Gimme Shelter!

Where Abused and Neglected Animals in Our Area Have Found Peace, Love, and Even Happiness (Part 1)

Article and Photography by Tad McArdle

For centuries, nonhuman animals were regarded as devoid of sensitivity and oblivious to suffering and pain. This view was even encouraged by Western philosophers such as René Descartes. Although this has been proven wrong by modern science and by unbiased observations, cruelty to animals continues.

But don’t give up! In our area there are several organizations devoted to rescuing both domestic and wild animals from bad situations, providing them with environments they can enjoy, and finding adopters who are aware of the needs of each animal they adopt. This month we will examine three of the shelters and adoption services, primarily focusing on cats and dogs, available in Chatham County. Next month our focus will broaden (stay tuned).

Animal Resource Center (ARC)

About six miles west of Pittsboro, on 64, turn right at Renaissance Parkway (formerly known as County Landfill Road) and you will soon arrive at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Animal Resource Center (ARC), on the left near the end of the road.

Chatham County residents are fortunate indeed to have this facility. I was given an energetic whirlwind tour by Karen Rogers, the Director, and Sara Pack, Lieutenant Chief Public Information Officer. Karen, a trained National Animal Cruelty Investigator, started off by showing me the “little critter room” where they can accommodate “snakes, lizards, birds, Guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, whatever we can fit in.” With the exception, of course, of venomous snakes and any animals dangerous to the staff, ARC accepts all creatures brought to them.

But the main population is dogs and cats, puppies and kittens. At the front of the building is the Cat Enrichment room, where the felines can stretch, exercise, and play in groups of 5 to 8, rather than sitting in their kennels all day. “The less stressed they are, the less likely they are to become ill,” said Karen.

Where do the animals come from? “People turn them in, or we get calls about strays and our officers go and pick them up…. If people are looking to adopt, all they have to do is come here or to the dog area. We try to match people and pets by personality. Some people bring their pets from home, and we do a meet and greet…. We have tiny stuffed mice that we throw around for them…. If they ever found a mouse in the real world, they’d know what to do.”

Cats and dogs who are ill are kept in an isolation room and given medical treatment until they are healthy, and then are moved back into the adoption area. There is a stray room for first arrivals; there are dog and cat kitchens for food preparation; there is a whelping room, a laundry room; and there is a behavior room and a big outside area for people to romp around and get acquainted with whatever dog or cat they are considering adopting.

ARC clearly has what’s needed to take really good care of their charges and to see that they have excellent future prospects. As for donations, they have a wish list on Amazon (https://bit.ly/arcwishes) so people can know what supplies are running low. Often people just stop by and drop things off or purchase things from the list and have them shipped to ARC. Karen said that most volunteering happens through word of mouth; they also have a volunteer contract.

Karen Rogers

To contact ARC by phone: (919) 542-7203

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/chathamcountysheriffnc/units/Animal-Resources

Director Karen Rogers: (919) 545-7886

Sara Pack

Lieutenant Chief Public Information Officer Sara Pack: sara.pack@chathamsheriff.com

Goathouse Cat Refuge

Siglinda Scarpa

Now let’s focus on felines. From Pittsboro, go west on 64 to 87 North, and about 3 miles up turn left on Alton Alston, then left again on Goathouse Road, and you’ll come to the gate of the Goathouse Cat Refuge. This rescue was started 22 years ago by Siglinda Scarpa. Siglinda, who grew up in Italy and whose family had a tough time as part of the wartime resistance, remembers a night in her childhood when her father brought home a “little gray tabby” who was wet and cold; he put the cat under the blankets in her bed. Siglinda kept him warm all that night and grew to love him so much that his death from distemper at an early age led her to bring as many cats into their apartment as her mother would allow.

Outdoors at the Goathouse

And now Siglinda runs the Goathouse Cat Refuge, fulfilling a lifelong dream of providing a safe sanctuary for our feline friends. She is now responsible for upwards of 280 cats and kittens, seeing to their health, their nourishment, and good relationships not only among the critters, but between them and the volunteers and the workers (herself included). They have a staff of 14 who clean every day, do all necessary maintenance, and feed the cats and kittens.

