A Levin woman’s dream of helping as many cats and kittens as she can has led to her starting up her own rescue – Furrytails Kitten Rescue.
Sandra Pedley’s interest in animal health started when she left her job teaching to support her husband in dairy farming, where she was involved in many aspects of farming, particularly calf rearing.
After four years on the farm, she and her husband left, and while he set up an agricultural contracting business, she worked at the Levin SPCA.
“It was at the SPCA where my true passion for animals, specifically cats and kittens, grew.”
She said there she worked alongside vets who taught her about the care of kittens, and many vet nursing skills.
While working at the SPCA Pedley fostered more than 200 cats and kittens in a specially set up foster room.
She said she is passionate about giving every cat and kitten “the best chance possible at an amazing life”.
This year, Pedley started a new job with Kip McGrath, where she works from home beginning at 2pm each day. This gave her the chance to open her own kitten rescue from her home on Hokio Beach Rd.
With the help of her teenage daughter, Abbey, she now spends her mornings cleaning, giving medication to the ones who need it, feeding the cats and kittens and, of course, stroking and petting them all before she starts her paid employment in the afternoon.
Two of her nieces, Jade and Kori, also help with socialising the kittens.
“I work hard to ensure that the animals in my care have the best fairytale experience possible with the expected ‘happily ever after’ ending.”
Jasper is one of the eight kittens looking for a home.
Since opening, the rescue has taken in 42 cats and kittens, and they have all found homes except the eight older kittens they currently have.
Pedley said it is important to her that people know she can be contacted after hours for kitten emergencies.
She is available to come and collect sick, very young, or very vulnerable kittens late at night if needed, or support people with information about necessary care.
“I feel this is a gap that we need to fill in our community so that people have the support they need if a kitten is found late in the day. Administering care to a young or sick kitten and following a set, ordered process is very important in ensuring a good outcome for that kitten.”
Pedley has a couple of goals she wanted to achieve with her rescue – but her main one at this stage is just to help as many cats and kittens as she can, especially ones who cannot be taken by other rescues.
Dusty is looking for his forever home.
“Euthanasia will only be an option for an animal in my care if it’s what is best for them. Otherwise, I will do everything I can to get them the care they need to be happy and healthy.”
Some of her longer term goals include educating the public, potentially even in schools; helping with trapping, desexing and releasing unsocial cats in well managed colonies to decrease the number of strays in the area; and working with Horowhenua District Council and community groups to develop effective legislation, which keeps the wellbeing of cats in the forefront, to control and minimise the stray cat population.
One of the cats at the rescue is Maisie, who came to Pedley when she was about 4-months-old.
“She was full of cat flu, an ear infection, had a big head tilt, was very thin and extremely unwell.”
Pedley took Maisie straight to the vet where she received medication to clear her infection, and she improved considerably.
Muffin is awaiting her forever home.
She was taken in by a foster family where she received lots of care and was treated as their own, but every time she cleared her infection and came off antibiotics, she would become sick again.
“The last time this happened, she crashed very quickly over a matter of a few hours and needed oxygen support and 24-hour care over the weekend. This was at a cost of over $2000.”
Friends of Animal Charities, in Paraparaumu Beach, donated towards that cost.
Tests indicated Maisie had a likely polyp which needed to be removed for her to stop having life-threatening infections, which would initially cost $3500 plus follow-up care. She asked for help, and the community responded, she said, helping her raise $4200 through a Givealittle page, fudge sales and a raffle.
“Maisie has had surgery and is recovering perfectly. She is booked in for desexing in September and will be available for adoption if the foster family do not keep her. We are so grateful to everyone who supported Maisie.”
If you want to adopt from Furrytails Kitten Rescue you can do so by messaging them on Facebook, or email them to arrange an appointment to meet the cats. There is an adoption fee to help cover costs.
“We will be looking for the perfect match for our animals and question potential adopters to ensure they will give an animal a great home and life.”
