Collaboration for the good of abandoned cats
Taking care of pets in need is close to our and our customers’ heart. This care extends to wild animals as well. In 2020, we joined forces with Animal Welfare Finland (SEY) to raise awareness and funds at a grassroots level to help solve the cat overpopulation crisis in the long term. The lack of respect for cats has made the situation unbearable, and tabloid newspapers are filled with sad and disturbing stories of ways some people are trying to get rid of their cats.
More than 20,000 cats are abandoned and killed each year in Finland, according to SEY estimates. Globally the problem is even worse. In Finland, population cat term refers to cat groups that live in the nature in addition to pet cats who have become wild after their owners have abandoned them. One of the key aspects exacerbating the problem is unsterilised cats out and about without their owners’ supervision. This results in uncontrolled reproduction, and the cats born in nature become wild and keep reproducing together. These inbred cats suffer from various developmental disorders and diseases.
Together with SEY we launched a campaign for the abandoned cats. By selling campaign products, such as bracelets and textile bags, together with animal lovers all over Finland we were able to raise funds over 150,000 euros, of which Musti ja Mirri’s share was about 60,000. Musti ja Mirri was the main partner in marketing and fundraising.
The funds will be channelled to member associations’ grassroots work for cats. For example, funds will be used in trapping, sterilising, and identification marking. On a higher level, SEY aims to create more efficient networks working for the good of cats. They communicate about the importance of sterilisation, identification and registration of cats, in addition to lobbying for legislative amendments to aid in mitigating the overpopulation problem for good.
SEY’s animal welfare theme for 2020–2021 is the cat overpopulation crisis and our cooperation continues in 2021 as well. The problem is global and will not be solved quickly, but the work continues to make it better.
