Sandown stray cat colony needs shelter after caregiver’s death
A Gallo Manor rescue organisation is appealing for help to shelter and feed displaced felines scattered near busy roads following their long-time owner's passing.
About 20 stray cats in Sandown face exposure to severe weather and traffic following the death of their long-time caregiver.
For years, the colony relied on a local resident who provided daily food at her home. However, her death in March 2026, followed by the sale and development of the property, has left the animals displaced.
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Illona Gersun, founder of Gallo Manor-based rescue Save Our Cats and Canines, said the situation has become critical. The animals are now scattered near busy roads and surrounding vegetation.
“There are about 20 of them that I know of,” Gersun said. “They have nowhere to go. They’ve dispersed; they’re living in the streets, they’re living in the bushes just across the road, and the plight of these cats has become quite serious.
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“Most I have sterilised so they aren’t kittens, but the plight of these cats is of paramount importance. We have to save these cats, and any help will be greatly appreciated.”
Gersun is appealing to residents with plots, farms, or land to provide a permanent home. “It’s raining today, and the cats are out in the open, so I’m also appealing for kennels to shelter and food to feed these cats while they await their forever home.”
The rescue effort extends to nearby converted office blocks, where residents have requested the removal of other cat colonies.
Gersun noted that simple removal conflicts with her policy of rehoming rather than destroying animals. “I need someone who will love and take care of them as I do. I don’t want them to die.”
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