CONGRATULATIONS to Nugget and Andrew who walked the Belfast Marathon in 7 hours. A very good effort indeed! Andrew was complaining of "giant blisters" while Nugget was only worried about his wet fur! He also lost his shorts during the walk !! (Nugget, NOT Andrew!!!!). Donations are still coming in so watch this space for a final total of money raised.
These pictures were drawn for us by the young people from Tor Bank School who visited the Belfast Adoption Centre yesterday. They met all the cats and made some new friends. Everyone had their own favourite. When they returned to school they drew these fabulous pictures and thanked David and Peter for showing them round.
CAT POEMS
CAT KISSES
Sandpaper kisses on a cheek or a chin
That is the way for a day to begin!
Sandpaper kisses - a cuddle or a purr.
I have an alarm clock covered in fur!
-Bobbi Katz-
CATS ARE WONDERFUL FRIENDS
Gentle eyes that see so much,
Paws that have the quiet touch.
Purrs to signal "all is well"
And show more love than words could tell.
Graceful movements touched with pride,
A calming presence by your side.
A friendship that takes time to grow
Small wonder why we love them so.
-Author Unknown
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE BELFAST ADOPTION CENTRE!
Over the next few weeks we hope to outline the work carried out in the Belfast Adoption Centre as seen through the eyes of those who work there. For our first article we are featuring the work of a cat care assistant.
A Day In The Life Of A Deputy Manager.
My day begins bright and early at 8am each morning. First things first we have a quick staff meeting to update on any news from the previous day.
I then do a bit of housekeeping and give our office and staff kitchen a quick clean before switching on the computers. Once the computers are on I deal with any emails that have arrived overnight and continue to do so through out the day. Our centre Vets visit the centre twice weekly and it is my job to ensure the correct cats are booked in to be given a health check. I take the lead on these days to make sure every cat in our care is neutered, vaccinated, and has received the appropiate care for any ongoing medical issues.
Afterwards, if any cats are put onto new medication, I would dispense this and may need to place an order for more drugs.
I am also responsible for stock control which includes food, drugs and cleaning products. The Adoption Centre stock is monitiored on an ongoing basis and replenished when we are running low. The rest of my day is filled up with dealing with day to day queries and issues with the staff, volunteers and members of the public. My day finishes at 5pm after locking up the Adoption Centre. Ready to do it all again tomorrow!
By Andrew Doherty
A Day In The Life Of A Cat Care Assistant.
Members of the public sometimes ask us "Why is the Adoption Centre only open between 11am & 3pm? What do you all do during the rest of the day?" The answer is - lots of hard work! Here's an insight into the behind the scenes work that helps keep the centre running smoothly.
8am - 11am The cattery staff arrive & it's straight to work, checking that all the "guests" have been fine overnight. One of the cat care assistants is allocated to take to the vets, any cats due in that day. Next job is feeding all those hungry mouths, then cleaning out every pen - with up to 200 cats & kittens in the centre, that's a lot of dirty litter trays & food bowls! As you can imagine, this keeps everyone busy for a few hours. The cat care assistants are also responsible for giving medication to the cats in their care - no matter how reluctant the patient!11am - 1pm The centre is now open to the public & one of the cat care assistants’ most important roles is showing the public around the centre. Everyone who visits the centre is asked to fill in a short questionnaire before visiting the cats - this helps the cat care assistants guide prospective owners to the most suitable cat for them. The cat care assistants are a mine of information about cat care, so if you have any questions they'll be happy to help.
1pm - 3pm After a quick lunch it's time to set off on home visits. Once you've found your "purrfect" companion at the centre (& they like you too!), the next step is a home visit. This consists of an informal chat lasting about 20 minutes in your own home - a chance for everyone to double check that the right choice has been made, & a chance for any last minute questions. Demand is high & the centre covers a wide area of Northern Ireland The cat care assistants do these visits Monday to Sunday, trying to fit in as many as possible each afternoon. If the last visit of the day is near our veterinary surgeon, next stop is there to collect any cats that have been receiving treatment that day.
3pm - 5pm It's back to the adoption centre now, first job being to settle in cats returning from the vets & pass on treatment details to the other cat care assistants. Next is a visit to the office to update staff on the outcome of the afternoon’s visits. Then it's feeding time once again, & a last check to ensure everyone is comfortable for the night.
By Sarah Rainey