Feline Lifelines - Kat uit de Gracht in English

• Because lots of cats die from drowning in our neighbourhood, Havenwijk-Zuid in Leiden, the Netherlands, we devised a simple but effective plan: Feline Lifelines ('Kat uit de Gracht')
• We have received hundreds of metres of sturdy boating rope from donors (i.e. Touwhuis van Adrichem , Fugro and Connexxion Water) and we've started to hang those ropes in various ways along the docks and canals in our community
• Inspired by Leiden, Feline Lifelines has now been set up in Amersfoort, Edam, Delft, Hoorn, Almere and Groningen as well

Good news, and bad...

• Since the start in May 2009 at least eleven cats have succesfully saved themselves by using a feline lifeline!
• Besides, five swimming cats were saved by passers-by in our neighbourhood (see picture)
• But...more than a dozen cats have also been found drowned in the same period. We are disappointed but have all the more reason to continue with this project!
• We are sponsored and supported by the Animal Welfare (Dierenbescherming, region Rijnland), and backed up by the Council (with 3000 euros in March 2010), the Watermanagementdepartment (Hoogheemraadschap), the Federation of Animal Ambulances, Dierenmeldpuntand various other institutions and groups

Most recent developments (on top):

• KUG Hoorn needs more Lifelines! We are now calling and writing as many cruiseliners, ferries and boating facilties as we can with our request
• KUG aka Feline Lifelines introduced itself nationwide on 27th November 2010, during the annual congress of the Federation of Animal-Ambulances. This was a great opportunity to exchange information and knowledge of a problem we both encounter just too often (drowned cats).
• a new city has started its own Feline Lifeline group, Hoorn, after more than twelve cats drowned in over just a month time, starting October 2010. They have started to fix the lifelines onto their canalwalls in January 2011.
• there are various informationleaflets available online, for locals who (might) want to start their own Kat uit de Gracht, and for councils and other officials, who have to approve of the feline lifelines.
• on the 19th of August, a TV crew filmed our neighbourhood because of Feline Lifelines. It was broadcast on Dutch TV, Nickelodeon Network on the 1st of October 2010 (see the mediapage for a link
• as a result of the article in Majesteit two volunteers in the city of Delft started following our guidelines and began their own feline lifeline-group!
• we also received 200 metres of sturdy boatingrope from Fugro, a major marine contractor
• in June/July 2010 we featured in a big article (4 pages in full colour) in Majesteit, a glossy magazine especially for cats and their owners
• we launched an information-flyer on the 3rd of June 2010, containing amongst others a 'mindmap', explaining step by step how to set up your own 'feline lifeline-system' in your city
• from March onwards we received a couple of more requests from other cities for help: they would like to start their own 'feline lifeline' activies there as well: Delft, Edam, Amersfoort and Groningen.
• in March 2010 we launched the 'meldingspagina', through which everyone can report 'wet' cats in the Leiden area. With the help of these reports, we can pinpoint where new feline lifelines are needed most urgently (and maybe take away the reason why cats fall into the water locally)
• we also received 3000 euros form our local council to support our activities
• in March 2010 we went to meet our new rope-distributor, Touwhuis.com in Alblasserdam. He gave us 100 metres of very nice feline lifelines!
• in January and February 2010 three cats saved themselves with a feline lifeline after crashing through the thin layer of ice on our canals (see the picture above)
• in November 2009 we were contacted by another group of cat-lovers from Edam, and their spokesperson from the Partij voor de Dieren from Noord-Holland. Since they have the same high canal-walls as we do, they thought it wise to ask us how we started our campaign. And how we got the council to agree with the plan, because that's a big issue in Edam!

If you need additional information about our project, email us at Dit e-mailadres is beschermd tegen spambots. U heeft Javascript nodig om het te kunnen zien. .

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