General News
22 May, 2023
Foster carers needed for feline friends
If you’re looking to foster a little furry friend, the Central Goldfields Shire pound is eager to hear from you, currently on the lookout for foster carers to help keep up with an influx of kittens. “We’ve got a pretty good track record of...
If you’re looking to foster a little furry friend, the Central Goldfields Shire pound is eager to hear from you, currently on the lookout for foster carers to help keep up with an influx of kittens.
“We’ve got a pretty good track record of moving kittens on to new homes, but they’re coming in quicker than we can get them out,” Central Goldfields Shire Council compliance officer Khiara Jenkins said.
“We’ve got a big issue with an excess of kittens in the shire — but so does every pound and shelter in Victoria, they’re all full. Kitten season isn’t ending like it used to.”
It’s preferred foster carers have some experience with kittens, and as long as they can provide a safe space those are largely all the requirements needed, Ms Jenkins said.
“Foster carers help us free up space and it helps the animals. We don’t want babies growing up in the pound,” she said.
“With the younger kittens, they have to reach a certain weight before they can be desexed and adopted out, so we want to get them into foster care so they get the socialisation they need, and are in a warm, family environment.
“You need to be able to keep them away from other animals, in a safe and secure space. We prefer with the younger kittens that the carer has experience with cats.
“Each litter has its own requirements. Foster care can range from a week to four weeks or longer, we can work with the needs of the carers. Sometimes people have a week off work and can help out, or a stay at home parent might have more time.”
Ms Jenkins said the pound strongly urges residents to get their cats desexed, with a local program currently providing a discounted desexing option.
“We really encourage people to get their cats desexed. We’ve got a desexing program going at the moment, we’re getting female cats done for $90 and males for $50, and that comes with microchipping and council registration,” she said.
“We want to stop this influx of kittens happening in the future. Cats breed so easily — a kitten can start breeding at five months old.”
If you have a safe space and experience with cats and kittens and are interested in volunteering contact Central Goldfields Shire Rehoming on 5461-0610.