Vermont Dairy Retires 53 Goats for Therapy Work

Lauren Gitlin made an unusual business decision this spring: she retired all 53 goats from her Vermont dairy to start an animal sanctuary offering therapy services instead.

The Brooklyn transplant opened Villa Villekulla Farm in Barnard in 2019 with just three pregnant goats. But as a vegetarian and animal lover, she found herself struggling with even the minor realities of commercial dairy production.

"The longer I worked with them, the harder it became for me to really justify keeping them for commercial production," Gitlin said. Her current pregnancy motivated her to find a way for the goats to remain productive without continuous breeding.

She landed on animal-assisted therapy, a treatment where trained providers help patients interact with animals as part of their healing process. Research shows engaging with therapy animals reduces cortisol levels and blood pressure while boosting oxytocin, the hormone behind positive feelings.

The approach has proven effective for treating anxiety, depression, and PTSD. And Gitlin's goats have already shown promise, even before the sanctuary officially opens.

Bruce McClellan started volunteering at the farm last year after retiring five years ago. He wasn't expecting much beyond helping with chores.

"Every day I come home from being around these animals, I feel better. I feel more relaxed. I feel just happier," he said. McClellan credits the goats' unconditional presence and goofy personalities for their therapeutic effect.

Former intern Valentina Jaramillo experienced similar benefits during periods of anxiety and loneliness. She said the goats provide an opportunity to slow down and be present.

"Their eyes bulge ever so slightly out from their skulls. They are sort of lumpy. It's an automatic rush of serotonin," Jaramillo said, describing how even skeptics can't resist their cartoonish charm.

Sunny's Take

This story captures something beautiful about following your values, even when it means completely reinventing your business. Gitlin could have slowly scaled back or sold her herd, but instead she found a way to keep her goats close while helping others heal.

The sanctuary model also provides crucial support for aging goats like Frida, who has deformed hooves requiring regular sedation, and Placer, the herd matriarch who may have cancer. Gitlin now has time to give them one-on-one care they deserve.

She's partnering with licensed mental health providers to develop structured therapeutic programming, using Moonrise Therapeutics, a nearby horse therapy nonprofit, as a model.

The project is still in its early stages, but the goats are already changing lives one cartoonish bulging-eyed interaction at a time.