21 January, 2010

OUR UK SUPPORTERS.

YOU MAY REMEMBER JO HOAKSEY OUR UK SUPPORTER DID SOME FUND RAISING TO HELP PARC. SHE ARRANGED FOR A CHOCOLATE EVENING AND ALSO DID A RAFFLE AFTER SECURING SOME SUPER PRIZES. WELL SHE RAISED AN INCREDIBLE 345 POUNDS. THE BREAKDOWN AND WINNERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1st prize (dining experience at Linen Restaurant in Manchester) - Jenny Harrison of Oldham
2nd prize (2 tickets to X Factor Live Tour) - Alex Schofield of Greenfield, Saddleworth
3rd prize £20 massage/beauty voucher - Mrs Wright of Dob Cross, Saddleworth
4th prize champagne - Marjorie Brennand of Greenfield, Oldham
5th prize chocolates - Pat Caldwell of Mossley, Lancashire

Total raised from raffle, chocolate party and donations was £345. Broken down, this was £110 choc party, £120 raffle and £115 donations.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR PARC. WE HAVE SO MANY ANIMALS DEPENDENT ON US AND SO MANY PEOPLE LEAVING CYPRUS IT IS A REAL BONUS TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE UK WHO CARE ABOUT WHAT WE DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH JO AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT TICKETS AND SUPPORTED THE EVENTS.

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about PARC

PARC was initially developed informally by a couple of volunteers helping Dr. Inna at Peyia Veterinary Clinic, Peyia, Paphos, Cyprus. First one sad, sick stray animal arrived at the clinic and needed treatment. Often found by holidaymakers who could not keep the poor creature, the team would find a way of covering the cost of essential treatment and then look for a foster home until a permanent home could be found.

Very quickly the number of referrals increased and now, three years on, many animals have been treated and rehomed. It is important to explain what our aims and objectives are as people often think we are a home for cats and dogs. This leads to a lot of frustration when we have to refuse to take an animal into our care. Parc is here to help sick and homeless animals. We will always provide treatment for a sick animal. No animal will suffer because of lack of funds.

However, we have no boarding facilities. In case of a real emergency with a cat or a dog we will endeavor to find a foster home or we will pay for boarding for an animal in a cattery or kennels. This can only be when the animal is desperately poorly and even then please understand it is dependent on a place being available.

We are often asked to take in healthy feral cats or kittens simply because the well intentioned person has found him/her and think he/she would be better in a domestic home. We simply cannot take in healthy feral cats or even the kittens. Quite simply there are hundreds of thousands of them in the Paphos area alone. We would love to provide accommodation for them all but we cannot do this.

We do try to help the very tiny kittens that have no mother especially the babies that need to be bottle fed. Bottle feeding kittens is very time consuming and there is a limit to how many we can cope with at any one time.

We urgently need more volunteers to help with these babies so if you would be prepared to foster please contact us. When very tiny orphan puppies are brought to us we have them vet checked, vaccinated (if old enough) and treated for parasites and again we try and find a foster home for them.

Parc do not intend to compete with the existing refuges in Paphos. We believe there is a need for all of us and we want to work together with the common aim being to help the poor animals in distress. We try to compliment, not compete.

An interview with Ruth Mew of PARC (Peyia Animal Rescue Club)

How and when did PARC begin?

We started 6 years ago but it developed slowly. For the first three years Ann Tracy and I just helped little kittens and puppies. We had no funding so just paid for Veterinary care out of our own pocket and provided foster care to the animals, re homing as many as we could.
Three years ago we realised it had become much too difficult with the ever increasing number of referrals and we decided to formalise and register to enable us to carry out official fund raising.
Since this time we have expanded greatly and now deal with hundreds of calls every week.

Do you have a lot of help and many volunteers?

No we are always struggling. In essence there are 4 people who do the hands on work with the animals. We do have a number of people who will help with fund raising but it is difficult to find people prepared to devote time to the animals. We are always in desperate need of helpers that live locally and foster carers that reside anywhere in Paphos area.

This is Henri, a very lucky dog that was cared for and re homed by PARC. We arranged for him to be exported to the UK and he now lives in Derbyshire. He has been guaranteed a home for life.

What is your biggest concern at the moment?

A massive cause for concern for all animal welfare organisations at present must be the large number of people leaving Cyprus because of the financial crisis. No money no job!

Every day I get phone calls asking for help to re home unwanted animals that they are leaving behind.

Although PARC volunteers work hard to help sick and injured homeless animals we are not a shelter and we cannot accommodate all the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that are being abandoned every day.

We are not unsympathetic but a trickle has now become a flood. An animal needs a passport to fly and if travelling to the UK it takes 7 months to process. Our information leaflet given to new pet owners’ offers advice about passport issues. Unfortunately, the majority of people that come to live here are adamant they will not return to the UK.

Sadly, they do! - The stories are horrific. Some examples are:

1. We are leaving next week no one will take the dog off us? If you won’t take him we will just throw him out of the car on the way to the airport.

2. I have just come to clean an apartment. The tenant has left a dog here with no food or water. Can you help?

3. I have found this dog tied to a tree. He is in good condition and understands English commands. What can I do with him?

