Cat Shelter Fighting To Keep Doors Open

BUSINESS

By Tyria Bourda
Correspondent

An established no-kill shelter faces a race against the clock to maintain its license. In Chatham County, Goathouse Refuge, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has been a no-kill cat sanctuary for over twenty years. Siglinda Scarpa established The Goathouse Refuge and remains its owner and operator at 85 years-old. Approximately 60 to 70 cats were on the premises when the shelter opened its doors in 2006. The number of cats has grown to over 130 today. Unfortunately, the shelter’s future is uncertain after the state announced its intention to close it down following a series of inspections conducted late last year.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Division of Animal Welfare Services notified Scarpa earlier this month that the shelter must immediately halt operations, except for finding new homes for the cats. As the shelter meets compliance requirements, Scarpa has been granted an extension of the 30-day deadline to rehome the animals. The shelter was also fined $9,300, the second-highest fine imposed on a shelter last year.

The Animal Welfare Section of the N.C. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for the annual inspection and regulation of both public and private animal shelters, boarding kennels, and pet stores. These facilities are assessed based on various criteria, including cleanliness, record accuracy and completeness, and the condition of the animal housing.

According to the letter, Goathouse Refuge committed numerous violations between September and November, as indicated by the civil penalty. On September 22, 2025, AWS received a complaint alleging multiple violations at the shelter which led to AWS launching an investigation.

TLR has obtained a copy of the civil penalty, which outlines the following violations:

September:

• Shelter failed to maintain veterinary care records, as records for multiple animals lacked the required information for administering medications, dewormers, and vaccinations.
• Outer fencing around the property was moved and now areas were present that were not secure enough to contain the cats.
• Failed to cover the electrical outlets so that the cats did not have access to them.
• Failed to provide smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to the facility.

October – November

• Shelter was unable to match each animal to its record when requested.
• Shelter was unable to produce the records of the veterinary care being provided to 3 kittens suffering from Upper Respiratory Infection.
• Shelter failed to maintain primary enclosures and exercise areas in good repair and in a manner to prevent injury to animals.

To discuss Scarpa’s situation, TLR traveled to Pittsboro. According to her, she and her team are working on repairs since the state issued the cease-and-desist letter in hopes of restoring her business license.

“The situation here is that we had no money because people were not donating,” said Scarpa. “I only get $1,600 in social security every month and I give half of that to the Goathouse. We have people fixing the floors, windows, and my team cleans the floors every morning and changes the litter boxes every evening. We have also changed the smoke detectors. We have done a lot.”

Scarpa felt that the decision to revoke her license was personal. The inspection report indicates that she acknowledges having cats in her house, which is located on the same property. However, the report states that Scarpa did not allow the inspector inside to see the animals. She insists that she was not trying to conceal anything at that time and gave the inspectors the names of the cats and their veterinarian so they could access their medical records. At the time, Scarpa was recovering from heart surgery and moved the cats to her home so she could manage their medical needs without walking to the shelter while regaining her strength. While she admits that her health challenges and limited funding make things more difficult, she is doing everything she can.

“The inspector sent the letter on a Friday night before Christmas. So we had two days to put a stop to it or appeal it. Fortunately, a friend gave me the name of a good lawyer and he was able to put a stop to it and give us some time to get things in order,” said Scarpa.

Scarpa has filed a written appeal, but a court hearing date has not yet been scheduled. She is hoping to resolve the matter before then, and has already begun preparing a corrective action plan.

Photo Credit: Goathouse Refuge

“One donor has custom-made new crate stands for all of the crates, with castors so they can be easily moved and cleaned. We have the paint to reseal the floors and paint the crates. We have ongoing compliance work happening daily and documentation improvements. All the cats are updated on any shots, records, rabies certificates, and more.” said Scarpa.

A husband-and-wife team has initiated an ongoing $25,000 matching campaign to assist with repairs. Additionally, Teresa Pankey has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the refuge.

“Your donations will help The Goathouse Refuge continue their vital work in our community. Providing high-quality food and medical care for cats in need and creating a nurturing environment for rescued cats, facilitating their placement into loving homes,” stated on the GoFundMe website.

Scarpa hopes to meet the inspectors’ requirements in the coming weeks so she can continue to fight for what she believes in.

“ I feel that enchanted and that community response is fantastic. Many people know about Goathouse and others are not aware of how difficult things are for us. Now people are donating and we have new donors to help us as well. I am so grateful,” she said.

A copy of the civil penalty is provided below.

Tyria McCray-Bourda is a story-driven journalist whose work has previously appeared in The Carolinian newspaper in Raleigh. Attaining a bachelor’s degree in communication from Southern New Hampshire University, she has the distinction of having interviewed President Joe Biden when he was a candidate on the campaign trail, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocalReporter.press