Students to engineer cat haven walkways
A cat playground and tree house are being replaced.
SIX engineering students of the University of Pretoria are putting their construction skills to the test at Purr-fect Rescued Cats in Athlone Park.
Second-year students, Vandhana Misra, Yang-hee Lee, Gerhard Wolmarans, Daryn Taylor, Luke Hayes and Daniel Klynsmith got together at the sanctuary last week and plan to spend about 40 hours there.
“Our aim is to restore the cat playground by replacing the old posts with inter-leading walk ways with sturdier ones and construct a rope bridge,” said Luke Hayes.
Their biggest project is to replace an old, dilapidated tree house. “Besides the building, if time allows, we will revamp a small portion of the garden an repaint a bench.”
The university gave each student R450 towards the project and they were able to secure some sponsorship. “We chose the cat sanctuary because being local, I heard about it from Jacqueline Smith of 4 Paws and a Tale Rescue,” said Daryn Taylor.
Earlier in the year, 4 Paws and a Tale initiated a major revamp at the cat haven.
“I am ecstatic at the students interest and assistance. Every little bit helps,” said Purr-fect Rescued Cats, Linda Weldon-Church.
The organisation sees to the welfare of some 130 feral cats in the area. It has been going strong for the last 14 years. Linda’s husband, David initially started it, but he tragically died in August, 2012. Every day she feeds feral cats once a day at Dakota Beach and the Acacia Complex.
“I want the public to know, I cannot take in any more cats.” Linda mostly funds the care of the cats out of her own pocket.
If anyone would like to donate, deposits can be made into the Purr-fect Rescued Cats account: Standard Bank, Prospecton; account number, 251-247-848, branch code 057-827. For more information, contact Linda on 072-752-0324.