The list is endless. We found homes for two beautiful kittens three months ago. The new owners were middle aged, respectable people. They contacted us recently asking for boarding for a week as they were going back to UK. We advised they would need to use a Cattery. They did this; the cattery owner has been in touch to say they have not come back. The dear kittens just 4 months old now need another home. Boarding kennels and catteries are becoming very wary.

So what is the answer? What advice can you offer people who are struggling with no money and no work and animals no one will take?

We work hard to save animals from suffering and where possible from death. We never thought we would ever tell people to put their healthy pets to sleep. But is this preferable to leaving them in an empty apartment or tied to a tree? Firstly, the animals suffer terrible separation anxiety. Secondly, whoever finds these distressed animals has the problem of what to do. So by deserting them they are in effect offloading the problem.

DO I DUMP HIM OR KILL HIM? This is the question that arises when people do not plan ahead and pets are unable to leave Cyprus and travel with their owners.

Does PARC help feral cats?

One of the most important things PARC does is provide Veterinary treatment for any sick or injured homeless animals. Obviously, the feral cats come high on the list as they have no one to help with the cost. We get many referrals from people asking us to help where a cat that cannot be caught easily has a broken limb or serious illness. We use humane traps and special cages to secure them with minimum distress. Once treatment has been given by our Veterinary the animal is released in his own area. We also carry out a trap neuter and release programme. 280 cats have been neutered by PARC in the last 9 months and we have now neutered more than a thousand since we registered. We make no charge for neutering or treating feral cats although a donation is appreciated.

In the past 2 weeks we have had two friendly feral kittens brought to us with broken limbs. Treatment was provided by Dr. Maria our wonderful Veterinary. They will return to their area when they are fit again.

This is a picture of a little kitten brought to us after a road traffic accident. Dr. Maria kept her in her clinic for five days during which time she really doubted whether she would live. She has now got a wonderful forever home.

Here is a report passed on to one of our supporters:

We stopped at Polis for petrol. I saw a poor black and white hound that could barely walk. He was skin and bone and terrified! He was also lame as though his side was damaged. He looked so pathetic struggling along looking for anything to eat in gutters. He went to a drain pipe looking for water, but it was dry. A car almost hit him when he tried to cross the road. I couldn't stop thinking about him all night. It is terrible the way animals are left to fend for themselves.

Does PARC re home animals?

Yes, but we are not a shelter. We are totally dependent on people providing care for the dogs or cats until a forever home becomes available. We do have a small number of people prepared to foster for us but we generally only use these for sick and injured animals. So if someone wants our help to re home a pet they will need to take responsibility for him/her until a forever home is found. Sometimes it takes a month or two, so again, it is important to plan ahead. In the past year we have successfully found homes for 75 dogs and 120 cats.

Sadly it is sometimes necessary to re home a pet on more than one occasion.

Felix (not his real name) came to PARC following the death of his owner. Felix loved his owner and he grieved for a long time. He was very unhappy in his foster home as there were many animals living there. We found him a good one to one home and he was happy again. Unfortunately, his new owner had to return to the UK and poor Felix came back to PARC. Within a short time we found him yet another perfect home where he was loved. Again the people left him. We took him back but he hated it. I found him sitting on the doorstep of his last home crying. A kind neighbour took him in and we hope he will now have a forever home. We need more people prepared to take on older cats.

Do you find homes for cats and dogs abroad?

Yes, PARC are pleased to work with CYDRA (Cyprus Dogs Rehoming Association) and other organisations in Cyprus and abroad. Working together means we can save many more animals. We and CYDRA have been involved in exporting a large number of dogs and cats to other European Countries in the past year and some, like Henri, pictured above went to the UK. All prospective homes are checked prior to travel and we get good feed back on our animals. It is much easier to export to other parts of Europe than to the UK because an animal only requires a Rabies vaccine and does not need to be blood tested. This means a pet can travel after one month. It would improve matters greatly if the UK fell into line with the rest of Europe. As Cyprus is Rabies free the British Government could make changes to their import Laws.
Foster carers play a big part in our export programme. Without their help we can’t save these unfortunate creatures. Henri required foster care for 7 months. We were very grateful to Mike and Tricia who did a wonderful job providing him with special care. Short term care is all that is required to help an animal find a loving home.
If someone is prepared to offer a home to a dog or cat for 3 or 4 weeks it can save a life.

What about tethered and/or caged dogs?
If you find a dog caged or tied up without food or water or in a state of neglect you should contact the Government Veterinary. In Paphos the number is 26306269. The Law is very strict now. Any caged animal must have a suitable living area:

Must be spacious, safe and allow the easy movements of the animal

To have a suitable living area, protected from sun

To have the northern & western exposures protected from draughts

The floor to be of a hardened material for easy washing and cleaning

The floor must have a declination so that drainage of water is easily effected into the sewer

A suitable sleeping “corner” must be arranged

The Government Veterinary has a duty to investigate a complaint as soon as possible and in my experience they have always responded quickly and respected confidentiality.
Barking dogs can be reported to the Police.

Clearly PARC does a lot of work with homeless animals. How do you fund this?

We are dependent on the goodwill and generosity of people who care. We also do numerous fund raising events which are successful but also very time consuming and we find it difficult to cope with all the work involved. There are other organisations raising funds in the Peyia/Coral Bay area now and it is important for people to know that any event advertised by us will always have the PARC logo on.

We need more volunteers with all aspects of our work. For more information about PARC and the work we do visit our website at www.parc-cyprus.org or telephone 99961157.

