Castle Point MP Dame Rebecca Harris paid a visit to the Essex Cat Centre, which is run by the national charity Cats Protection, to see first-hand how the charity helps cats both in the local area and across the UK.
Dame Rebecca met employees and volunteers at the centre before enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour to meet some of the cats currently looking for new homes.
Cats Protection speaks up for the 10.8 million UK cats and their owners and has helped an average of 157,000 cats and kittens a year over the last five years through its national network which includes around 200 volunteer-run branches and 32 centres.
As the leading voice on cat welfare, Cats Protection is calling on politicians to support measures to help improve the lives of UK cats, including banning blanket no-pet policies in rented housing and introducing cat breeding regulations.
The Cats Protection Essex Cat Centre rehomes cats in and around Chelmsford and is on the lookout for more volunteers to continue its vital work.
Rebecca Harris MP commented: “It was lovely to visit the cat centre and see first hand how lovingly they are cared for by staff and volunteers. It was also great to hear about the work Cats Protection does in the community helping cat owners as well as feral and stray cats. I was also interested to hear about Cats Protection’s Lifeline service, which provides important help to people fleeing domestic abuse, by taking care of their cat until such time as they can be safely reunited.
The centre has so many beautiful cats and kittens looking for a home, so please do go and meet them if you are thinking about adopting a cat. The centre is also always looking for volunteers to help with fundraising and with fostering cats and kittens, so if you have some time please do get in touch with them – their details can be found here: www.cats.org.uk/chelmsford. The Centre also takes donations of cat food, cat toys and other items."
Cats Protection Senior Advocacy & Government Relations Officer Annabel Berdy said: “We were so pleased to welcome Rebecca Harris to discuss the pressures facing our Essex Cat Centre which is full to the brim with many cats and kittens in need of new homes. We also discussed the desperate need for cat breeding regulations and our campaign for a ban on extreme cat breeds like the Scottish Fold, which suffer horrendous and painful health conditions. It is so good to see politicians taking an interest in these important issues which affect both cats and the people who love them.”
For more information about becoming and volunteer for Cats Protection and a wealth of information about caring for cats, visit www.cats.org.uk
