About Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter

Arizona's first no-kill animal shelter, The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter and Sanctuary has been a refuge for at-risk cats and kittens since 1965. Since 2015, over 700 cats and kittens were transferred to us from municipal shelters where they may have been unnecessarily euthanized. We are both an adoption facility and a long-term sanctuary. We will work for animal welfare and protection, advocating a no-kill philosophy, until it is the standard across the nation.
To advocate for the welfare of cats by being a model cage-free sanctuary and no-kill shelter.

Our history ...
Founded as the Arizona Animal Anti-Cruelty League by Sister Theresa Seraphim, a Russian Orthodox nun from England. Sister Seraphim moved to Tucson in 1969 and lived at this location until she passed away in 1990. During her tenure at The Hermitage, Sister Seraphim rescued not only cats, but chickens, guinea hens, peacocks, a handful of dogs, and a donkey.
In 2013, through the American Sanctuary Association, our cage-free shelter became an accredited sanctuary. We remain the only accredited cat sanctuary in Arizona.
In October of 2017, we moved into our expanded 9000 sq-ft, cage-free shelter. Here we house 200+ cats at any given time and rescue about 700 cats annually. With the addition of our medical suite, The Hermitage can provide state-of-the-art care for our cats including spay/neuter surgeries; dental procedures; laser treatments to assist in recovery; and more. Every cat is given a full exam every six months, allowing us to take a preventative approach to their care. Our in-house X-ray equipment allows us to diagnose many conditions without costly visits to outside veterinarians. This care is especially essential for our cats with special needs, such as FIV, FeLV, diabetes, or other chronic issues. Our ability to provide this comprehensive care in-house greatly reduces the stress on the cats, reduces our costs, and improves the cats overall well-being.
No-Kill Philosophy...
At the Hermitage, we adhere to the principle of No-Kill in that no cat in our care will ever be euthanized to make room for another, nor will any cat in our care ever be destroyed except in cases of terminal and painful illness or when compassion demands it because there is no reasonable alternative.
Who We Are
Our Team

Emma Crawford

Erica Giles

Nancie Hubbard

Victoria Martel

Tiffany Naylor

Amber Nix

Diane Siefkes

Holly Simon
Board of Directors

Captain Felix

Peep

Kate Durfee

Katie Filous

Katie Foust

Sandi Fox

Andy Kiel

Natalie Meier

Jean Parker

Kevin Sanders

Linda Updike

Kristen Vann
The Hermitage Board of Directors meets monthly, usually on the fourth Thursday of each month.
Public attendance is welcome.
If you are interested in becoming a Board Member, please fill out our application and give it to one of the current board members, drop it off at The Hermitage, or email it to [email protected].
*Applicants are subject to Board approval.
Download the application in the format you prefer below:
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