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

An article by Ruth Mew and recently published in the Paphos Post

Animal cruelty: can we always lay the blame at the door of Cypriots?

All too often we come across animals that have suffered at the hands of Cypriot people. The British along with other Europeans shake our head in despair while patting our backs and feeling superior. No way would we treat animals in this way. We are animal lovers. We all work very hard to help animals in distress. We spay our animals; take them to the Veterinary when they have pain, vaccinate them. We then ask ourselves why can’t everyone behave like us. We wouldn’t need dog and cat shelters if everyone behaved responsibly. Would we?

Well have I got news for you!
Having worked in animal rescue for the past five years in Peyia/Coral Bay and being a founder member of Parc (Peyia Animal Rescue Club) I am in despair with the number of irresponsible people who come to live here, take an animal, and cause them horrendous suffering when they desert him.

A tremendous number of people are coming to live in Cyprus and then returning to the UK when things go pear shaped. They live here for a short while, believe everything is great, get themselves a dog or cat and then find out it is not easy living in Cyprus particularly if one needs to work for a living.

With all the other problems to deal with the poor animal quickly becomes bottom of the priority list when cases have to be packed. The little dog or cat that was shown lots of love when they were chosen as babies often find themselves tied up outside the refuge or just turned out on the streets to survive as best they can. Almost daily I am asked to help with cats that have been left. Yes free cats survive in Cyprus, they can hunt and the weather is usually kind. However, there is nothing more cruel than taking a free cat into a house, making him domesticated and then when he has become used to two meals a day and a warm bed, turning him out. Almost always the Brit that is leaving Cyprus will be grief stricken. I have heard all the stories.

“I can’t afford to take him back”.
“I love him so much but I have no accommodation to go back to”.
“I have to go immediately and I have no time to get him a passport”
“I would take him back but my partner won’t let me”.

The dogs probably suffer more. Or do they? With no room at the shelters often they are euthanased. What a lovely word! What we really mean is they are murdered. Yes murdered because their loving owners have suddenly found there is no room at the Inn for them.

Here at Parc we have an information sheet and an adoption policy which is signed by all prospective owners. We ask all prospective owners to consider vaccinating their new pet for Rabies and having them blood tested so that they can travel with them if a return to the UK becomes a necessity. Many people do this but many don’t. Should we make it mandatory? I would love to say yes and make it a condition of adoption but the reality is we at Parc like the other animal sanctuaries are all too desperate for homes for animals that would otherwise possibly not find a place. It really is a catch twenty two situation for all of us trying our best to help these poor creatures. Parc are perhaps more hindered than others as we have no boarding facilities and are dependent on foster homes for any creature that is in our care. We have very few foster carers so we really struggle. In reality homing animals is not really what Parc is about. We always promise to provide treatment for a sick, homeless animal and we do try and help tiny kittens and puppies but with no boarding facilities we cannot accommodate healthy strays.

Despite this we often get involved because a young sick puppy after treatment becomes a healthy dog that needs a home. This happened with one dear little puppy dog we called Lucy. She was found as a six week old puppy at the side of the road in Peyia. We took her in nursing her until she was strong enough to go out to a foster home. She was fostered for a couple of months. A young woman with four children came for her. Lucy loved being part of the family. They had a house with a good sized garden and Lucy quickly settled. I visited three times and was quite happy that it was a good placement. Eventually, the family moved to a different house but I managed to keep an eye on her.

Twelve months later I was asked to go and look at a dog that had been left in boarding kennels. Her owners had booked her in for two weeks but had not come back for her. To my horror I found it was my Lucy looking very forlorn. She was clearly depressed, sitting, waiting for her family to come back to her. It transpired that the family had returned to Scotland. They had made clear plans to leave Cyprus and had booked Lucy in to the kennels for two weeks. They didn’t even pay for her board claiming they had forgotten to bring the money but would pay when they collected her.

Thankfully, there is a happy ending to this story. After a great deal of effort we were able to find Lucy another home. She had been so traumatized by the events she became very naughty but thankfully her new owner is a very experienced dog lover and he has given her the love and care she needed to help her face life again. I could write numerous stories like this. Whenever the telephone rings and it is a call from someone who has taken an animal from me my heart stops for a second. Is it another call saying they are returning to the UK? Have I to start the process of looking for another home for another animal?

Yes there is cruelty and neglect here in Cyprus but it is not always at the hands of the indigenous people. We too need to look at ourselves and ask are we doing our best for the animals in Cyprus?

We have just been asked to help a lovely Staffordshire x bitch who has lived with a couple for over a year. They have returned to the UK and left her with a friend who cannot cope. She has lived in a domestic home and obviously had a lot of love. We are now seeking a foster home for her. If we are unable to find one she will if she is lucky be found a place in the Refuge at worse she will be destroyed. This is reality.

Before you adopt an animal from any source please, please think about what you are doing and act responsibly. Better to say no now than to give them love and then leave them feeling the pain.

If you are in a position to help Parc by offering to foster an animal for us please contact Ruth on 99961157 or Pam on 99747396 or Ann 99450883.

