Shelley Rawsthorne has been caring for feral cats for nine years; she has 160 cats living at her rescue, which have been saved from the most harrowing situations.
Durban, South Africa (31 January 2023) – Shelley Rawsthorne from the Animal Rescue and Rehab Centre (ARRC) has rescued hundreds of cats from the streets. She currently cares for 160 feral cats that live on her property in Durban. Her hope is to inspire the help of volunteers, who can help give the cats every ounce of love that she does.
Shelley started the organisation nine years ago after seeing feral cats living at the Albert Luthuli Central Hospital where she worked. She went on to build a space for cats on her property, to be able to take in the most harrowing rescue cases.
Aside from taking in injured and abused ferals, Shelley also manages a few colonies of about 40 cats around Durban. She provides food to other feral feeders and together, they all work to keep the cats fed and cared for.
The rescue at her home is not your typical “shelter”. Shelley has a large property which allows all her cats to roam freely within their spaces.
“Every cat has a name and each is loved with every fiber of my being. The sanctuary has 2 large 1.5 acres “runs” which have lots of trees, bushes, a shed with double beds, wooden kennels with warm bedding + blankets, jungle gyms and lots of sheltered areas. There are no “cages” besides the side “runs” which are enclosed at the top where new-comers get orientated. Many of the cats are house and “yard” cats that roam freely around the house and 7-acre property.”
This freedom means the cats live full, free lives. Shelley has a few staff members that help her manage the work day to day while she works full time, however, when the workday is done, Shelley gets busy with feeding, medicating and caring for each of the cats. This means she has a late night every night, making sure each cat is seen too. What Shelley hopes for, is a few volunteers who have some time to assist her with the big feeds.
“The cats amaze me every-day and I learn something new from them all the time. There has been an awful lot of heartache along the way, the devastation when one passes or a rescue doesn’t end as it should. The life of a feral cat is a hard, miserable one, so my main aim is to give the rescues the best life I can, and to show them that not all mankind is cruel. If one passes at least I have tried to give them a second chance and they don’t die cold, hungry and unloved.”
Things really started to get tough when the pandemic hit, and then not long after that Durban had a series of crises that left Shelley in even more distress, the Durban flooding being the most damaging and destructive to the organisation. At present, the organisation is just barely hanging on and Shelley is feeling the burnout.
While Shelley has always loved what she does, the loss and devastation are taking a toll on her heart. All she needs is a little support from a few generous souls to refill her cup!
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She started a BackaBuddy in 2019 which still pays out here and there when donations are made. Should you wish to support her financially, you can do so here. If you have some spare time and a love for cats, you can find out how to volunteer by reaching out on Facebook or the website.
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