The Cat Protection Society of Victoria (CPSV) is encouraging people to donate to its largest annual fundraising appeal from 13 May to 30 June, to help establish a benevolent fund to aid cat owners in need.
The newly launched fund will be used by CPSV to provide for one-off, crisis basis veterinary support to cat-owners facing financial hardship. This will ensure alternative outcomes can be avoided, such as surrender, euthanasia or lower quality of life for the feline.
Marketing and Communications Manager Rachel Bitzilis from CPSV said that in 2023 alone the society had well over 600 cat owners needing to surrender their cat, an increase of 30% compared to the year prior, with more and more of these requests being due to financial reasons.
“Each week, our team encounters more and more loving cat owners who are faced with no choice other than to surrender their cat. Cats are creatures of habit so being in a familiar environment with people they know and trust is crucial for their happiness and well-being,” Rachel said.
“Our benevolent fund aims to provide support to devoted cat owners experiencing financial difficulties, ensuring that their beloved feline friends receive the necessary veterinary care.
“This program yields numerous benefits: cherished cats can continue to enjoy the security of their familiar surroundings, the special bond between humans and pets remains intact, and we can alleviate the strain on our shelter, which is already operating at full capacity.
“By keeping cherished pets in loving homes, we also reduce the number of cats awaiting adoption, ensuring that deserving animals find new families as quickly as possible.”
One success story involves Figgy Pudding, a stray cat who arrived at the shelter in early September 2023 at just eight months old, seeking refuge and a better chance at life. After spending two weeks at the shelter, Figgy met Kirsty and her three young children. The decision to bring a pet into Kirsty’s family was driven by the request of her youngest daughter who had spent almost two years in and out of hospital battling a serious illness.
“It was love at first sight. Figgy Pudding was the first cat we met and on the same day as our visit, we adopted him. We wanted to give Figgy the family love he never had, while gaining a much-needed companion to my youngest daughter who had been so unwell,” Kirsty said.
“Figgy is a lovely and well-behaved cat. But six months in, after coming home from playing, I could tell something was seriously wrong with one of his legs as he was limping and unable to put any weight on it. We took him to our local vet, where they confirmed he had severely injured himself. The recommended course of action was surgery to amputate the leg, with the initial consultation and diagnostic tests costing over $500, and the estimated surgery costing between $2,500 to $4,000.
“As a single Mum with three children, I was faced with an incredibly difficult decision to make. I wanted to do what was best for Figgy but I simply couldn’t afford the significant veterinary bill for his surgery.
I reached out to CPSV with the intention of surrendering Figgy back into care, but thanks to the donations, Cat Protection offered to perform the surgery at a significantly subsidised cost. His surgery was performed within the week and now he’s back to being his playful self and still a part of our family.”
CPSV takes each scenario on a case-by-case basis and all decisions are made in consultation with a member of the adoption shelter and a senior veterinarian.
To learn more about the initiative and to donate, visit https://catprotection.com.au/benevolentfund/.
Contact details:
Emily Stojcevski
Soda Communications
0409552913
emily@sodacommunications.com.au