CHAIRMANS REPORT 2009

2008/9 has again been very busy and highly successful. Everyone has worked very hard and we have helped an incredible number of cats, dogs, puppies and kittens. The Committee members have worked well together. Somehow we have managed to cope with the hands on work with the animals as well as doing an enormous amount of fund raising. My thanks to Ann my deputy, Sue our treasurer, Pam and Don who act as trap neuter and release officers as well as managing our pens. Thanks also to Clare and Jason who are always there when we need them. Sadly Clare has decided to step down from her role as Secretary but we are pleased to say she will remain involved with Parc and will continue to offer her support. Thanks also to Alan and Vi who always respond so positively to any request for help. There have been numerous fund raising events throughout the year. I am very grateful to everyone for all the work done. These events are incredibly hard work but somehow they always work. Thanks to Elizabeth and Carol, Bill and Dawn and everyone else who strive to raise the funds we need.

As you will see from our treasurer’s report we raised nearly 30,000 euros in the year. Despite this the outgoings meant that we finished the year with a 3000 deficit on 2008. The Committee have addressed this and it has been decided that the spaying programme will be more closely monitored and centred on cats living near the green bins or restaurants. It has also been agreed that anyone taking an animal from Parc will be expected to make a donation towards the cost of care for example vaccinations, spaying or treatment. We have also saved money on our feed bill. We had been buying Whiskas biscuits but by changing to Friskies which we can buy wholesale we are saving 20 euros per 30 kilos which helps tremendously. In addition to this we now have the food donation box at Carrefour which is proving successful.

WORK UNDERTAKEN FROM FEB 08 TO JAN 09

Adult Cats neutered: 210

Cats cared for daily by Parc: 110

Kittens/Cats re homed: 140

Dogs currently in foster care: 6

Dogs neutered: 16

Dogs vaccinated/treated for parasites: 58

Dogs re homed: We have successfully re homed 53 dogs over a 12 month period. This equates to one dog per week. When one considers that we are not a shelter this is an incredible achievement. A dog in our care has usually come to us because he is found lost, abandoned, injured or sick. Invariably he will be full of fleas, worms and ticks. When we say tick infested we really mean that. Sometimes we have to take off literally hundreds of ticks. They are often packed between the toes, their ears are full and their tummy is covered. Many people from the UK have not seen a tick let alone been faced with the horrific sights we see here. Once we have cleaned the dogs up we then have to place them in a foster home, provide them with Veterinary care and begin the task of finding them a forever home. The investment in time and money is huge. Saving one dogs life is amazing. Saving 53 in one year is simply pure joy.

A great achievement has been the special relationship with Cydra (Cyprus dog Rehoming Association) with the help of Cydra we are now able to export many dogs to Germany. We have found homes for 25 dogs since the 1st January 2009. In view of the fact that many people are leaving Cyprus it has proved particularly helpful. People offering a home in Germany are vetted/approved by the sister organisation in Germany and they also provide follow up support.

Joint working.
I am pleased to report that Parc enjoy a good working relationship with many animal welfare groups in Cyprus. This means that we can gather and share information. There is regular contact with Cyprus Voice for Animals (Larnaca based), Catsnip (Limassol) Cydra (Paphos) Paws (Paphos) Polis Animal Rescue (Polis) PPOPs (Polis and Paws)

Carrefour Food Container
This came about because Cyprus Voice for Animals approached Carrefour Head Office and asked permission to place bins in all of their stores throughout Cyprus. They offered the facility in Paphos to Parc. It was thought we would have to pay for the collecting bin but Catsnip in Limassol approached Cats in need (Isle of Man) who agreed to meet the cost of constructing these bins. I am very grateful to all of these organisations. An incredible amount of food has been collected and this has helped to reduce our food costs.

Fundraising Events/Donations.
As you will see from our Treasurers report our income was 28,197.49 euros. This is comparable with the figure in January 2008 when 27,140.27 euros was raised. This is encouraging but there are obvious concerns that this year will be much harder. With more people leaving Cyprus, less visitors and the financial difficulties facing people in the UK and here in Cyprus it is clear that steps needed to be taken to try and ensure that we provide for the animals already in our care and to make sure that we spend what money we have wisely. As previously stated we have already taken decisions that have reduced expenditure as well as looking at ways to cut services wherever possible. It is interesting that while income from our fundraising events was less this year the income from donations has increased and I am confident that this is a direct result of responses to our website which is now widely read.

One such event was the highly successful Gaol sit undertaken by Joanna and Stacey the two wonderful Veterinary nurses employed in the UK. On the 9th March they spent the night in a haunted cell in Derby Gaol. Not only did they raise an incredible amount of money but I was able to distribute sponsorforms in Cyprus and the UK which added to the total. Very special thanks to these two who came up with this unique way to raise funds for us and Sirrius dog shelter in Limassol.

In conclusion Parc have gone from strength to strength. We continue to be very busy indeed and we certainly need more hands on help. However, I take comfort in the fact that we continue to help many animals. Without our help these dear creatures would be at best in the refuge and at worst put to sleep. My sincere thanks to all our supporters and volunteers.

RUTH MEW (CHAIRPERSON)

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true stories

This lovely young mother and her five kittens above were taken in by PARC from Crown Resorts hotel. The manager was worried as they were planning to spray the grounds with pesticides and was aware that the kittens could get a reaction or even die. The visitors to the hotel were also very concerned. Although we had no facilities available we were very worried too and agreed to take the family in. Clare and Jason from Cozy Catz cattery agreed to take care of them for us. As they had not been vaccinated it meant Clare had to keep them in her spare bedroom for four weeks. They quickly settled in and PARC paid to have the mother spayed and of course all of them were treated for worms and fleas. The kittens received their first vaccines.

