Feral Care Friends Secunda celebrates one year of making a difference
Organisation thanks members of the community who support their animal welfare work.
Feral Care Friends Secunda, an animal welfare organisation that works with the feral cat colonies, recently celebrated their first birthday.
Ms Nicolette van Zyl, the driving force behind this organisation, thanked the community for their support.
“Without my family, Madelize van Zyl, my foster care homes, Dr Thalita at Eendedam Vet, Jenneth Geel and the Highveld Ridge SPCA and every other person who supports us with food or money, we would not be able to do our work.”
Sandpaper Kisses, a non-profit organisation that raises funds for animal welfare and takes care of special needs cats, are also working with Feral Care Friends Secunda.
Ms Van Zyl also spoke about local businesses that support the Trap-Neuter-Release Project and are allowing healthy, sterilised cats to form well adjusted colonies on their premises.
“Taking away a feral cat only opens a space for a new cat to move in, but by trapping, testing them for disease, sterilising and releasing healthy cats back, a colony can be maintained without disease or breeding.
“These colonies can play an important role in pest control and will actively keep unsterilised and disease ridden cats away from their territory.”
By donating to Feral Care Friends and supporting their programmes, residents are making a difference and help Ms Van Zyl and her team to continue with their work.
The big cat population means there are many feral kittens that need specialised care.
Ms Santi Combrink, the so-called “Bottle-mom”, cares for these small kittens that need round the clock care.
“Santi has a kitten care unit at her house that looks like something from a vet’s office, with isolation cages, special lighting, heating and a live streaming camera set up to monitor the cats.”
Other members of the community who are helping Feral Care Friends make a difference, have set up safe cat houses and feeding stations and generally keep an eye on the established colonies close to their homes.
If you want to donate to Feral Care Friends Secunda, or if you want to become involved, you can visit the Feral Care Friends Secunda Facebook page.
Alternatively you can make an arrangement at the Eendedam Vet to pay straight into the Feral Care Friends Secunda vet’s account, and your donation will be used to sterilise a feral cat or treat injuries or illnesses.
Eendedam Vet can be contacted at 017 631 4297.
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