An Important Message From Sanctuary Founder Kathy Stevens

Update 7/13/20:

We have extended our closure until further notice. The best way to stay in the loop is to sign up for our email newsletter, Herd Around The Barn!

Update 3/17/20:

As promised, we have an update to share: while visiting season is our favorite time of year (just ask Tucker), we know you’ll understand that for the safety of all members of our Herd, and to do our part in this unparalleled time, we will be closed to the public until May 24th (this includes all tours, cooking classes, sponsor visits, special events and Homestead stays) We’re terribly sorry that we’ll miss you in those first beautiful weeks of spring!

While we won’t see any of you in person for a while, we’re excited to share that we’ll soon be bringing the magic of Catskill Animal Sanctuary straight to your home — through our Virtual Sanctuary. This live streaming program has been in the works for a while, and we can’t think of a more essential time to connect with you and share: Michael Turkey’s mischief updates, “nose boops” from the sheep, up close goat shenanigans, species lessons, Breakin’ the Rules with Kathy, cooking demos, and so much more! You can’t come to us right now— but we can, and will, come to you.

Sign up for Herd Around The Barn, our email newsletter to learn more about this exciting new program and other happenings!

Until then, stay healthy and offer your very best to a world hungry for kindness.

Originally posted on 3/16/20:

Coronavirus is changing everyone’s lives— and since our friends and supporters are part of our Herd, we want to update you on our planning as we work to keep all members of our community healthy and safe.

First, we’ve canceled next weekend’s volunteer day out of an abundance of caution. It means the world to us to have volunteer support— and our hearts ache to know that a few hours outdoors, breathing fresh air and raking fields while surrounded by animals without a care in the world might have been a much-needed respite for so many of you. We’re a wide-open outdoor space and even during tour season, our daily number of visitors is generally less than Governor Cuomo’s recommended current limit of 250. But for all of us, we must err on the side of caution.

In that regard, we are speaking with epidemiologists and other experts, evaluating day by day, and will share our decisions regarding tours, events, and Homestead bookings no later than March 27th.

For now, we are following all CDC and NYS guidelines for businesses, and our administrative and program staff are working from home. Our staff, the animals, and you are all our utmost concern.

“Love Spoken Here” is not just a tagline to us: it means we live in community with everyone, always, and we must all strive to be as good to each other as possible during this frightening time. There’s a reason we call our friends and supporters the “Herd:” today, that term is a reminder that we’re all family.

We are honored to be in this Herd with you. We look forward to seeing you at the Sanctuary as soon as possible. Stay healthy and offer your smile— to everyone.