We were hoping to re home the mother cat with one of her kittens but she started to reject the kittens and it became clear that she was not happy in a domestic setting so we decided to return her to the hotel. There were three other cats at the hotel and PARC spayed all of these cats too. They are well cared for at the hotel and our volunteers are monitoring them on a regular basis to make sure they stay well. We have now got homes for four of the kittens, one lovely tri-colour female is still available but she has now made friends with two other kittens in the cattery. If you can offer her and or her friends a home please contact us. Thank you.

Fido's Story

My name is Fido; this is what a kind lady calls me. - I’ve never had a name before. I like it! My life was so sad before this lady found me. I’ve never heard kind words before. I like it! I was so thin, that I could hardly walk, and the bones on my bottom hurt when I tried to sit down. I felt so very hungry all the time. The kind lady gave me nice food, I’ve never had before. I like it!

I go to her house every morning and she feeds me from a bowl. I’ve never had a bowl before. I like it! I go to her house every night, before I have to find somewhere to sleep. She feeds me again. I’ve never had supper before. I like it! She says I am a good boy! She says I would make such a good pet! She says; I am so friendly now. I used to be frightened of everyone, now I trust people. I’ve never been stroked before. I like it!

When I am soaked through, she dries me with a towel. I’ve never been dried before with a towel. I like it! The kind lady has a little dog of her own, and I play with her, very gently, because she is smaller than me. She can not keep another dog, or I know that she would keep me.

I wanted someone to adopt me… I would be good! I would do everything that I am told! I learn very quickly! I would try my best to please! – I would love them, so much! The lady took a picture of me. I’ve never had my photo taken before. I hope YOU like it!

The lady wanted my picture to send to Peyia Animal Rescue Club. They try and help animals like me find a human that will love me. Ruth from P.A.R.C. brought me a nice bed which meant I didn’t have to sleep on the hard concrete. She also arranged for me to go to the Veterinary and have lots of treatment (I didn’t like it!) but they said it was for my own good. I had lots of needles and something called a microchip and then I had to have an operation. I stayed at the Veterinary clinic overnight to make sure I recovered from the operation and then I was allowed to go back to my nice lady. This was all a bit much for a little dog like me but Ruth said it was necessary if I wanted a forever home. And then the good news came!

SOMEBODY WANTS ME !

I want to say a big THANK YOU to my new owners who are going to give me a nice home in Germany. I will be so happy with you. I want to bring you a lot of happiness and share some very happy years with you. I also hope that I can help you to be happy again, after losing your beloved dog that looked like me.

PS. After a long journey I arrived at my new home in Germany. I was picked up by my new family. They took me on a train and then I eventually arrived at their home. They are very nice people and I am very lucky indeed to be here. I am still not a year old but the things I have seen and done in my short life has been incredible. I am so grateful to all the people that worked together to help me.

My dear foster mother who took me in when I was covered in fleas and ticks. Ruth from Peyia Animal Rescue Club, Dr. Maria the Veterinary who took care of all my medical problems. Eve from Cydra (Cyprus Dogs Rehoming Association) who found me a home with Pete and Wendy while I was waiting to fly to Germany. Pete and Wendy are very experienced foster people who know a lot about dogs and they helped prepare me for a new home (taught me a few manners). And of course Eve then found me the wonderful people in Germany to give me a forever and ever home.

You can see me arriving in Germany by clicking on www.zypernhunde.de

PLEASE SUPPORT PARC AND CYDRA THEY WORK TOGETHER TO HELP HOMELESS ANIMALS. WITHOUT YOUR HELP THEY CANNOT HELP ANIMALS LIKE ME. THANK YOU FIDO.

This is my favourite place

Silky a very special cat

We often find it very difficult to find people to give a home to an older cat. Why this is we really don’t know. It does not seem to be the case in the UK. The Cat Protection League, RSPCA etc re home many older cats. Sadly, the majority of people calling us want a kitten and the younger the better.

There are many good reasons for choosing an older cat. In general we find they are very cuddly creatures who love a knee to snuggle into. They have passed the naughty, playful stage so your furniture is less at risk of a scratch and they are less likely to wander off, run in the road or eat the dreaded poison.

We are pleased to publish this story sent to us by Leonora North. She kindly gave a home to Silky a very special cat that was rescued by PARC three years ago. We hope that this story will encourage other people to adopt an older cat.

HAPPY END

He had lived with them since he was a kitten - leaving Silky behind when relocating back to England was not an option - three very angry children made that quite clear. And so started the long and complicated process of microchip - inoculations - mountains of official documents and an airline ticket required to transport a large tomcat from Coral Bay to Lancashire. One compromise was agreed to: New baby had to be born before Mum could deal with cat arrival, Silky would stay in his familiar house and garden looked after by the kind ladies from Parc as he had been during long holidays away. After the birth of baby chipped, injected and ticketed he would just have to be taken to the airport in Cyprus and collected in England - simple!

Unfortunately things did not go according to plan.New baby was born very unwell and had to stay in the hospital, no way could Mum find time to collect, let alone adjust Silky just then. His journey was postponed - and postponed again and again. Fed by the kind ladies he lead a far too lonely life and so a new home had to be found for him.

