Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

The Story of Buttercups

Buttercups first started in 1989 when Bob and Valerie Hitch agreed to take just two unwanted goats into care. A few months later an RSPCA inspector, who was a close friend, asked if they could take another goat in need of urgent care. In less than a month, yet another arrived in search of a good home. Before long, goats suffering from all sorts of cruelty and neglect began arriving from around the county.

Buttercups Patron

The sanctuary is lucky to have a wonderful Patron in the Rt. Hon. Ann Widdecombe. She provides invaluable support to Buttercups, and was responsible for launching our corporate membership scheme, which offers a way for companies and organisations to offer their support to our work.

Here she can be seen with our rescue goat Diesel at the Buttercups raceday at Folkestone in April 2011.

Our Aims

Buttercups remains the only charity registered in the United Kingdom with aims focused solely on the welfare of goats. We rescue goats that have been abandoned or have suffered from abuse and neglect. We also take in goats who are simply in need of a new home - perhaps their owners are no longer able to care for them or companion goats have died and left them alone.

In addition to this, we also wish to help improve the knowledge and education about goat welfare nationwide.

Caring for the Goats

The sanctuary has about one hundred and twenty goats in permanent residence on site together with another ninety-five (May 2011) in foster homes, which remain under the protection of Buttercups.

Our herd is split into two, with a small group of male goats kept separate from the main herd so that entire billy's can be kept in isolation until fully recovered from castration.

As well as having open fields to roam in during the day, all the animals have warm, dry, undercover accommodation at night, either in their own stalls or sharing with a close companion. These stalls are cleaned out daily by our team of dedicated volunteers and each goat is checked, receiving any attention they need such as grooming, foot treatment and medical care.

Elsie M J Evans Award

In 2007, Bob and Valerie Hitch proudly accepted this award from the RSPCA in recognition of their outstanding work in the field of animal kindness. The award recognises the dedicated work they have carried out with goats suffering from abuse and neglect, together with their success in founding the Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats.

Below - Bob Hitch (left) accepting the award from Mike Tomlinson of the RSPCA