Behind the Scenes of the Sanctuary: The Silent Struggle

​By Digital Warrior

​VINCENNES, IN — In a world where the term "rescue" is often used loosely, Tricia Carie and her team are redefining what it means to be a "sanctuary." Far from a traditional shelter, their operation is a high-stakes medical and behavioral refuge for the cats the rest of society has discarded.

In the heart of Vincennes, a small sanctuary is quietly making a big difference in the lives of cats that many others cannot take in.

The Barbara Grannan Carie Feline Sanctuary, operated by brother and sister Tricia Carie and Pat Carie, provides care for felines that are often overlooked by traditional shelters. The sanctuary was named in honor of their mother, who passed away from cancer in 1997.

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​In a candid conversation with local advocate Digital Warrior, Carie peeled back the curtain on the grueling, 24/7 reality of running a sanctuary—a mission she describes as often misunderstood and dangerously under-supported.

​Shelter vs. Sanctuary: A Vital Distinction

​One of the primary hurdles Carie faces is public misconception. Many view her facility as a drop-off point, a mistake that often leads to heartbreaking consequences.

​"We are a sanctuary, not a shelter," Carie clarified. "Our commitment relies on the poor babies we help survive. When people get told 'no' because everywhere is full, they actually dump the cats on our properties or at feeding locations."

​Unlike shelters that focus on high-turnover adoptions, Carie’s facility manages "community cats"—animals that may have chronic illnesses like Leukemia (FeLV), FIV, FIP, or the devastating Panleukopenia.

​"Most [cats] that come here due to medical issues... we become their forever home," she said. "They need constant medical care. No one wants a cat they have to monitor or spend more money on."

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​The Toll of the Lifestyle

​For Carie and her small team, rescue doesn’t take holidays. The work is "specialized," requiring a rigorous two-day, two-hour orientation led by volunteer coordinator Tammy. Despite offering flexible hours (2:00 PM to 9:00 PM daily), finding reliable help remains a significant challenge.

​The physical and emotional labor is compounded by a lack of community safety. Carie revealed that those who care for colonies often keep their work a secret to avoid harassment.

​"Sure we get harassed, and threatened cause we help the discarded cats," Carie admitted. "But we stand up for them. We don’t back down."

​A Vision Put on Hold

​The sanctuary’s grandest vision—a 20,000-square-foot facility featuring a pet food pantry, a rehab area, and educational conference rooms—is currently stalled due to a lack of funding and facility resources.

​The shift to animal advocacy was a personal one for Carie. After years of serving the human community—including operating an ambulance service and acting as caregivers for their own parents—Carie and her partner pivoted to the "voiceless" after seeing a vacuum in local leadership.

​"We were born and raised here," Carie said. "People want to know why we don’t help people [anymore]—well, they forget we had the ambulance for years. We moved into cats because no one else was stepping up."

​The Current Crisis: One Cat a Week

​Despite the lull in "dumping season," the sanctuary still sees at least one abandoned cat per week. With only two people at the helm and reports of trapped cats being ignored by authorities, the team is stretched to its limit.

​For Carie, the goal remains simple: Education. "Education is key," she emphasized. "Even cats with chronic illness or behavior issues can still live good lives. You just need to know how to manage them."

The mission to save the "voiceless" has taken a staggering toll on the woman behind the movement. Tricia Carie, the driving force behind a multi-rescue sanctuary operation, has issued an urgent plea for help as a long-standing spinal injury has reached a breaking point.

For years, Carie has defied medical orders to keep her sanctuary running. Despite being placed on a strict 10-pound lifting restriction eight years ago due to Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), the daily reality of rescue work—lifting 50-pound bags of litter and food hundreds of times a day—has led to a severe physical crisis.

​"I still don't have any relief from my pain; in fact, it's worse now, affecting how I walk," Carie shared in a recent update. "My whole left leg is rigid and tightened near the spinal area that's injured. I feel helpless."

URGENT CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

​The sanctuary is currently seeking one-on-one volunteer assistance to prevent further permanent damage to Carie’s spine while she awaits an evaluation from her medical team.

​When: Nightly, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

​Tasks: Lifting, vacuuming, mopping, and assisting with nightly feedings.

​Requirements: Must be "cat-friendly" and capable of physical labor.

Volunteers play a critical role in the sanctuary’s day-to-day operations. Without them, running a facility that provides ongoing medical and daily care for dozens of animals becomes extremely difficult.

Despite the challenges, the caregivers say the reward comes from the affection and companionship the cats give in return.

For the Carie family, the mission remains simple: provide a safe and loving home for animals that otherwise would have nowhere else to go.

As many sanctuaries across the country have discovered, community support often determines whether these lifesaving efforts can continue.

For the cats at the sanctuary, that support can mean the difference between survival and being forgotten. 🐾

​Fast-Track:

According to Tricia Carie, curator of operations, the sanctuary has played an important role in helping the local community for many years.

“We are on the front line and do not get the publicity we deserve from our community,” Carie said and added that misinformation about the organization has sometimes discouraged people from volunteering or donating.

“It is not our fault that the beneficiary passed away and we lost our funding, but we do not give up,” she said. “We need funding and more local support, but we are not forcing anyone to help.”