I, recently widowed, decided that a cat would be good for me, contacted the kind ladies;and yes, there was a cat in need of a home. They would bring it to my flat to introduce us. Three ladies and an unusually coloured, long haired, magnificently bushy tailed tom cat arrived, handsome Silky was deposited on my lap where, after a few sniffs he made himself comfortable - purred for a while and went to sleep - while I was being severely screened to make sure I was a fit person to look after him. I must have been approved of, he was left with me, re-named Puss-in-Boots. The ladies phoned frequently to make sure he was happy - he was!.

I now have a most loving and affectionate companion of great character, he loves being brushed and spending time on my lap in the evenings. His nights start at the bottom of my bed and end, on top of me, invariably at 7 am when a white paw hits my face until I react to a very clear I need my breakfast.

Is he spoilt rotten? Of course he is!

two lovely white cats

These two lovely white cats were found as tiny kittens near a green bin in Peyia. Parc were working to spay all the females in the group to try and reduce the cat population. An elderly Cypriot lady lives behind and she has always looked after the cats by providing scraps of food. She is very fond of the cats but does not like them having kittens.

Ruth went to talk to her (with an interpreter) and asked for permission to take the cats to the Veterinary to have them treated for parasites and to stop them breeding. She was somewhat skeptical but she did agree. The kittens were about seven weeks old, parc don’t normally take in kittens over four weeks as the older they are the more difficult it is for them to adjust to a domestic home. However, these two were so pretty and it was apparent that one of them was deaf which meant he was more vulnerable living as a free cat.

They were taken to the Veterinary, treated for parasites and had their first vaccination. Clare and Jason from Cozy Catz Cattery very kindly fostered them for us. We got them friendly and they were neutered when they were old enough.

A lovely couple gave them a home and they settled in beautifully. Sadly, the couple separated (how often does it happen in Cyprus?) it must be the weather!!!! The cats were returned to Clare and Jason.

By this time they were five months old and it is very difficult to find anyone who will offer a home to older cats. Yet again these gorgeous kittens were lucky. Angela and Dave came for two small kittens but kindly agreed to take these two as they were aware that they would be more difficult to re home. They are now settled in again. Please let this be a “forever home” for them both.

frankie's story

Frankie was brought to the Vets with a badly broken hind leg. He had been found at the side of the road. He was not microchipped and there was no identification on him. Dr. Inna asked parc to help with the cost of the operation and also to find a foster home for him until his leg was better and a permanent home could be sought.

Parc agreed to accept full responsibility for Frankie.

Unfortunately, the leg was so badly broken the bones did not set and he required a further operation which increased the cost considerably. In addition to this he needed to be cared for in a foster home for three months. Thankfully the foster carers were extremely good with Frankie and allowed him to stay until he was better.

Although his leg did not heal perfectly we felt he was sufficiently recovered and we offered him for adoption four months after he was first referred to us. It then took a further four weeks to find a suitable home.

He is now very happy with his new owner, Jonathon. He is enjoying life to the full having lots of attention and lots of love. Parc would like to thank Dr. Inna for the veterinary care she gave Frankie at considerably reduced cost. Francis and Mike for caring for Frankie throughout his convalescence and also to Jonathon for giving him a wonderful “forever home”.

oscar's story

Oscar was brought to the clinic by a kind Cypriot man who had found him. His leg was literally hanging off and Dr. Inna had no alternative but to amputate. Poor Oscar must have been in terrible pain.

As he had no owner Parc agreed to accept responsibility for the cost of the operation. Oscar recovered from the operation very quickly. The morning after his operation he was walking round the garden at the clinic on his three legs. His only problem was working out how to cock his leg without falling over. He stayed at the clinic for a week and a couple (Nicky and Phil) brought a cat in that had a badly damaged leg. They had found her behind a restaurant at Coral Bay. They asked us if we could help and again Parc agreed on the understanding that they would give the cat a home following the operation.

While at the clinic, Nicky and Phil met Oscar. They were very distressed when they heard the story of what he suffered. The next day they contacted the clinic and asked if they could adopt Oscar as well as the cat. A cat and a dog with six legs between them!!!!

They took Oscar home first and he settled in his new home brilliantly. Considering no one knew his background we really didn’t know if he would be clean in the house, or whether he would be naughty, chew the furniture or bark when he was left. Amazingly the dear fellow behaved impeccably right from the start.

Unfortunately, Poppy the cat did not like Oscar but even she landed on her three paws as their neighbour took her in and she quickly became their number one cat.

Oscar was given his name because we all thought he deserved an Oscar. Nicky and Phil also deserve our thanks for giving him a wonderful home.

resident cats at Coral Beach Hotel

Parc have accepted responsibility for the resident cats at Coral Beach Hotel. It is true to say that the Management of the hotel was at their wits end with all the cats and kittens. The situation was completely out of control with far too many kittens being born and serious problems with inbreeding. It was a huge task for Parc but we had tackled this sort of problem before and achieved success.

We began by spaying the friendly cats, taking kittens away when they were old enough and finding homes for them. Following this we then spent weeks trapping the unfriendly ones and taking them to the Veterinary. Once this was achieved we decided to start a programme to ensure that all the friendly cats were treated for parasites and vaccinated. The result is that we now have only ten resident healthy cats on site. A site this size needs this number of cats to control vermin so the hotel are happy and we are happy knowing that they will not be disposed of or hurt in any way.

