Sandpaper Kisses Fundraising SA (SPK) recently assisted Feral Care Friends in Edenvale to trap, neuter and return a number of feral cats in a local colony.
Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is a programme through which free-roaming cats that do not belong to anybody are humanely trapped, sterilised and medically treated before they are returned to the outdoor locations where they were found.
Residents often care for feral colonies which in turn aid the community in keeping the rat and other pest populations down.
For SPK the day’s activities attracted the attention of a number of homeless residents in the area who were curious as to why the cats were being trapped.
After the process of TNR was explained to them the residents even offered to assist.
“The locals were full of questions and we found it was a great opportunity for us to educate them. They were very eager to assist us and quite proud to be part of the proceedings,” said SPK founder Ms Michelle Raath.
SPK was started three years ago after Ms Raath identified a need to assist special-needs cats.
“Many havens and individuals simply do not have the funds for expensive procedures such as eye removals, amputations and specialised surgery,” she said.
SPK makes and sells various items to raise funds to assist in funding these procedures.
After a year in operation the need to sterilise feral cats to halt the cycle of suffering was identified and SPK began to sponsor a number of feral cat sterilisations around Johannesburg.
“This project has grown in leaps and bounds and we have subsequently become involved in the TNR programme at a large industrial park in Sandton.
“We rely heavily on donations to feed and carry out our TNR programmes as well as funding for the special-needs cats we assist,” Ms Raath said.
Most of the work done by SPK is carried out after hours and on weekends by the organisation.
“We have assisted over 30 special-needs cats and sterilised hundreds of cats since our inception,” she said.
For more information visit the SPK Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SandpaperkissesfundraisingSA
Alternatively check out the organisation’s website, www.spkfundraising.co.za or e-mail felinefundraising@gmail.com.
