelines will be removed." just over a day after the article's release. [13]
Sources
- ^ Angela Lutz, "Meet Siglinda Scarpa, a Cat-Loving Artist Who Opened Goathouse Refuge", Catster, September 28, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
- ^ Jo Singer, "A Look at Goathouse Refuge", Petside, January 16, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
- ^ a b Anne Raver, "300 Cats, Yes. Craziness, No.", New York Times, January 9, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c "A Place to Call Home", Animal Wellness, January 31, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ "The Goathouse Refuge Mission" Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ Jo Singer, "A Look at Goathouse Refuge", Petside, January 16, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "TODAY Interviews Siglinda Scarpa of Goathouse Refuge", Chapel Hill Magazine, March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ a b "Our Process", Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "Adoption Application", Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ Lauren Clark,"Venetian Carnival hosted by The Goathouse Refuge benefits rescued cats" February 17, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "Donate" Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ Karen Pullen, "Making New Friends", Retrieved March 17, 2013
- ^ Lisa Sorg, "Out of Control", March 20, 2013, Retrieved March 23, 2013