22 March 2007 Rating 123% No Comment  

Gozo's stray cats, along with Malta's, experience all the problems that result from the lack of a consistent, government-supported programme for spaying and neutering. Recently, thanks to the help and sponsorship of Happy Paws, 'The Gozo Cat Team' have begun to organise a group of volunteers to undertake a concerted effort to catch, spay or neuter, and, as soon as they recover, release stray cats back to their home territories. Like most volunteer groups, they are always in need of helpers. And, in order to work island-wide in a coordinated fashion, they are now seeking additional volunteers. If you care for cats and need some training, they will teach you how to catch them and provide you with the boxes to trap them with. They will then take them away to be "fixed." If you care for cats but prefer a less hands-on approach, they could certainly use some help with their fundraising and publicity efforts. If you are already feeding a colony of outdoor (feral) cats, give them a call and they'll come and take them to be spayed or neutered and then return them. The Gozo Cat Team is not a sanctuary; they are simply trying to offer the kind of service that is so desperately needed across Gozo and Malta. If they can expand their numbers, they can expand their services... and their influence on elected officials in the hope of getting government support. They need the help and support of the government and they also need the help and support of the local business community. The team plan to buy healthy cat food in large enough quantities to reduce the cost to those who feed colonies of strays, and also continue to support Happy Paws so that their vouchers will continue to be made available. If you would like to help in any way, please contact The Gozo Cat Team on 79277372 or by email to thegozocatteam@gmail.com....