Cats Protection to expand into Bridport and Sherborne

Cats Protection’s Weymouth & District Branch rehomes around 150 cats a year and has already homed 50% more cats so far this year, compared with the same period during 2021 and 2020.

The volunteer-run branch now plans to extend its reach across Dorset to also cover the Bridport and Sherborne areas – currently they cover Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland and the Purbecks.

In order to expand, the team needs new volunteer fosterers to care for cats before they go off to their forever homes and a welfare team leader to coordinate, encourage and support those fosterers.

Branch Coordinator, Gloria Ashwell, explains: “We’ve had a bumper start to the year with more cats than usual coming into our care. We now have the lovely opportunity to expand and help even more cats, but we can’t do it alone.

“Fostering is a fantastic way to give hands-on care to cats without the long-term responsibility of owning a cat. We have fosterers from all walks of life, some with their own cats, some without, but one thing unites them all – a love of cats!”

Fosterers care after the cats in their own homes until a new owner is found. The charity takes in cats from all backgrounds and ages so fosterers could end up looking after a ‘senior kitizen’ one time and then a mother with her new-born litter of kittens another time.

The welfare team leader would support and nurture the fosterers and must have a background in cat welfare.

Ms Ashwell added: “We also need a Welfare team leader or perhaps a couple of experienced cat welfare specialists to share the role. Full support will be given but existing knowledge of all things feline is a must.

“We’re a friendly, welcoming group and love nothing more than joining forces to support local cats. In both roles there will be plenty of chances to meet new people, make new friends and be part of a truly dedicated team of volunteers.”

For more information call 01305 262737 or email Ms Ashwell on weymouthcatsprotection@gmail.com