This past May, a shooting range opened only 80 feet from the property line of Goathouse Refuge, a no-kill, cage-free cat sanctuary located in North Carolina.
Since opening, the noise from the range has been constant and quite frightening to the cats, even causing some to become ill and chew on their paws until bleeding as a result of anxiety. It has also caused a huge drop in visitors who are disturbed by the noise, which means that fewer cats are getting adopted. In addition, many of the fundraising events or meetings that used to be held at Goathouse can no longer take place there, causing a huge drop in funding. Their largest fundraising event was not held in the spring because of the situation, an event that usually brings in about $30,000 each year.
As a result of a petition that Siglinda Scarpa, Goathouse’s founder, started against the shooting range, as well as her phone calls to the sheriff’s office and neighbor’s complaints, the shooting range owners began to blast Siglinda and the Goathouse Refuge on a well-known right wing radio station, claiming they were against the second amendment and cared more about the cats than their country.
People even began to break in to the refuge at night and intimidate Siglinda and her cats. Then people began posting on Craigslist offers to drive more than an hour to the refuge to use the cats for target practice.
Finally, though, Goathouse began to prevail with the county commissioners. The sheriff’s office discovered that the noise from the range was well above what county ordinances allow. The range has been silent since then, though the owner is looking into building earthen berms and planting trees to reduce the noise decibel level. As a result of the silence, the cats have been doing much better and have ceased chewing on their paws and one is recuperating after losing his hearing.
The county department for the environment also gave the shooting range 2 citations for causing environmental damage. However, both citations included deadlines to present a plan to remedy the situation by the 22nd of August and yet there is no word of any change.
According to Siglinda, the owner plans to reopen the shooting range in the fall. If the range reopens, Goathouse may have to file a civil law suit, as even the legal noise limit is too much for the cats, visitors and staff and the refuge’s operations have been greatly damaged by the shooting range. Currently, Goathouse is in a dire situation and needs significant funding to meet their needs in the upcoming months. As a result of the dire situation, they are not able to take in any new cats until things clear up and, hopefully, get back to normal.
To donate to Goathouse, visit: http://www.goathouserefuge.
To sign a petition on behalf of Goathouse Refuge, visit Goathouse Petition
To write letters or emails to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, visit: http://www.chathamnc.org/index.aspx?page=34 for information. There is an example of one such letter on Goathouse Refuge’s site here
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There are compromises; the shooting range could be entirely inside and sound proof! They obviously have enough land!
they argument for that is, some of the weaponry being used is so high powered, only being outdoors would be beneficial. I am a volunteer at the refuge, and the noise is deafening when they are out shooting. Accidents are bound to happen, stray bullets, etc.
This is so sad to have a bunch of “bullies” that think they can buy a piece of land and do whatever they please, not considering the impact on their neighbors and play “military man” whenever they please. Obviously the land in this area was not zoned and I hope the county commissioners get the clue that they need to address this problem as they are not the “wild west” anymore. I certainly am not against guns,,,,thanks goodness we have so many responsible North Carolina residents have and carry them….but this gun range is WAY beyond in my mind, would be acceptable to a fastly developing neighborhoods for residents in North Carolina , do you want this in your back yard??????? I don’t think so
This is so sad to have a bunch of “bullies” that think they can buy a piece of land and do whatever they please, not considering the impact on their neighbors and play “military man” whenever they please. Obviously the land in this area was not zoned and I hope the county commissioners get the clue that they need to address this problem as they are not the “wild west” anymore. I certainly am not against guns,,,,thanks goodness we have so many responsible North Carolina residents have and carry them….but this gun range is WAY beyond in my mind, would be acceptable to a fastly developing neighborhoods for residents in North Carolina , do you want this in your back yard??????? I don’t think so
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As an afterthought…….don’t even bother with the county commissioners, they are ub Mr, Mark Atkeson’s back pocket I believe………this is the good old boy south
If he is so supportive of a shooting range, why don’t they practice in HIS backyard!!!