Do You Know the Mission of the Goathouse Refuge?
Posted March 11, 2021
Donors, supporters, friends, many of you have not gone through all the information on our website, we would like you to know what is in our Mission Statement, who we are, why we do what we do… because you like us, love what we do and trust us but maybe you have never read it… so Here it is:………
“There aren’t many places in today’s world that offer ongoing, unconditional care to animals in need, but that’s exactly what we provide at the Goathouse Refuge. We are a cat sanctuary, a place where cats that have been abandoned or lost can be safe and warm and happy, where cats who have had to live at the margins of the modern world can find a place where they are welcome.
The Refuge is a place where no cat will be refused due to age, illness or disposition. Even cats that are “unadoptable” can live in comfort, with the care, attention and love they deserve. The sanctuary also accepts FIV+ cats and is devoted to their care like any of the other residents and no cat will be euthanized unless it is suffering and there is no hope of recovery.
Our ultimate goal is to connect every cat with a loving family who wants to share their life with a wonderful feline companion. Typically, 25 – 30 cats are adopted every month from our facility, and since we keep all of our cats up to date on their vaccinations and check-ups and make sure they lead interactive, social lives, adoptions from Goathouse Refuge are easy and effective. Since our founding in 2007, we’ve placed over 2,500 cats into loving, permanent homes. Unfortunately, not every cat is destined to be a typical pet. Some have medical issues that require daily care; some grew up as feral cats and don’t have the disposition for domestic life; and sometimes, there just aren’t enough homes to go around. But Siglinda Scarpa, who founded Goathouse Refuge years ago, believes every cat has the right to a life free from both danger and indifference.
The Refuge is designed so that cats can spend long periods of time here comfortably, awaiting adoption. In fact, it is designed so that a cat could spend years, or even its entire lifetime, at the sanctuary. This means that cages are only used in intake when a new cat arrives and needs to adjust and feel safe, or in the infirmary to be able to medicate and care for ill kitties, or for feeding cats with special diets (but only for feeding and then the cats will be free to roam and play around with the other cats in the refuge indoor and outdoor safely). We only spay and neuter kittens once they weigh 5 pounds, to insure that their organs and their bones are well grown and well-formed and they have strong teeth. They are adopted after they have been spayed/neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped. Old cats get their dental surgeries… injured or sick kitties will go to our veterinarians and/or specialty hospitals including the Vet School… and Homeopathic/Alternative Veterinarians. And, of course, all of the cats are given human attention, love and interaction, along with high-quality food and prescription food if needed.
This is the philosophy we operate by at Goathouse Refuge, a no-kill shelter that serves two important roles: a stopover for cats on their way to permanent homes, and a permanent shelter for cats that just need a place they can call their own.
That’s what we do at Goathouse Refuge. We think it’s worthwhile work. We hope you think so, too.”
