Grovehill launch kitten appeal to give felines best ‘paw’sible start

WITH kitten season almost upon us, Grovehill Animal Trust are appealing for donations so they can transform a room at the animal shelter into a specialised unit for kittens and their mothers, to give our homeless and hungry feline friends the best ‘paws’ible start in life.

Speaking to the WeAreTyrone, vice-chair of the Sixmilecross-based charity, Janice Porter, said that the creation of this ‘Mother and Kitten Unit’ will also increase the capacity of Grovehill, meaning that they are able to rescue more cuddly and clawsome cats.

Donations made will help the charity cover the renovation costs, which include installing new flooring; a new sink, along with a worktop; cat runs; wall repairs and a heating system; as well as introducing new windows to improve insulation so that all furry residents are safe, cosy, and comfortable.

The proposed room will be located away from the main cattery, which will further help to provide a safe, warm, quiet and stress-free environment for the kittens.

“During kitten season, which occurs every spring, we often find ourselves overwhelmed with new kitten arrivals,” Janice explained. “This is due to the numbers of unwanted and homeless litters.

“Every year we reach capacity very quickly and our foster homes fill up.

“To make the issue worse, the last few years have seen a marked increase in the duration of kitten season.

“That’s why we want to develop a unit for kittens and their mothers; so that we can help more animals, who are dumped, homeless, and abandoned, make it.”

When old enough, the kittens raised in Grovehill’s new unit will be moved to the shelter’s main cattery. where they will wait for their new ‘furever homes’ to be found.

There, they will be vaccinated, wormed, treated for fleas, microchipped, and spayed or neutered.

“The more money we can raise, the more of a difference we can make together,” Janice concluded. “To everyone who has already donated, thank you.

“We understand that times are difficult for many at home and abroad which makes this even kinder.

“Together, we are giving homeless animals a future.”

l If you would like to donate to Grovehill Animal Trust, you can do so online by visiting ‘grovehillanimaltrust.org/donate’; in person, by calling into the charity shop on Foundry Lane, Omagh; or by cheque, payable to ‘Grovehill Animal Trust’, and sending it to ‘33 Aghnaglea Road Sixmilecross Omagh BT799NP’.