Campaign supporting Onalaska Farm Sanctuary doubles goal to fight lawsuit
May 15-An online fundraiser to help the Onalaska Farm Sanctuary (OFS) fight a lawsuit over a lost cat has doubled its $10,000 goal, just days after launching.
As of Friday, the GoFundMe had raised $20,546 from 277 donations.
The complaint, filed on behalf of Tammy Sturza in Lewis County Superior Court on April 16, alleges that Jessica York, who runs OFS, lost Sturza's cat after York delivered him to Humane Society of Skagit Valley (HSSV) to be neutered and vaccinated.
"The cat was named Tomcat," OFS said May 9 on Facebook. "He was a stray who showed up in a yard two months prior. He lived on their porch."
OFS said the caretaker paid $50 to have Tomcat neutered, but did not pay for a microchip.
"He has been missing for seven months now," OFS said.
The procedures were reportedly performed on Nov. 19, 2025. York lost Tomcat prior to her arrival back at OFS, according to the complaint.
"Sturza first learned Tomcat was gone when she went to OFS to pick him up, only to find his carrier with the door open and Tomcat nowhere to be found," the complaint says.
The complaint notes the "considerable time and effort" invested by Sturza to find Tomcat, and alleges that York initially "withheld critical information," including that she "stopped with the load of nearly 30 cats at two or more locations on the way back from Burlington to Onalaska."
During a stop in Federal Way, York "left the van doors wide open for several minutes," the complaint alleges.
According to the complaint, York later blocked Sturza from OFS's Facebook page. Sturza, meanwhile, "worked with search-and-rescue professionals" to find Tomcat.
The complaint alleges, among other items, that York is liable for negligence - both before and after Tomcat's disappearance - and seeks judgement for a variety of damages, including economic, actual, consequential and treble.
According to a summons dated April 9, OFS and York had 20 days after the service of the summons to state their defense in writing, or else a default judgment could be entered against the defendants without notice.
"We will, likely, be served this week," York said April 21 on Facebook.
Sturza is represented by Adam P. Karp and Holly Y. Crawford of Animal Law Offices, PLLC. York is represented by Heather J. Van Meter and Sophia C. von Bergen.
Van Meter and Von Bergen filed a notice of appearance in court on Tuesday.
"For the first time, since we have been served, we are feeling hopeful and less alone in the complicated legal system," OFS said on its Facebook page a day earlier, after announcing it had finally found a lawyer who cares about the lawsuit.
OFS had previously said its insurance would not cover the lawsuit.
The nonprofit has operated since 2020.
"If OFS goes out of business over this lawsuit, I want you guys to know that we really did try to do our best while we were here," the rescue said May 9 on Facebook. "Accidents happen. Tons of people touched that cat carrier that day, including the staff and employees at the vet clinic."
The GoFundMe, created May 10, says it is "now time (for) us to help out one of our own who has selflessly done so much for the animals in our community and beyond."
"When OFS arrived home with 30 cat carriers, one carrier was open and empty, and a male cat was missing and has not been found," the online page says. "The most unfortunate mistake has now led to a $10,000 lawsuit against the sanctuary."
That amount, according to the fundraiser, could cover the cost of 1,000 sterilizations.
"It would be a travesty for our community to lose a rescue that has not only saved so many cats, but has done so much to stop the overpopulation of unwanted animals through their spay and neuter awareness and clinics," the page says.
The fundraiser quickly gained support after OFS shared it on Facebook.
As of Friday, the post had been shared 270 times, while receiving nearly as many comments.
"I really hope we as a community can help you raise the resources necessary to go to court and fight this nonsense," one commenter said.
Another said the plaintiff needed to be countersued.
"The sad thing is, had the person who sent the cat to be neutered, loved them enough to microchip him, recovery may have been possible," another said.
To learn more about the Onalaska Farm Sanctuary, visit https://linktr.ee/OnalaskaFarmSanctuary.
To view the fundraiser, visit https://tinyurl.com/4j72pdc6.
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