By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
RELYING in their nine lives is not an option for many cats and kittens unless they are lucky to stumble across Ms Maslen.
She has given about 600 kittens and cats a second chance and this week is celebrating a milestone of the feline kind.
The 2nd Chance Cat Rescue is turning four years old and founder of the not-for-profit organisation Daniela Maslen said she never envisaged such success when she started the rescue group.
“I didn’t know what the future would bring but I never thought we would get this big,” Ms Maslen said.
On Saturday 11 July the rescue group of 10 volunteers and five foster carers will celebrate their achievement with an adoption day.
Members of the 2nd Chance Cat Rescue have desexed 70 cats since November and the Hampton Park resident of 25 years said de-sexing is a major issue.
“A lot of people don’t know about de-sexing and that they can get help for it and we provide that help and assistance,” she said.
After losing two of her own cats three months apart, Ms Maslen and her husband went looking for two new pets and stumbled across different rescue groups.
“I adopted a cat through pet rescue and then I started to realise there are rescue groups out there,” she said.
Ms Maslen started her own group a year after a disappointing experience with another cat club where she re-homed about 100 cats.
“I felt the way they were running it wasn’t the way I would do it.
“They were hoarding cats in their own backyards and homes and weren’t making sure they were re-homing them,” she said.
Ms Maslen said she thought she might re-home four or five cats in her first year and slowly grow the organisation – but that was not the case.
“In one year I can get 1000 calls and emails – I just can’t help them all and have to guide people in the right direction sometimes,” she said.
Ms Maslen’s new goal is to reduce cat numbers through educating about cat de-sexing.
“I would be proud if we could get the numbers down to a more manageable amount and to educate more people,” she said.
Watching the beloved kittens improve through her love and care is what keeps Ms Maslen passionate about the cause.
“I get so much satisfaction because I see them go to a good home and feral, stray or sick cats have the chance to turn a corner and it’s such an achievement for you and the animal,” she said.
To celebrate with 2nd Chance Cat Rescue and to purchase a cat visit Best Friends Pet Store in Cranbourne from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 11 July.
