Cat Rescue Christchurch

Cat Rescue Christchurch Charitable Trust was set up in November 2006 to reduce the number of stray cats in Christchurch. Its main work is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR): it helps people who are feeding unsocial stray cats to have them caught, desexed and returned to where they live, a humane, no-kill way of stopping them breeding. It also takes in kittens under about eight weeks old, which are socialised, desexed and rehomed. Over the years it has desexed, or rescued and rehomed, thousands of cats.

The trust has no shelter building. Rescued cats and kittens are cared for by volunteers in foster homes until they are adopted. Unsocial cats that cannot live as house pets may go to its Barn Cat Program, which places desexed, vaccinated, microchipped and vet-checked cats on farms, stables and lifestyle blocks, free of charge.

To adopt, you fill in the adoption form on its website. If you need help with stray cats, the website asks you to read its Stray Cat Assistance page and FAQs first and then use the stray cat form, because the team is small and mostly volunteers. The trust also promotes early desexing and runs occasional discount microchipping days.

You can help by donating by bank transfer, card through Givealittle or PayPal, by becoming a regular Paw Pal giver, by sponsoring a cat or by volunteering. Cat Rescue Christchurch Charitable Trust is on the New Zealand Charities Register (CC37669), and donations are tax-deductible.