Cyprus’ cat bottleneck

‘We have the adopters, we have the funds, and we have the flights. What we don’t have is the space...’

In September 2023, Tala Cat Park was struggling. Dawn Foote, the founder of the feline rescue centre, had suffered a debilitating stroke. The facilities for the roughly 800 cats under her care were worn with time. Help was thin on the ground. And winter was on its way…

But then, a new volunteer joined the fold. And she had a bright idea. Tala Cat Park had always relied on kind donations from visitors. Why not start a fundraising campaign that went beyond the shelter’s immediate circle, leveraging the internet to reach cat lovers both near and far?

“We spoke to both Dawn and her husband Mark. Both were willing to try anything to keep the Park alive,” says Emma Siobhan Williams. “And so we decided to start a gofundme page to raise money for our most crucial need: replacing the 17 time-worn huts that housed kittens, new arrivals and old, ill, and disabled cats with a purpose-built facility.”

The campaign launched in late August. On September 9, the Cyprus Mail picked up on the effort, and shared the story…

“The response,” Emma exclaims, “was incredible! Within days, visitor numbers had rocketed – people who would never have otherwise known about the park read the article, came to see the cats and offer their help. Donations began to pour in: within six weeks, 60 per cent of the money had been raised; within eight, the park had the entire €25,000! And Ryan” – Emma’s partner, a carpenter who provides the charity with free labour – “was able to purchase all the materials and begin the work.”  

One year on, the new facility is a huge success, and the tireless volunteer team is stronger than ever! The park has more visitors, donations are up, and – most importantly – Dawn is on the road to recovery.

Emma and Ryan continue to volunteer at the park, helping to raise money through multiple channels and events. But now that Tala Cat Park is safe, they’ve turned their attention to another pressing charitable cause: cat quarantine.

“A key part of the overpopulation problem has always been foreign adoption: loving families abroad who are willing to pay all the costs to adopt a Cyprus cat of their own,” says Emma. “But there’s a huge catch to this,” she adds. “And it’s not the money…”

Any cat adopted abroad must be quarantined for 21 days prior to flight.

“Quarantine means total isolation,” Emma reveals. “Parvo, Calicivirus, and URIs all spread like wildfire in the feline community. So after a vet check, any cat that’s set to fly to a new forever home must remain completely separate from other animals.”

This, she adds, is a huge challenge. Especially on a small island.

“Setting up a dedicated quarantine space isn’t just about providing food and shelter. It requires strict hygiene protocols, veterinary oversight, and completely separate enclosures to ensure no cross-contamination. Each cat needs individual care and monitoring, and that level of isolation isn’t something most shelters or foster homes can offer…

“So you end up with a bottleneck,” she sighs. “The adopters are there, so are the funds and the flights. What’s missing is the space to quarantine. And rescuers have to say no to hundreds of would-be foreign adopters.

“I’ll give you an example,” she adds. “Last week, a gentleman from the UK emailed the park. While on holiday in Paphos, he’d fallen in love with a stray. He was willing to pay for everything: vet checks and isolation and flight. But there was no quarantine space available. And there was nothing we or any of the rescuers we contacted could do to help.”

Another local helper Emma knows raised a lovely stray kitten, and successfully found a family in Germany willing to pay all adoption expenses.

“But she was already homing several other cats; she didn’t have the space to take in another. And before she could even begin to look for a quarantine facility, the kitten was run over. Telling the waiting family, she said, was the worst moment of her life.”

The issue of finding quarantine space is little known beyond the volunteer community. But it’s a huge problem on this small island.

“I get hundreds of emails each month both from foreigners who want to adopt, and local rescuers who’ve found an adopter, but just don’t have quarantine space,” says Emma. “So, once more, we’re reaching out to the public…”

Using €20,000 of their own money, Emma and Ryan have bought a small piece of land above Paphos and are building a tiny, off-grid hut to live in. Once they’re in situ, they’ll construct the quarantine facilities: ‘Dusty Trails’.

“We want these cats to reach their new homes, and space shouldn’t be a barrier for the rescuers who’ve worked so hard to find foreign families,” Emma explains. “The quarantine facilities will be offered free of charge to charities and shelters who have already secured foreign adopters. And, to help cover operating costs, Dusty Trails will also offer boarding for private pets whose owners are away.

“But let’s be clear,” she adds. “This isn’t about profit. Any funds from private boarding will go right back into the quarantine facilities. Ryan and I have already invested a significant amount of our own time and money simply because we love Cyprus. And we love its cats.”

Since February, the couple have spent every spare moment digging, breaking rocks, and clearing ground.

“Sometimes, we work through the nights,” says Emma, “planning our visits to coincide with the light of the moon! But it’s all worth it: there’s a problem; and Ryan and I want to create a solution. So once more, we’ve launched a fundraiser. And from that, every cent, every charitable donation will go straight into building and maintaining the quarantine facility.

“I’ve always been the kind of person who tries to do everything alone,” she concludes. “But the Tala fundraiser taught me a valuable lesson: there are people out there who care just as much as I do. With their help, we can ease the immense pressure on rescuers and shelters. And, finally, allow more cats of Cyprus to reach their fur-ever homes.”

You can support the quarantine space for cats at www.gofundme.com/f/dusty-trails-a-path-to-freedom

For updates and progress, visit the Facebook page ‘Dusty Trails’