Bay Harbour: April 03, 2024

Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Wednesday April 3 2024 Bay Harbour News
NEWS 5
Stray cat saviours seeking permanent home
• By Dylan Smits
DEDICATED residents are
rescuing and rehoming dozens
of stray cats in Diamond
Harbour.
The volunteers have rescued
about 60 cats over the past two
years and now they are looking
to expand their group.
“It’s looking at environmental
work in a different way,” said
volunteer Dawn Sutton. “This is
our way of making sure the cats
are being looked after, because
it’s not the cat’s fault that they’ve
been dumped.”
Rescuing stray cats is the
priority, but the volunteers also
hope to prevent predation on
native birds.
“Anecdotally we’ve noticed
that especially around the
Stoddart Point area. After
we’ve done all that work, there
seems to be an increased bird
population around there.”
Sutton said there are two
main theories why there is a
disproportionate amount of
stray cats in the area.
“One is that people are coming
and dumping their cats out
here thinking there’s plenty of
vermin to eat and they’ll be ok.”
The other theory suggests
some renters or bach owners in
the area have abandoned their
cats after moving away.
The Diamond Harbour and
Surrounds Rescue Group
relaunched in December after
a hiatus due to most stray cats
being rehomed.
“Now there’s been grumblings
about people seeing cats again.
We’ve got traps out at two sites
at the moment, so it’s just a
matter of waiting.”
Humane trap boxes are used
RESCUED: Liz Fisher, top left, Rob Fisher
and Jane Hardcastle are part of the
Diamond Harbour and Surrounds Rescue
Group which has rescued about 60 stray
cats over the past two years.
by the group to lure in stray cats.
Desexing and socialising the
cats before rehoming is the main
function of the group.
“We’ve had amazing donations
from the community where
people go pop money in at the
vet so we can provide initial
treatments.”
Most of the rescued cats have
been socialised at members’
properties before being rehomed.
Realising the need for cat
rescues is not going away, the
group are looking for a building
where they can establish a wellstaffed
permanent charity.
“It will allow people to help out
with the cat rescue, but not upset
their own homes with bringing
in stray kittens.”
In the past two weeks, two
young cats believed to be related,
McKenzie and Ghana have been
rescued and fostered with a
family until a permanent home
is found.
“It does take time to foster a
feral cat, because they need that
time spent with them to socialise
them. It can be quite process.”
The group are looking for
more volunteers to help with
monitoring the traps and
donations to fund desexing,
healthcare and basic necessities
for rescued cats.
Adopting the cats costs a fee
which goes towards further care
for other rescues.
• The bank account
number for donations to
the group is 01-0867-
0185220-46
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