Everyone's Safe at Vincent's Place
<i>The Journey</i><i> So Far</i>
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The Journey So Far

For those who are just joining us and for everyone who has been on this journey since it began, we thought it would be nice to show everything that we have accomplished so far in building our nonprofit animal sanctuary from scratch!

Check out the entire plan here…
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January 3, 2019 - while delivering a car full of donated food, our founder met and immediately fell in love with tiny baby Vincent Van Goat at another sanctuary and became a volunteer that very day. She volunteered for one year and he is the inspiration for Vincent’s Place Sanctuary. Even though he does not live here, his love and their indescribable bond are the inspiration and driving force for the creation of our sanctuary.
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February 22, 2020 - we attended Impact 2020, a farm animal sanctuary conference in South Carolina hosted by Cotton Branch Farm Animal Sanctuary. Our founder spoke with so many wonderful sanctuary founders, and their encouragement led her to officially begin the process of creating Vincent’s Place Sanctuary!
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June 4, 2020 - we became an official 501c3 nonprofit organization!
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During the pandemic- we attended webinars, online classes, spoke with numerous sanctuaries around the country for advice, researched everything from animal care to barns, common ailments and treatments, preventive care, and more. We focused on things that would help the sanctuary once we started building, as we did not want to take any funds that could be donated to existing sanctuaries with mouths to feed during this very difficult time. We were even on the Average Vegans podcast talking about the plans for Vincent’s Place!
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July 7, 2021 - had the pasture graded to avoid ponding, had a raised dirt pad built for the future barn, built a drainage ditch and berm and cleared a fence line around the pasture.
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November- December 2021 - Rescued the “Bishop Babes” - 5 goats and 2 horses (one of which was blind) after both owners passed from Covid only weeks apart. Our founder visited daily to feed and care for the animals and networked with other sanctuaries to find them safe forever homes. The goats all went to D&L Rescue and both horses are living their best Lives at Red Clay Ranch Equine Rescue and Sanctuary
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January 19, 2022 - cleared a line through the woods so that our fence could include some of our forest for browsing and enrichment for the goats that will call our sanctuary home. Also removed 200’ of existing fence in order to allow for this expansion.
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February 22, 2022 - erected a 5 foot tall no climb horse fence around the entire goat pasture, including three gates for possible future expansion, and 8 foot tall wooden posts sunk 3 feet into the ground with concrete every 10 feet to ensure our future residents are always safe. You can actually sponsor one of these posts here and be a physical part of the sanctuary!
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March 22, 2022 - had a new ditch and berm built to keep storm water out of the pasture to ensure that our pasture will be dry to avoid health issues. The first berm broke after a few days of torrential rain, so we actually had to so this step twice - but better to correct it immediately than wait! The health of our future rescues depends on it! Our pasture has remained dry even after recurring days of heavy rains- no ponding here and our residents will have a healthy pasture!
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April 24, 2022 - our first volunteer day! We seeded the new berm to avoid erosion, filled and packed the earth around the new fence posts to keep water from pooling around the wood posts and more! Sign up here to be a volunteer!
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June 2, 2022 - Had the slab for our 24’ x 40’ main barn poured. It has a center drain, a 6” curb and a water line so that our barn will have running water.
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July 17, 2022 - helped a rescued pig in Kentucky get to her forever home by providing the last leg of her transport (from South Carolina to Andy’s Nest in Monticello, GA). This is Piper, during our very first piggy über drive in our founder’s car.
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September 11, 2022 - rescued this special needs (and very sick) kitten. Her name is Odin and she is now living her best Life at Vincent’s Place. We also rescued another 1 month old kitten, Yama Uba, to be Odin’s sister and they are doing great despite both almost losing their lives as babies.
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September 14, 2022 - corrected the issues from the slab contractor by having dirt brought in to ensure that there is no standing water against the slab. Also moved leftover gravel from the slab project to create a driveway to the main gate.
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October 2022- tabled at our first three events in Athens, GA to help spread awareness, become more connected to the community and fundraise to build the sanctuary.
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December 9, 2022- December 21, 2022 -helped rescue Jules, a potbelly pig, from an abuse situation and brought her to Cotton Branch Farm Animal Sanctuary in SC. She had sustained chemical burns on approximately 70% of her body and had scars from misuse/abuse with a snare. She is now living her BEST Life as a pampered little princess!
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December 13, 2022 - drove to 10 roofing companies with personalized packets to request donations for our main barn roof, reached out to hardware and lumber stores for material donations - and we are excited to announce that Lowe’s is donating the lumber for framing the barn at cost and Athens Roofing Company has generously offered to donate the labor to put the roof on so long as we can provide the materials- and Perimeter Roofing is donating the materials!
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March 13, 2023: after having 4 contractors give estimates, Trio Contracting was selected to frame out our main barn (24’x40’)
