Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS), one of the world’s leading sanctuaries for farmed animals, will host the 4th Annual Goat Games, a nationwide, hybrid fundraising competition happening August 8 – 13 that will highlight the lifesaving work of 17 animal sanctuaries from around the nation and raise urgently needed funds. The Goat Games, sponsored in part by the ASPCA and Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, not only celebrates the spirit of friendly competition, but also serves as a reminder of the role animal sanctuaries play in providing a safe haven for animals in desperate need and creating a kinder world for all beings.
As the goats and other farm animals watch as spectators from the sidelines, humans will rally family and friends to support the sanctuary team of their choice, either by donating directly or by creating social media fundraisers through platforms like Instagram and Facebook (as one would do for a birthday fundraiser). Goat Games is designed to make it easy for animal lovers literally anywhere in the world to donate in support of billions of animals exploited for meat and dairy products. All 17 sanctuaries will participate in the six-day virtual campaign to see who will be the Greatest Of All Time or “G.O.A.T.”, a title earned by raising the most money. All donated funds will support the operational needs of each sanctuary, including food, shelter, and medical needs. The collective fundraising goal is $250,000.
“As donations across the country have seen a significant drop and the costs of resources, like hay and grain, rise precipitously, increased donor support is critical,” said Kathy Stevens, Founder and Executive Director of Catskill Animal Sanctuary. “Sanctuaries not only offer refuge, medical care, and a chance at a fulfilling life to animals in need: many also offer programs that connect the dots between our food choices and many of the most urgent health and environmental challenges we face, including and especially climate change.”
The participating sanctuaries in the 2023 Goat Games include:
For CAS, the week-long online fundraiser will culminate with a special on-site event held on August 12 from 11am to 3pm. Expected to draw hundreds of animal lovers from around the region to their Saugerties property, the event will include old-fashioned games, a children’s tent, vendors, food trucks, a silent auction, live music performances, and memory-making special moments with outgoing rescued farm animals. To participate in Goat Games, please visit thegoatgames.org.
“After a three-year hiatus from on-site events, we’re excited to have a little fun again and bring together sanctuaries from all corners of the country for the 4th Annual Goat Games," said Stevens. "Goat Games is a remarkable opportunity to showcase our resilience in this challenging time and raise vital funds for farmed animals around the nation."
About Catskill Animal Sanctuary
Founded in 2001, Catskill Animal Sanctuary is a non-profit, 150-acre refuge in New York's Hudson Valley. It is home to eleven species of rescued farmed animals with hundreds of residents at any given time. In addition to providing rescue, rehabilitation, and lifelong sanctuary, CAS offers virtual and onsite educational programs that advocate veganism as the very best way to end animal suffering, improve human health, and heal an ailing planet.
Catskill Animal Sanctuary is the only U.S. farmed animal sanctuary with highest honors and accreditations from:
Better Business Bureau, GuideStar (Platinum Rating), Charity Navigator (4 Stars), and GFAS: Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries
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