Lauren Gitlin, owner of Villa Villekulla Farm in Barnard, Vermont, has retired her 53-goat dairy herd to launch a non-profit animal sanctuary focused on animal-assisted therapy. According to the Community News Service, Gitlin founded the no-kill dairy in 2019 after moving from Brooklyn to Vermont in 2014, but ultimately chose to halt commercial milk production to align the farm with her values as an animal lover and vegetarian.
Transitioning From Dairy Production to Animal Sanctuary
Gitlin initially worked in the Vermont dairy industry at Laini Fondiller’s Lazy Lady Farm in Westfield and abroad in Italy before renting a barn and creamery space in Tunbridge. Starting with three pregnant goats gifted by Fondiller, she built a herd of 53 goats that produced traditional Icelandic cultured dairy products like skyr. Over time, however, handling the animals daily created deep relationships that made commercial realities difficult to sustain, according to Gitlin. Rather than selling the animals for meat, Gitlin retained her herd and decided this spring to end milking permanently, motivated in part by her current pregnancy to stop the continuous breeding cycle required for dairy farming.
The Science and Practice of Animal-Assisted Therapy
To support her animals without commercial production, Gitlin is transforming the farm into a non-profit sanctuary offering animal-assisted therapy. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, animal-assisted therapy involves trained providers guiding patients through structured sessions where interacting with an animal is central to treatment. Studies cited by the Community News Service indicate that engaging with therapy animals reduces patient cortisol levels and blood pressure while increasing oxytocin production, offering benefits for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Community Impact and Future Programming
Gitlin is currently establishing partnerships with licensed mental health providers, pointing to Moonrise Therapeutics—a non-profit near Woodstock using horses in treatment programs—as a potential model for collaboration. While the sanctuary is not yet open to the general public, farm volunteers have already observed positive emotional changes. Bruce McClellan, a volunteer at Villa Villekulla Farm since last year, told the Community News Service that working with the animals leaves him feeling more relaxed and happier upon returning home.
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