The Next Chapter in the Goathouse Refuge’s Remarkable Story: Letter from Siglinda
Posted August 28, 2022
From Refuge to a Place of Peace, Meditation, and Rest, for People and Animals
The Next Chapter in the Goathouse Refuge’s Remarkable Story of Philanthropy and Activism for cats
Dear Loyal Friend of the Goathouse:
From a childhood during the Italian Resistance to establishing the gold standard in the operation of a no-kill, animal refuge, I am asking you to help the Goathouse and all the volunteers walk through the door into the next chapter of this legendary place.
Today, at the age of 82-years young, I am hoping to transition into a more private, artistic/meditative retirement and transition the Goathouse Refuge into the Goathouse Sanctuary, which will be a home to a small number of old cats who have no other recourse, or whose humans have specified in their will or estate planning that their cats be cared for by us for the rest of their lives. Plans are still evolving, but the intention is to make this successor Sanctuary, with its cats and gardens, a place for human respite as well. I also would like to make it a resource for those of us who wish to have a place to rest and recharge for the day and become more sensitive in the ways of cats, especially communication.
In consultation with my board of directors, I am winding down a central part of the operation of the Goathouse Refuge.
As of August 1st, the Goathouse no longer has been taking in abandoned cats. Rather, the volunteer staff and I have been directing pet owners to other appropriate operations.
Over the course of the next two to three months, the Goathouse is actively committed to finding forever homes for our adoptable cats. For those cats for whom adoption is not a possibility, we are setting up a permanent sanctuary where they may live out their lives in dignity and safety with our care. We will be accepting a limited number of cats whose families want to make sure they have a place to go should something happen to the family.
The work entailed in establishing and maintaining a sanctuary for the remaining cats is still sizeable and costly, especially since a hallmark of this transition is to maintain the highest standard of care that gives its feline charges the dignity and respect they so rightly deserve.
We need your help to moving from a busy adoption and refuge center to a sanctuary. Specifically, the staff and I very much need help to move the adoptable cats into forever homes or high-quality adoption programs in the next few months.
We all relish our partnership with you and our network of more than 4,700 donors who have sustained our work of the past 20 years, and who will support us and the animals in this time of transition and for the future of the organization.
We will continue to welcome visitors to find peace and rest and to recharge their souls from the difficult lives we all live, celebrate the lives of the remaining cats and to enjoy the beautiful gardens and sturdy kilns, where I will return to the active creation of my work of pottery that will help sustain the lives of our remaining animal charges.
Please, will you help us shepherd the Refuge safely, securely, and in an orderly manner to successfully care for the cats in this time of transition and beyond, and be part of our new Goathouse Sanctuary?
We cannot accomplish this transition without your help. We welcome you all to be part of our new, beautiful, serene, organization.
Thank you!
Siglinda Scarpa
