A dead unchipped cat and colony of abandoned cats leads to the setting up of a community project caring for them and raising awareness.

Helen O'Hare (MRCVS) and Zoe Hammersley (RVN)
Vet
Bransgore Vets

The context

Around 10 years ago a client brought in a dead cat, found on the road following an RTA, to check for an owner. Unfortunately the cat was not microchipped. When Helen investigated further, she discovered a hoarding situation involving 50 cats in and around a nearby home, and a colony of 25 feral cats further down the road without the care they needed.

The action

Rather than turn away from a problem that extended beyond the veterinary practice, Helen manually trapped, treated, vaccinated and neutered all these cats in her own time. Zoe became involved in the project and the two of them then set about finding local volunteers to continue feeding, caring and monitoring these cats. When a couple of these volunteers became too unwell to continue, more volunteers were found through social media and a community project was set up in the nearby village. A rota of ten volunteers, including both Helen and Zoe, ensures the cats are fed and monitored daily.

The ripple effect

Helen and Zoe have turned concern into lasting practical action. A social media group dedicated to the cats and their stories was set up where followers can get daily updates on their progress. Through this group, they encourage food donations and raise awareness of abandoned cats and why neutering is so important, thereby helping local people understand a common problem that too often goes unseen.

Voting opens 13 November.