Catskill Animal Sanctuary — Attraction in Town of Saugerties

If you don't mind paying to walk no more than a football field in any one direction, see only a handful of animals and be constantly lectured on the evils of meat and wonders of being vegan, go for it. :( reply to owner response: Sharing the animal's story does not have to include deliberately trying to make others feel horrible about their life choices. And YES, it was VERY deliberate. 3 others LEFT the group early after being publicly ridiculed. As far as respecting the animal's privacy, at NO time were we told we didn't see more animals due to the need to "respect their boundaries". We were told some birds were off limits due to the bird flu. We saw a pig, 3 cows, a couple of chickens ( all outside) and that was it. No one ever suggested you "force interaction". Most of the time was spent just standing there with the guide trying to waste time and they struggled to do so. The guide never even MENTIONED what the various barns etc, were being used for and we never even got close enough to look inside one. Several people remarked going back to their cars that they felt like they were ripped off, it came off more like a promo for the owner's books and cooking classes and just supporting someone's hobby. Try looking at some of the ingredients of the products your guides push! Just because it's organic and/or vegan does NOT mean it's...

We drove from Toronto to CAS and were treated so RUDELY by one staff member that I have to write this and warn fellow visitors: the staff might be compassionate to animals, but people? Not one bit. It feels contrary to complain about an organization that shares my values, but I've never been treated so badly by any company, ever. Why be awful?

It was after hours when we arrived. True, I had checked the website and forgotten to double check the hours. Turns out it had taken us 2 hours longer to drive than we anticipated. I knocked on the door of the stone house. Inside people were laughing. One staff (an older woman, short) explained that only paying customers can see the animals, that tours were over for the day, that these people have paid about $200 for their room so only they could see the animals. I explained our reason for lateness and that we were only in New York one day. The woman became brusque and mean.

Shame on you CAS. There is a sea of animal cruelty and neglect. I suggest you collect the animal lovers, collect us and help us help them. By turning away strangers who might have become supporters of CAS you hurt your cause. In my (longish) life, I have complained about a business only...

Finding CAS is the best experience since retiring from education. It is not just a sanctuary for the animals but for myself also. I have been vegan for 30+ years and find it so comforting to be around people of like minds. Their approach is to educate the public in many ways and bring it all together with a fun filled day with their annual Shindig. The tour guides are very knowledgable and work very hard to keep up with current events. they will tell you each animal's story and educate the public on the importance of living a compassionate, cruelty free life. It is not a Petting Zoo, as not all the animals trust humans due to their past. There is a reason for tour hours, the animals must be fed and put in their beds for the evening. CAS educates the young, since they are our future, by offering Camp Kindness during the summer. There is Compassionate Cuisine, which not only cooks the food, but explains the benefits of being Vegan from a health aspect, and by doing this saving the lives of animals. The Homestead is a beautiful place to stay and offers a yummy breakfast and the innkeeper is filled with a wealth of information. Everyone that works/volunteers here is friendly and...