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Lucia Cockcroft hasn't added a story.
I have been lucky enough to spend time in Morocco over the last ten years, initially for some travel writing; most recently to teach yoga and mindfulness for our retreats business.
It's impossible not to notice the stray cats and dogs wandering the streets of the old towns in Morocco's major cities, many looking (at best) worryingly thin or ill.
It was during a week-long teaching visit to Marrakech over New Year 2018/19 that I came across a kitten hanging out by the Riad in which I was staying. White with small brown markings, one of her eyes was closed and, though gentle and friendly she looked sad and unwell. No mother or siblings were around.
I decided to call her Sammy. The lead picture here captures the moment I first saw her, aged around three months.
After administering antibiotics over several days, Sammy's eye and overall condition improved considerably and I began to investigate ways to help improve her long-term chances. This meant getting her off the streets, to a safe place where she could be looked after and possibly even prepared for travel for a new life in the UK.
And so it was that I was put in touch with Mehdi, a kind, regular chap living in Casablanca who had taken in 40 cats and eight dogs and given them a home in his two-bedroom flat in Casablanca. Without hesitation, Mehdi said he would also take in Sammy.
Today, Sammy is still living with almost 50 other cats and dogs in the Casablanca flat. Mehdi is preparing her, with the long process of vaccinations and paperwork, to travel to the UK, to a new home with us.
However, the other animals he has in his care do not have offers of a good home and are living in a very crowded two-bedroom flat with no outdoor space. They do, however, have a big chance: if funds can be raised, Medhi and a friend plan to move all 45 animals in their care to a house in Essaouira, on the west coast of Morocco. where they plan to build an 24-metre inside/outside enclosure for the 40 cats.
Initially, 11,000 Moroccan Dirham (£950 sterling) is needed to construct the large enclosure for the cats, and a much smaller enclosure for two of the dogs. On an ongoing basis, Medhi needs 4,000 Dirham a month (£300 sterling) to feed the animals and maintain the sanctuary. He had no external funding other than the kindness of friends.
There is no RSPCA equivalent in Morocco; no safety net for the street cats and dogs, whose average life-span as strays is three years. The few people on the ground in Morocco who are running small sanctuaries are self-funded and motivated by kindness.
It is impossible to help the thousands of animals in Morocco desperately needing food, medicine and a home. However, here is an opportunity to help some. Any donation you can offer will go straight to:
* the costs of setting up an inside/outside cat enclosure
* funding food and medicine for the cats and dogs
* helping Medhi rescue more cats and dogs from the streets.
* helping Medhi have the funds to prepare cats and dogs for repatriation to good homes in Europe. It is very rate to find good homes for pets within Morocco.
Any donations will be massively appreciated by myself, Medhi and the 48 cats and dogs - including Sammy. THANK YOU.
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