We cannot let the 300 cats at Michèle's shelter starve!

1. In Morocco, Michèle is almost out of kibble to feed the 300 cats at her shelter... If no one steps in, they’ll starve!

“There are now more than 300 cats here, and that’s not even counting the 1,000-plus dogs we’re also caring for, so the situation is incredibly difficult. The real problem is this constant, nonstop influx of animals...

We’ve already run out of kibble for cats, and we’ve only managed to secure enough emergency supplies to last us about a week at best. We’re trying to find other solutions, but it’s really tough. Every single day, we have to fill hundreds of bowls, it’s by far our biggest concern.

But this is not something we can stop or put off, because these animals’ lives depend on it directly. Moroccan cats are extremely vulnerable and often arrive in very poor condition in our shelter. Without kibble, we simply can’t save them.”

2. A major rescue operation is underway: without kibble, dozens of cats will have no way out.

“We had signed an agreement with the local authorities to support a new animal center, and we had high hopes for it. Our priority was to make sure the animals would be captured, vaccinated, sterilized, and released, which is the only truly sustainable solution. But that’s not what is happening in the end. The agreement is not being respected, so we have decided to withdraw.

Our notice period ends on March 22, and I’m deeply worried about the animals who will still be there after we leave... We can’t just walk away from the animals we’ve been caring for!

We’ve already taken a huge number of cats out over the past few months, nearly 80. And there are still around 75 left on site, so we’re doing everything we can to bring as many of them with us as possible, despite all the challenges involved.”

3. Already weakened by illness, injuries, and fragile immune systems, many of these cats would not survive a kibble shortage.

“The cats we take in are never vaccinated nor neutered. They are often infested with parasites, sometimes already sick, and we are constantly being called about animals that have been injured in accidents...

We handle all the vaccinations and sterilizations, and we do everything we can to treat them, but many remain fragile despite our efforts. We have a lot of cats suffering from cat flu, and even with treatment, it remains a serious issue. There are also older cats, some are starting to develop urinary problems, while others have dental issues and need scaling or extractions. We have to be everywhere, all the time.

I stay alert and I know what needs to be done. I live on site, so I can keep an eye on everything and step in as soon as a problem arises. But kibble is absolutely essential: malnourished cats are vulnerable cats, with weak immune systems and illnesses that become almost impossible to avoid...”

4. Weakened by a difficult past and now living with a disability, Meskina is too fragile to get by without kibble!

“We rescued Meskina seven years ago, along with her litter. She had been hit by a car and was left paralyzed. Despite her condition, she bravely raised her kittens, at first lying on her side the whole time, then gradually regaining some ability to move around.

With the heavy rains we've had recently, Meskina has had a setback, and we need to be extra attentive in caring for her. We bring her outside in the morning so she can spend her day in the sun, which she loves more than anything, then bring her back inside in the evening to keep her safe. She is a very calm, very gentle soul, and she gives us all a powerful lesson of courage.

Meskina cannot fend for herself because of her limited mobility and depends entirely on us for food. Given her history and her disability, she remains extremely fragile and would not be able to cope with a shortage of kibble.”

5. Insufficient donations, no public funding, and crushing debt... Michèle is making immense sacrifices to keep the shelter going, but it’s no longer enough.

“We receive no public funding. None of this would be possible without the people who choose to support us, and I am deeply grateful to them. We have worked hard to expand our sponsorship programme, and it helps us enormously, but caring for so many animals is becoming harder and harder nonetheless. We are not self-sustaining, it is a constant source of stress, and we simply cannot raise enough donations.

As soon as my pension comes in, I empty my account and give the money to the association. Sometimes I panic a little when I look at the bank statements... Altogether, we must be around €30,000 in debt. My vets and my supplier have been incredibly understanding because they know I am doing everything I can, but if I did not pay them from time to time, they would stop trusting me, and everything would fall apart.

I worry constantly. It is nonstop stress, but I cannot look away. These animals are so wonderful, it is unfair and unbearable to leave them to be slaughtered, not to help them. This is what I am meant to do. It is hard, but at least I can still look at myself in the mirror.”

6. Michèle isn’t asking for money, only kibble to prevent the cats from starving.

“I love animals, they are so gentle, and they give us so so much. Every day, I receive videos of the ones who have been adopted, and it truly makes me happy. It reminds me that all of this is worth it, even if I sometimes think life would be easier if I had a little less on my plate.

I am also deeply grateful to the people who support us. It shows that we really are a kind of community, fighting together to give these animals a better future.

My greatest hope is that one day the authorities here will finally keep their promises. That they will act, stop making excuses, and put a real TNRV programme in place. Since 2019, I have done everything I could to help move things in that direction, and I am deeply disappointed that it still has not happened.”

7. By taking action now, you can help Michèle receive 2500 kilos of kibble.

Animal Webaction has a logistics centre in Morocco, which enables us to intervene quickly and deliver kibble.

8. Campaigns launched on Animal Webaction often fail...

When a campaign fails, Animal Webaction cannot deliver the products. The beneficiary doesn't receive anything and the buyers are refunded. 

9. In Morocco, donors are scarce, and there are no foundations or subsidies. It is very difficult to find funding for kibble, many cats are left to starve on the street!

If you know of a foundation or NGO that could help Michèle, please invite them to contact us so that we can put them in touch.

If you represent a Foundation or an NGO for animal protection, please help Michèle's cats, contact us and we will put you in touch!

If you want to come to Michele's shelter to help her or if you want to send her kibbles or a check directly, contact her via the shelter's Facebook page (note: direct help is under your own responsibility).

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