Siglinda showed me around the refuge. First was the induction room, with a “shy room” off to the side, for the timid ones. She showed me a formerly feral cat in need of grooming (they are looking for groomers as “there aren’t many groomers for cats.”) Then there was a big room with hammocks, sort of a recreation room, and then we went outside to get a glimpse of the extensive grounds.

Another outdoor shot at Goathouse Refuge

Spaying and neutering, which had previously been done at Goathouse by mobile volunteer veterinarians, now is legal only in authorized clinics and can cost $60 per cat. This recently passed NC law has, of course, led to an explosion of kittens and puppies in other shelters, and their consequent euthanization does not sit well with Siglinda. As you look around the Goathouse Refuge, noticing all the contented cats and kittens, you get a sense of what it means to her to provide for their security. “The key is to pay attention,” says Siglinda, who had a recent heart operation and upon her return was surrounded by seven or eight of the little creatures who carefully avoided her chest but nosed up close to her face. In other words, they were paying attention.

As I was leaving, Siglinda told me this: “We always need help, need volunteers, have very few. And we need sustainers, we sometimes go without for two months.” Cat lovers and others can connect with the Goathouse by calling Siglinda at (919) 542-6815. Or you can visit the website (https://www.goathouserefuge.org/), where you can learn how to help.

Chatham Animal Rescue & Education (CARE)

Working closely with ARC and other shelters is CARE, a volunteer-based organization that has served this community since 1975. CARE is nonprofit and is supported by individual and corporate donors, the Woof-a-Palooza walk (https://www.chathamanimalrescue.org/woof-a-palooza/) being the major fundraising event. I recently spoke with Mary Bratton and Joan Cunningham, members of the Board of Directors, and one of my questions was about the impact of Covid-19 on their operation. CARE had to cancel some of their major fundraising events during the pandemic, including Woof-a-Palooza. Joan pointed out that things may be opening up again, and that they are currently partnering with Carolina Brewery for Dine and Donate every third Monday of the month. Before the pandemic, this had been known as “Yappy Hour,” occurring from March to October, where people would come, bring their dogs, and have contests; there was food and drink for purchase and entertainment for all. When the weather cools, Yappy Hour may resume.

Donations were also very high during the isolation months. Dog and cat adoptions were understandably at record levels during the pandemic; people were home and needed company. Adopters could meet and greet available dogs outdoors at the Community College. As for cats and kittens, CARE foster caregivers have been taking cats ready for adoption to the CARE office in Pittsboro, where they can mask up and socially distance for the meet and greet sessions.

Every day CARE hears from people in the community who have either lost a pet or found one, perhaps on their porch; or they have a pet they can no longer keep. “We provide consultation so that they know about the various resources available in the area,” said Joan, adding that CARE pulls many dogs and cats from ARC for their foster programs.

Mary spoke of her Josie, a cat “pulled from the euthanasia line” at ARC, and placed in a foster home, where Mary found her and brought her home. CARE never puts animals down. As a trauma therapist, Mary easily recognized a traumatized creature; the first time she put her hand out, Josie gave it a swat, and Mary thought “You’re telling me your life story.” But she knew enough to give Josie a chance, and within a week the cat would come up next to her on the couch. A month after Josie joined her, Mary opened a newspaper with Josie on her lap, and “she must have jumped eight feet.” So, it wasn’t just hands that had hit her. Nevertheless, after six months, Josie came to evince “a loving, sweet, adorable, playful little soul.” Nobody knew her age, but soon she was in what Mary termed her “second kittenhood.” Josie ultimately became a gentle and devoted companion and stayed with Mary for the rest of her transformed and happy life.

