Costume party with goats at Healdsburg park raises money for sanctuary animals

More than 50 people and several farm animals came dressed up in Halloween costumes to attend the Spooky Sheep & Ghoulish Goats party Oct. 30 at Riverfront Regional Park in Healdsburg. The afternoon event benefited Sebastopol’s Sheepy Hollow and Santa Rosa’s Goatlandia Farm animal sanctuaries.

The party raised over $1,000 through entrance fees of $15-$25, raffle tickets and a bake sale of almost entirely donated goodies from local spots like Magdelena's Savories and Sweets, according to Goatlandia’s marketing manager Marie Macaspac.

Most of the attendees, included rescued goats Leo, Dylan, Sebastian, Chickpea and Fey from Goatlandia, dressed in fun Halloween costumes and all enjoyed activities like guided walks and arts and crafts.

A Hayward family won the raffle’s grand prize of a group tour of Goatlandia, Macaspac said.

All of the money raised will go directly to the animal residents of Goatlandia and Sheepy Hollow, according to Brenda Rynders, Goatlandia's sanctuary assistant and the founder of Sheepy Hollow Sanctuary.

“The donations are going toward necessities such as feed, bedding, enrichment items and veterinary bills as well,“ Rynders said.

Goatlandia, which opened in 2016, is home to a variety of farm animals rescued from slaughterhouses and neglectful living conditions, including horses, goats, chickens and pigs.

Rynders formed Sheepy Hollow in March 2021 as a micro-sanctuary that’s home to six sheep, four cats and a German shepherd dog.

“Part of our mission at Sheepy Hollow is to have Halloween cheer 365 days a year, so being able to celebrate my favorite day with amazing new friends was an incredible experience,” Rynders said.

For more information about Goatlandia, go to goatlandia.org. For more information about Sheepy Hollow, go to www.sheepyhollowsanctuary.org.