We have to admit that there is one ginger tom that eludes us. He will not come near enough for us to catch him and he will not go in a trap. We can only bow to his superiority. Well done ging you beat us!

Many hotel guests have commented on how well the cats look. Indeed a number of them have supported us with our work. Roseanne and Suzane come twice a year and have always given us fantastic support. Mr. and Mrs. Harris from Bristol were so pleased with our work they went back and secured financial back up for us from Animal Affairs the animal charity shop that they work in in Bristol. The hotel management has kindly sponsored Parc when we have held function evenings and donated prizes for our raffle. Thanks a million to all of you.

hound dog puppy

This dear little puppy dog was found on Saturday evening by Neophytos a young Cypriot boy who cares very much about animals.

He has rescued many cats and kittens and always contacts parc when he sees an animal in trouble. Thank goodness we have youngsters like Neophytos it gives us hope for the future here in Cyprus.

Ruth went out and collected this puppy dog. She found her very friendly and was happy to go in the basket to travel to the Veterinary.

Dr. Maria had been contacted and agreed to admit him. What Ruth and Dr. Maria did not know was that he had lots of little friends on her. In fact it was agreed that this puppy had one of the worst flea infestations ever seen by Ruth or Dr. Maria. It took over an hour to get the majority of her. She was then made comfortable in a cage with food and water. She undoubtedly had the best night’s sleep she has had in a long time. The fleas must have been driving her mad. He was given anti-biotic treatment and steroid injections to reduce the swelling.

There is no doubt that she had suffered a car accident but it would seem that this was some time ago and she has been in terrible pain for some time. Surprisingly she is not undernourished so someone must have been feeding her. She has a lovely nature and is very content to sit quietly in her cage. We are hoping that bed rest and steroids will improve her condition and she will eventually be able to walk properly again. At present she can stand and even walk around but her legs are weak.

We would like a foster home for her in the short term to allow time to get her better and then she can be placed for adoption. If you can help us please make contact. Thank you.

Parc would like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Maria. She showed this puppy dog such kindness. Few people would have allowed her in their house or surgery in the condition she was in. Dr. Maria was both professional and compassionate. We are indeed grateful to her.

cats in need

We heard about Sue and the work she does raising funds to help Cyprus cats earlier this year. We contacted her and asked if the organization could help us by providing a trap and cat “restrainer: box to help with our neutering programme.

We were very pleased to receive a positive response from Sue, and we now have the equipment which was so badly needed. We were also pleased to have the story about parc printed on the “cats in need” Newsletter (front page too!)

You can find out more about “Cats in Need” by e mailing Sue at catsinneed@manx.net and she will forward you a copy of her newsletter which has lovely stories about cats all over Cyprus.

Parc are always busy trapping feral cats. One day I was asked to help with a group of three that had appeared in a garden. It turned out to be mother and her two female kittens about four months old. Imagine how many kittens the three of them would have produced over the next couple of years.

I took the trap and two crush cages. I caught two in ten minutes and then got called back when the third went in the trap. I quickly backtracked and borrowed a third crush cage and took all three to the Veterinary. I then had to cancel trapping another female as I had no more cages. It was therefore fantastic to hear from Sue that night that she would help us by providing another trap and a crush cage. We are very grateful indeed. There are three volunteers trapping in Peyia/Coral Bay and surrounding areas. The work is endless but we are making some headway and we will continue.

PARC ARE VERY GRATEFUL INDEED FOR THE HELP FROM ‘CATS IN NEED” Sue does a wonderful job. Parc are now opening discussions with Sue about the possibility of exporting animals to good homes in the UK.

home about PARC make a donation how 2 adopt contact

make a donation

PARC does not receive any funding from the government for the re-homing and treatment of sick and injured pets. Instead, it’s your kind support that ensures we can continue to care for the pets that so desperately need our help.

Please support us by making a donation today.

In Memory of Joyce Collins nee Shrimpton.

On 20th December 2008 Jo and Lynne sadly lost their dear mother, Joyce. Joyce always had a great affinity with animals and her wish was that her daughters would make a suitable donation to animal charities in her memory.

Jo and her husband Graham live in Cyprus and have supported Parc for over two years. They had made Joyce aware of the problems facing homeless animals in Cyprus and they felt a donation to Parc would be something she would approve of. In July 2009 Jo made a substantial (but private) donation to Parc in memory of her mother. We value every donation no matter how small or large. However, in view of the fact that this was made in memory of a remarkable woman we feel it appropriate to say a little about her.

Joyce was born on 31st May 1924 in the Kensington & Chelsea area of London. Animals were always a big part of her life. There were numerous dogs and cats in the house. Incredibly when she gave birth to her first child, Lynne, her beloved Peke remained with her. Perhaps even more incredible is the fact that the midwife allowed it. Can’t imagine that today with our wonderful health and safety regulations. Her last canine companion was Pancho the black Pug who was adopted from The Blue Cross at Kimpton.