The CARE website (https://www.chathamanimalrescue.org) provides information on adoption, rescue, fostering, Lillie’s Fund (CARE’s targeted spay/neuter program for qualifying Chatham County residents), and volunteer opportunities as well; you can also call (919) 542-5757. In addition, you can follow CARE online at the following sites:

• facebook.com/chathamanimal
• YouTube.com/chathamanimalrescue
• linkedin.com/company/chatham-animal-rescue-&-education-care
• instagram.com/chathamanimal
• twitter.com/chathamanimal

A native of rural western PA, Tad McArdle has lived in Fearrington since 2010 and lives happily with his wife, Mary Roodkowsky, on North Langdon. Tad’s interests include writing, golf, the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Wallace Stevens, physical fitness, Latin and African percussion, and providing quick and simple solutions to the major problems facing humanity (any suggestions?).

A Successful First National Night Out in Fearrington Village

By Jackie Walters, Features Co-editor; Photos by Gordon Pitz

Warren Ort, Director of Health, Safety, and Security for Fearrington, sees pulling off the first village-wide event in a year and a half as a success in itself. Combined with the high attendance despite the surging Covid-19 Delta variant, a weather forecast predicting heavy rains, the FHA Board’s decision to adopt a positive “let’s do it” attitude, along with attendees’ flexibility and cooperation, and no matter how you look at it, National Night Out was a resounding success!

Encouraged by the positive response he received from the Chatham County Sheriff’s office, the North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, Warren, a self-described sailor used to changing forecasts, was determinedly optimistic that the weather would cooperate. And so it did. In a light rain, villagers and their invited guests talked to sheriff’s deputies, fire fighters, and CERT volunteers in The Gathering Place’s parking lot as well as inside where the band, Guilty Pleasures, performed its unique brand of blue grass.

Volunteer firefighters explain their equipment

Reconnecting after the pandemic was a recurring theme, and another was the delight in the number of young families with children. Linda Patterson observed, “I love events like that so I can see people I haven’t seen for a long time.” Suzy added, “I was delighted to see so many people there, especially people I’d really missed seeing over the last year or so. And it was wonderful to see so many children, for a change!”

In a tribute to event organizers, Suzy Cashwell commented, “It was great to see how well the coordinators managed to get people indoors as the rain threatened. After the rain threat let up a little, I enjoyed seeing the kids taking a tour of the fire truck. One little boy was so excited, I could’ve followed him around all evening!” Vickie Shea said it was great to see so many community members socializing safely in the Gathering Place by wearing masks.

Steve Krasnow and Andy Foshee check the CERT display

The intended interactions among residents and first responders generated several comments. Linda “loved being able to chat with our sheriff and some of the first responders. I walked around the fire truck and asked one of the firemen how they used the various pieces of equipment. I didn’t know they did aerial and water rescue!” Vickie enjoyed the demonstrations at the CERT table of batteries and other gadgets useful during power outages.

This writer was intrigued by the word ‘Resources’ as opposed to ‘Control’ on the Sheriff’s Animal Resources vehicle. One of the Animal Resources deputies described in detail Chatham County’s efforts to support pet owners keeping their pets at home while ensuring their health and safety. Among the many services offered, qualifying residents can obtain low-cost spay and neutering, as well as attend low-cost rabies vaccination clinics. (For more information on the Chatham County Animal Resources Center, be sure to see Tad McArdle’s article, Gimme Shelter!, Part 1 in this issue.)

Animal Resources vehicle

According to Warren, the idea of hosting National Night Out was suggested by Kathy Wood from Associa HRW, our management company. Associa HRW is a corporate sponsor for this event in other communities it manages around the country. Kathy was able to recruit several event sponsors from among local businesses—Brightview, CTI, General Contracting, Fitch Creations, Henry’s Property Management, Morris Insurance, and Virlie’s Grill. Their donations reduced costs incurred by the FHA Board to under $100. Kathy also ensured the event was “child-friendly,” by assembling books, crayons, and games. First responders welcomed and encouraged children, who were invited guests of Fearrington residents or members of responders’ families, to talk with them.

National Night Out (National Night Out (natw.org)) is a nationwide event designed to build positive relationships among local communities, neighbors, local law enforcement, and first responders. It’s held annually on the first Tuesday of August.

The Fearrington Puzzler

The Fearrington Puzzler
Question and Photo submitted by Chatham County Historical Association

Before it became a garage, this structure was an important Chatham County building. What was it? See the answer in our October issue.