Our History
In the early 2000s, long before Waiuku Colony Cat Rescue was officially registered as a charity in 2008, Zoe, our rescue founder was loading her groceries into the car at the old New World carpark when she spotted a cat in a terrible state. It had no tail, was limping, and clearly needed help. As she put out some food, more cats began to appear from the shadows. She started coming back every night to feed them.
Not long after, word got out and Zoe was the person to call if you found a cat or kitten that needed help.
What followed was tough. Rescue is raw, emotional, stressful, and heartbreaking. Some people want to help, others make things harder. Vet bills were constant, usually coming out of Zoe's own pocket. She spent many weekends standing outside the local supermarket, doing sausage sizzle fundraisers just to keep going.
Over the years, a few remarkable women became an invaluable source of support to Zoe and the work she was doing. In 2008, a committee was formed, and the rescue was officially registered as a charity, giving Waiuku's colony cats a formal voice and support system.
In June 2022, Ally found a tiny, angry, starving kitten huddled at her door. That kitten, now named Trixie, changed everything. In June 2022, a tiny, furious, and starving kitten appeared on Ally's doorstep. That kitten, now known as Trixie, became the turning point. She opened Ally's eyes to the harsh reality so many cats endure, and from that day on, Ally knew she'd found her purpose.
Later that year, Ally stepped in to take the reins, allowing Zoe a well-earned break from the day-to-day running of the rescue.
These days, Ally is supported by an incredible woman named Marlene, who works alongside her as a steady, reliable right hand wo-man (and sometimes the left one too). Marlene is one of the most selfless and quietly hardworking people you could hope to meet, and her help behind the scenes plays a huge part in keeping things running smoothly.
Today, Waiuku Colony Cat Rescue is powered by a fantastic team of around 20 amazing volunteers, some who feed our colony cats, some who foster, some who help with trapping, and others who handle the much-needed admin work behind the scenes. Together, we help around 350 cats each year.
What makes our rescue unique is our roots. Waiuku is a very small remote town. We're part of our community. Whether we're in New World or at the bakery, it's not unusual for someone to stop us and say, “We adopted our cat from you!” or to ask for help desexing cats!
Our goal is to keep to that original plan of desexing, caring for and feeding the colony cats of Waiuku. As well as saving as many animals as possible, to end the suffering of hungry and sick cats and kittens, and to provide them with vet care, nourishment, and refuge until they can be adopted into loving homes.