Joyce had an incredible sense of humour.
One day she was out shopping with Graham's mum and they went into Waterstones. It was quite busy in there and for some reason or another they had a skeleton standing in the corner. Mum turned to Hilda and said “He must have been waiting a long time to be served" Her friend Hilda said she could never look Joyce in the eye because she would always make her laugh. ] If you went shopping with her you had to carefully steer her away from any hat departments. If you didn't succeed she would spend a quarter of an hour trying on hats but not being serious about it. They were either put on at a silly angle, back to front or worse still pulled down over her ears! The picture above shows her in one of her hats enjoying life

As a child she was a member of a ballet school and had her name in print quite a few times. When she left school she worked as a telephonist (using a "Dolls eye" exchange) at Ebrights in Wimbledon. She was also incredibly brave because during the war she had her exchange room lined with sand bags and refused to go down to the shelters during an air raid. Remember this was London!

In Memory of Joyce Collins nee Shrimpton

She married in August 1945 and lived with her parents in Perivale for a few years before moving to Edgware and then onto Stanmore. In later years she got a job as a receptionist in the local opticians for fifteen or so years before retiring. There is no doubt that Joyce enjoyed her life to the full. She passed on her caring nature to her two wonderful daughters who share her passion for animals and have also inherited her warmth and generosity of spirit.

Our thanks to Joyce and her family for helping us to help many sick and injured homeless animals.

Ruth Mew (Chairperson) 27th July, 2009

You can use any of the following methods to make a donation:

cash

Please contact Ruth

tel: 99 961 157

email: ruthmew1@cytanet.com.cy

cheque

Please make cheques payable to - Peyia Animal Rescue Club

post: PARC, PO Box 62766, 8068, Paphos, Cyprus

tel: 99 961 157

email: ruthmew1@cytanet.com.cy

nearly new clothing/household goods

PARC often hold car boot sales to raise funds. If you have nearly new clothing (adults or childrens) or household goods then please contact us. Thank you.

tel: 99 961 157

email: ruthmew1@cytanet.com.cy

sponsoring a pen

PARC are pleased and proud to announce the official opening of our new pens. They were opened by Don, Wendy and Adrian who are the family of the late Sue Forbes. The family kindly donated all the money in lieu of flowers to parc to help us meet the cost of the pens.

There are four pens and the family chose names which meant something to Sue. They are now named: Whiskey, Sprite, Almedes and Chudney. The first two are self explanatory being a favourite drink. Almedes is the name of the boat that Sue and Don sailed and Chudney was a very special dog that Sue owned. The pens will only be used to house sick and injured cats.

We are looking for people or companies to sponsor the pens. If you would like to sponsor a pen please click here, complete the form and return to Peyia Animal Rescue Club, c/o PO Box 62766, 8068, Paphos, Cyprus.

Parc would also like to say a big thank you to Pam and Don for allowing us to have the pens in their garden and also special thanks to Don for all his hard work in building them. He has done a first class job carrying out the bulk of the work himself before accepting help from Johny, Jason, Rob and Alan. Thanks to all of you for a splendid job done.

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how to adopt or foster

PARC do not have kennels or a cattery, we rely wholly on the support of volunteers to temporarily foster animals whilst we try to rehome them. Whether the animal has been abandoned, injured or mistreated, we believe every cat and dog deserves a loving environment. We try to accomplish this by placing animals with foster parents to ensure they receive the attention and love they need. PARC also works hard to permanently home these cats and dogs within home environments through the adoption process. So, if you are in a position to help by either fostering or adopting an animal, please do not hesitate to contact us.

fostering

Perhaps your situation means you cannot commit to a dog or cat for life right now, but you might be able to help out with short term fostering? Fostering an means you will care for it as if it was your own, while we try to find a home for it.

Fostering can be done both short term and long term, sometimes it's just a matter of "holding" an animal for a few days until it can be found a place in kennels, other times it could be animals that need more one-on-one attention in a home situation.

We urgently need more volunteers to help with these babies so if you would be prepared to foster please contact us.

When very tiny orphan puppies are brought to us we have them vet checked, vaccinated (if old enough) and treated for parasites and again we try and find a foster home for them.

"Opposite are 2 kittens that PARC rescued. They are two bottle fed kittens who would certainly have died had they not been fostered. They both went on to good homes."

pinky and perky are kittens rescued by PARC

adopting

PARC sees long term adoption of a rescue animal as a very serious commitment. We have a formal adoption procedure whereby you become the new owner of the animal.

We offer as much support as we possibly can through this transition. If you are able to offer a permanent home to a cat or dog, please contact us to discuss this.

home about PARC true stories make a donation contact

contact PARC

post: PARC, PO Box 62766, 8068, Paphos, Cyprus

tel: 99 961 157

email: ruthmew1@cytanet.com.cy

home about PARC true stories make a donation how 2 adopt

21 January, 2010

OUR UK SUPPORTERS.

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t-shirts for sale

about PARC

An interview with Ruth Mew of PARC (Peyia Animal Rescue Club)

An article by Ruth Mew and recently published in the Paphos Post

CHAIRMANS REPORT 2009

true stories

Fido's Story

Silky a very special cat

two lovely white cats

frankie's story

oscar's story

resident cats at Coral Beach Hotel

hound dog puppy

cats in need

make a donation

In Memory of Joyce Collins nee Shrimpton.

cash

cheque

nearly new clothing/household goods

sponsoring a pen

how to adopt or foster

fostering

adopting

contact PARC