Thanks to the involvement of thousands of cats and their owners, Agria Pet Insurance has donated £13,000 to UK animal rescues this summer.
Almost 7,000 cats and more than 23,000 cat ‘parents’ and cat-lovers joined a month-long celebration of all cats in May, via the Agria CatWalk competition.
The Agria CatWalk was created to highlight the significant issues faced by the UK’s cats and cat rescues and support them with awareness and donations. Far fewer cats than dogs in the UK are protected with insurance, which is often a key factor for them ending up in rescue when their owners cannot afford their vets’ bills.
The specialist pet insurer’s work with hundreds of animal rescues gives them a unique insight into the problems they face. A survey of their rehoming partners revealed that 80% of cats in rescue had not been adopted due to their age, appearance, or disability.
Designed to highlight the ‘magnificence of every cat’, the event showcased how special all cats are – from their unique looks and personalities to their unusual pastimes, with the photo-sharing Agria CatWalk Facebook competition.
Helped by high-profile judges, International Cat Care, ProtectaPet, Your Cat Magazine, and Katzenworld, cat lovers took part to win a share of £2,500 for their nominated rescue every week in May. Agria Pet Insurance also donated to animal rescues with every cat policy sold during the month.
“This fact triggered the campaign’s theme of celebrating every cat. Their quirks and diversity make them the companions we love so much, so we wanted to highlight this, and encourage potential owners to consider all cats, not just the stereotypical ‘perfect’ ones,” explains Tom Vaughan, head of marketing at Agria Pet Insurance.
One of the winning rescues, Assisi Animal Sanctuary, received a £1,000 donation. It said: “This past year has been so challenging and has, without a doubt, been the most financially punishing year Assisi has ever seen, so we are incredibly grateful to receive this nomination and prize.”
Amotherby Cat and Kitten Rescue said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this and so grateful to Agria and our super-supporters – it will make such a difference to our rescue.”
A third of cat rescues surveyed said they were already full, with two-thirds reporting a significant increase in cats surrendered to them over the past year.
