Campaigners have raised fears for animal welfare after the permanent closure of Dundee Cats Protection centre was confirmed.
The centre on Foundry Lane shut temporarily in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.
It had been hoped it would eventually reopen but the charity says the cost of bringing it up to standard is too much, and has confirmed it will close permanently.
The centre opened in 1986 and regularly took in between 400 and 500 stray cats every year.
Fears over impact of centre closure
As well as rehoming the animals, Cats Protection also provided veterinary treatment, vaccinations and neutering.
Since the Covid closure, other local groups have stepped in to help care for cats in the city.
But there are fears those organisations will struggle to maintain the workload – leading to more stray and pregnant cats on the streets.
A spokeswoman for the national Cats Protection charity, said: “The Dundee centre has been closed since October 2020.
“It was hoped that it would eventually reopen but the cost to bring it up to the standard of a modern, purpose-built adoption centre is sadly not feasible in the current economic climate.”
She added: “I do understand this update is sad to hear, however we will continue to support cats in the area via surrounding branches and adoption centres where possible.”
Closure ‘unfair on cats and people of Dundee’
Nicky Beaton, who runs the Missing Pets, Dundee and Angus Facebook page, says she is “gutted” to learn of the permanent closure.
She says that groups including Arbroath Cats Protection and Angus Cat Rescue in Arbroath have helped in recent months, but that may not be a long-term solution.
She said: “This is now going to be very hard for both these groups.
“This is all such a mess and is unfair to the stray cats still desperate for help and the people of Dundee.
“Arbroath is also too far for folk to travel in the current economic climate to get help with rehoming their cat, and that will only get worse – possibly resulting in more strays being out on the streets.”
Angus group will ‘struggle’ to take on extra work
Angie Smith from Angus Cat Rescue said: “This is a major blow.
“We are self-funding and it would be very hard for us to continue to pick up from the permanent closure of the Dundee centre.
“We are still seeing the effects of the centre being closed during Covid. Our fear is that there will end up being more stray cats and unneutered cats than ever.
“We always ensure cats are vaccinated and neutered before we rehome them and we will struggle to be able to do that going forward with an increased amount of cats coming our way.”
- Anyone in need of advice can call the national Cats Protection helpline on 03000 121212.
