The Great Sicilian Cat Rescue (25 page)
Read The Great Sicilian Cat Rescue Online
Authors: Jennifer Pulling
Faced with this situation, tourists search the Internet and, you’ve guessed it, they find Catsnip. Several times their emails have ended with ‘and I’ve fallen in love with her and would like to bring her back to the UK’. At that point I hold up my hand and say, that is a knee-jerk reaction. You are on holiday and probably not thinking in the rational way you might at home. Look at the facts and think it through. The process of bringing an animal back to the UK, while not as lengthy as it used to be, is a big undertaking both in terms of time and money. But as Sadie proved, with love and determination it can be done.
CATSNIP
Its aims are: To pursue a catch/neuter/return programme of feral cats in Sicily on a longer term and to alter the mindset of local people, particularly young people. To attempt to persuade them to see animals as sentient beings capable of the same feelings as human beings and also with needs and rights, which should be respected, particularly because they cannot speak for themselves. To gain permission to take vets to Sicily on an official basis for catch/neuter/return sessions. To address the running of kennels and catteries in tourist areas, where animals live in atrocious conditions.
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.catsnip.org.uk
ANIMALS WORLDWIDE
The charity seeks to build relationships with travel companies and to harness the eyes, ears and energies of the travelling public to identify both good and bad practice. AWW believes that it is in the interest of both the industry and of animal welfare that we recognise and seek to exploit this opportunity to make real progress.
Website:
www.animalsworldwide.org
CARE4CATS
An English charity, founded by animal lover Angela Collins in 1999. Her aim: to care for and humanely reduce the number of stray cats in Ibiza. Catch/neuter/return trips annually.
Website:
www.care4cats.org.uk
CATS IN ITALY
Kathy T. Hisamatsu’s personal blog about cat rescue volunteering. Intended for adopters, volunteers and cat guardians living in Italy.
Website:
www.catsinitaly.com
ENPA
The oldest of the larger animal welfare associations in Italy. Its aims are protection of animals and caring for nature and the environment. It promotes animal rights and also offers an education programme in schools of every grade.
Website:
www.enpa.it
GREEK CAT WELFARE SOCIETY
The Society was formed in 1992. Its aim is to undertake neutering of colonies of stray cats and in doing so educate and encourage local people to also have their animals neutered. TNR is carried out on a regular basis several times a year.
Website:
www.greekcatwelfare.moonfruit.com
IL GATTILE TRIESTE
The association was created with the aim of controlling the birth rate of, caring for and effecting adoption of street cats. In addition, it aims to raise awareness and respect for felines among local people and, in particular, young people.
Website:
www.ilgattile.it
L’OASIS FELINA
This feline sanctuary was created in 2000 with the aims of helping feral and abandoned cats, providing food veterinary care, a home where they can have a cosy bed to sleep in amid the company of other cats.
Website:
www.ilgattile.it
OIPA ITALIA ONLUS
Its aims are the guardianship of nature and the environment, the abolition of vivisection in countries throughout the world, and the defence of animals from whatever form of maltreatment: hunting, circus animals, bull fights, popular festival with animals, feral animals, traffic of exotic animal zoos, intensive rearing, slaughterhouses, and to encourage vegan and vegetarian diets.
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.oipa.org
METALCOTE
Manufactures and supplies plastic-coated cat baskets, wire pet carriers, mesh cages and animal traps. It also provides many animal aids to vets, such as end-opening restrainer-trapping cages for administering injections, or rescue traps, for the capture and transportation of wild feral animals and small rodents and birds.
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.metalcote.co.uk
SNIP INTERNATIONAL
A UK registered charity dedicated to improving standards of animal welfare around the world. In particular, SNIP International promotes neutering programmes aimed at stray and feral animals. It respects life and does not endorse destruction of healthy animals.
Website:
www.snip-international.org
SPANA
The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad is a leading charity for working animals worldwide and the communities they support: ‘We know that working animals are essential to the health and economic wellbeing of millions of vulnerable families across the developing world. But often these hardworking animals lack access to even basic care: that’s where we come in.’
Website:
www.spana.org
M
y heartfelt thanks go to:
Elke Bosurgi, untiring cat lady and dear friend
Oscar La Manna, guardian of Sicily’s feline waifs and strays and wonderful colleague
Guy Liebenberg, vet in a million
Animals’ Voice,
which supports small projects like Catsnip
Mario Pavone, wise commentator on Sicily
Valeria Cundari, defender of animal rights
Nigel and Marit, Elizabeth, Barbara, Joy and all whose donations have made this work possible
Kathy, dear colleague and translator of cat behaviour
Andrew, dear companion and navigator on this endeavour
My beloved cat, Sheba, constant writing companion and stress buster
And all the cats and cat ladies I have had the pleasure of knowing.
A domani
: ‘See you tomorrow’
Briscola
: an Italian trick-taking card game
Cassata
or
Cassata Siciliana
: a traditional dessert from the Palermo and Messina areas. It can also refer to ice cream studded with candied or dried fruit and nuts
Domani domani
: ‘Tomorrow, always tomorrow’
Freddo da fa morire
: cold enough to freeze you to death
Micio
: puss or pussycat
Panna cotta
: literally, ‘cooked cream’. A dessert made with thick cream, egg white and honey
Passeggiata
: literally, a walk but often a stroll with friends in a public street or square
Roba da donne
: women’s stuff
Salotta
: living room
Sott’olio
: pickled in oil
Trovatelle
: foundlings
A love of cats runs in the family. This is my father as a young man in the garden with Muffin and Crumpet.
My own beloved cat Sheba.
Gattara
supreme Elke with wonderful vet Oscar La Manna and Katarina, who brought them together.
Tireless cat rescuer Helen soothes a captured feline.
Me, Helen, Davide, Guy, Justine and Valeria at the end of a hectic day.
Ginger was extremely poorly, and her body covered in scabs, before she was treated.
A healthy Ginger, fully recovered from ringworm.
Brighton vet Guy, who came to Sicily to help Catsnip, demonstrating a non-invasive surgical procedure to a group of veterinary students.
A very special cat lady Valeria hand rears a kitten.
A happy ending for Helen’s tiny rescue kitten Gavroche.
Matriarch Macchia, who was rehomed in Taormina.
Beautiful Piccolino, who was found suffering from every parasite going, was nursed to good health and taken in by vet Oscar.