Applications to Hamilton City Council’s Cat Desexing Fund for 2020 are now open.

The $100,000 Fund, introduced in May 2019, aims to address the issue of stray cats in Hamilton. A key aspect of accessing grant funding is the applicants’ ability to manage the desexing of stray cats (by a qualified veterinarian) and then the animals.

The 2020 application period is from Tuesday 1 September to Friday 9 October.

“Stray cats continue to grow in numbers because they aren’t desexed,” says Susan Stanford, the Council’s Animal Education and Control Manager. “They are a nuisance to our community – digging into rubbish, rowdily fighting or mating at night, and spreading disease. More importantly, they prey on native birds and wildlife.

“However, through this fund, we can support organisations that can effectively manage desexing stray cats – by vets – and run rehoming programmes in Hamilton for these cats. Both of these activities will help us work towards reducing stray cat numbers in the city,” says Ms Standford.

“Applicants must be able to demonstrate a track record of this sort of work. We’ll be asking them to show what they’ve done so far in relation to this type of work, as part of assessing their suitability for the grant.”

Ms Stanford says that applicants can be from outside the Hamilton area, however any cats to be desexed must be from within the city’s boundaries. “The fund can’t be used to euthanise cats, to desex cats considered privately owned, or to perform procedures on any other species of domestic animal.”

Applicants will also need to provide evidence (verified by a veterinarian) showing proof of their cat desexing and rehoming programme, and submit an annual budget projection of the number of cats expected to be handled over the course of the year, including the anticipated costs of desexing these.

The application period closes at 5pm, Friday 9 October 2020. All applications will be assessed by a team of Council staff.

Find out more online at hamilton.govt.nz/stray-cats

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