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March 15, 2023: trapped and provided emergency care to one of the 2 feral cats that we care for after he was attacked and sustained serious injuries. He has been treated, neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and tested negative for both FIV and feline leukemia. He is still hospitalized as they treat his wounds. Thank you to Mars Hill Animal Hospital for giving Morris the very best care!
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April 5, 2023: the 30 trusses for the barn were delivered! They are 26' wide for a 24' span. They are currently on spacers to keep them off the ground and are covered to protect them from the elements until we can begin construction
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May 12, 2023: Trio Contracting completed framing and putting the siding on the main barn, installed the windows and built the special double hung dutch barn doors! Athens Roofing came out to put the roof on as an act of generosity (they donated the labor!) and Perimeter Roofing donated the roofing materials! We are so grateful and so excited to see this next BIG step completed as we work to build our farm animal sanctuary.
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June 2, 2023: The barn is now protected with caulk, primer and paint! Look at that happy color! It is the color from our logo! Thank you so much to V&P H Painting for donating the caulk and for doing an amazing job on our main barn!
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June 8, 2023: We were on the cover of the Madison County Journal!!!! We are so incredibly grateful!
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June 17 2023: Rainman Gutters put the gutters on our barn! Now when we get these crazy storms, the water is directed away from the barn and will not erode the dirt around the barn!
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July 16, 2023: We were able to TNR these four sweet feral cats that live on the sanctuary property! (Morris has already been TNRed). Thank you to MOAS for doing the following for each of these precious babies: spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, given overall exams for health, ear tipped and treated for fleas. They are all doing great and the kittens are growing like weeds! (Top left to lower right: Noir, Mist, Phantom and their mother, Momma Catss were all TNRed!)
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November 3, 2023: An amazing young lady named Collette raised $833 for Vincent's Place by participating in an amazing program called KidsBoost. They even came out and delivered one of those big checks! We are SO grateful for this young activist!
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November 14, 2023: Wheless Electrical has kindly offered to donate the labor to do the electrical work on our main barn! We will have indoor lights, outlets in each stall as well as in other locations in the barn, motion sensor flood lights outside, an exhaust fan on each short end of the barn and oscillating fans between each of the stalls. All wires are encased in metal to avoid any potential issues from rodents chewing on the wires (we love our field mice, but we don't want them starting a barn fire!)
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January 8, 2024: The FIV+ cat that we rescued, got neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, dewormed, treated for fleas and fostered has been adopted! Thank you so much to the Athens Area Humane Society for helping Shadow Moon!
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February 7, 2024: The barn is insulated! We had Georgia Insulation here and they applied closed cell spray foam insulation to the walls and the roof so that our barn will be cozy in the winter and cool in the summer.
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February 13, 2024: We are hanging the OSB on the walls! This will keep the insulation safe!
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March 8, 2024: Rescued a kitten named Domino! We got her spayed, vaccinated, tested for VIV and feline leukemia, dewormed, microchipped and she is getting flea treatments as we search for her forever family. (She was adopted on thanks to the amazing people at the Entangled Cat Cafe' run by the Athens Area Humane Society!)
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April 25, 2024: We fixed the gaps in the barn doors! The barn builders left some serious gaps and the doors did not close properly so we got everything set and the doors are now stronger and more secure.
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May 7, 2024: We power washed and sealed the concrete slab! This will help keep urine and bacteria from seeping into the concrete, and will make deep cleaning much easier. We want the most sanitary space for our future residents!
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May 11, 2024: After an amazing volunteer day, we have all the OSB painted to seal it and protect it using animal safe paint!
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May 20, 2024: We started building the first stall! We have changed the original design to allow for not only a utility room, but a play area/common area so that our residents can play inside on rainy days!
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May 21, 2024: We were honored by the James T. Rayle Post 123 American Legion! They invited us to speak at their meeting about our veteran program and presented us with a donation! We are so grateful and cannot wait to meet with the Commander in the near future to start working on our program to help veterans in our area!
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May 28, 2024: We were able to rescue an opossum that showed at the sanctuary with severe injuries. He was immediately transported to Primarily Possums and is currently receiving the best care after his surgery to help close the wound on his arm, most likely caused by a bush hog. Once healed, he will come back to the sanctuary; his name is Wally the Wounded.
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We pride ourselves on transparency!

We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax deductible.
EIN: 85-1171626

How you can support us:

The adorable love goat in all videos and photographs currently on our site is Vincent Van Goat, our namesake. While Vincent does not live here with us, his love and our bond are the inspiration for the creation of Vincent's Place!