Our view on cat rescue groups provided here, sets out information and experiences with groups across the Sydney metropolitan area, regional areas, and cat rescues in other states and territories.
There are many misconceptions / misunderstandings of cat rescue groups, and others, involved with the care of urban cats.
This information has been provided to include insights into the value delivered by these individuals and teams. Cat rescue groups are key stakeholders involved with addressing the issues with unwanted and homeless cats. They contribute significantly to desexing cats, and limiting the birth of kittens.
Value of responsible cat rescue groups
There are hundreds of cat rescue groups operating across NSW, ranging from individuals through to complex teams of 30 or more who rehome once abandoned or homeless cats and kittens. These groups operate under a rescue identity (group name) and not under personal names, and house their cats on their own private properties, e.g. foster carer properties.
They are collectively rehoming, microchipping, desexing and registering thousands of cats across NSW each year. Doing “the right thing” as new cat owners, due to their compassion for animals.
Only some councils recognise the efforts of cat rescue groups operating in their Local Government Area (LGA) and help these teams where possible. Anecdotally, each year some of the cat rescue groups are each spending over $50,000 on desexing assistance offered to the public for collectively desexing thousands of cats.
Who& what are cat rescue groups
They are responsible people who are saving cats directly rather than surrendering to council pounds and animal shelters, which may incur a surrender cost, are generally always at capacity, and have to euthanase healthy and treatable animals, based on capacity etc.
These groups are generally funded by the members of the group and through donations. They save council and shelter facilities resources and funds, collectively equating to saving ratepayers/ taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
Cat rescue groups are generally characterised by the following:
- they operate under a rescue group identity and not personal names,
- cats and kittens are housed in private properties,
- they are responsible in terms of desexing, identifying with microchip, registering the cats and kittens in their care, and seeking appropriate vet care when needed,
- with most if not all team members are volunteers,
- each is generally small in terms of people power and geographical area they support eg from 3 to 30 foster carers, across one or many Local Government Areas (LGAs),
- many of their volunteers have
- professional careers usually in other fields of specialist expertise, while some are retired individuals,
- had experience either working or volunteering with council pounds, the large animal shelters, vets,
- completed formal studies with certificates/ accreditation, or have gained extensive practical cat care over decades,
- where a small proportion are “newbies” being motivated by their love and care for abandoned cats,
- with few people able to spend the time and effort in meeting intensive administration obligations,
- often seen as more merciful with lower cat euthanasia rates than council pounds and large animal shelters.
Management structures
- some rescues are registered charities
- some rescues are not-for-profit businesses
- mostly run independently from council pounds
- have chosen not to be a Rehoming Organisation registered with the NSW Office of Local Government (OLG)
- as they take in cats and kittens directly from the public or found abandoned on the streets or other urban areas, which in the past has not been condoned under the NSW government’s obligations
Their network relationships vary with vets, councils, pounds and other rescue groups, and are usually reliant on historical personal relationships, being in close geographical areas, working collaboratively on complex or demanding rescues, and/or providing similar services.
Anecdotally, there are a few people claiming to be rescuers who do not act responsibly or not in the best interests of the animals, generally, these individuals or groups are not respected by rescue groups and are not provided with assistance unless the animals are in mortal danger.
Rescues transitioning to enabling others
- In recent years, as the need for helping abandoned cats has anecdotally increased with “explosions of breeding in hotspots”, small rescue groups are becoming overwhelmed year round, not just during the summer breeding season.
- Some cat rescue groups are expanding their services to enable those inexperienced in the community to “DIY” rescue and rehoming, providing practical advice, references to other organisations who may help with resources, offering their own desexing vouchers, food, standard flea and worming treatments, assistance with vet bills, and even lending equipment.
- Desexing vouchers or similar forms of such assistance are becoming more prevalent with cat rescue groups, who are not able to provide a shelter or enough foster homes for all the cats in need.
Management Structures & Funding
Only some councils recognise the individuals and groups who are seen performing responsible cat rescue and completing the government obligations including microchipping, desexing and registration. These cat rescue groups are not so easily seen by the NSW government.
Some rescue groups are charities and meet the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission obligations for reporting. This includes operating Annual General Meetings and reporting etc to members.
Some rescue groups are Not-for-profit and registered with ABNs, and meet the Australian Tax Office obligations for reporting. Their success rates are generally shared on their own webpages or social media communications.
The funding for these initiatives currently is being provided by cat lovers. Some groups are able to fund most of the costs involved with desexing, vaccination, microchipping, and registration from adoption fees (around $200 – $250 per kitten/cat).
However, the adoption fee usually does not cover weekly care (food, kitty litter, housing in the form of rent, electricity etc.), multiple standard flea and worming treatments which may be required for years for long term cats in care, or any additional medical treatments: vet consults or procedures, antibiotics, medications for common illness (e.g. cat flu or ringworm), or extensive illness or injuries, especially those requiring surgery.
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