What Can We Help With?
I've got a welfare concern
If you have concerns about an animal being neglected or treated with cruelty, please contact your nearest SPCA centre.
SPCA is the organisation tasked with upholding the Animal Welfare Act 1999 in New Zealand. Unfortunately, they are the only ones with legal powers.
If you have no luck, please contact us and we’ll see what we can do.
I'd like to rehome mine or a family member's cat. They're desexed
Desexed cats can be privately rehomed responsibly so we do encourage you to try this first. After all, you know them better than anybody else. Reach out to friends and family and advertise on Trademe.
If the cat has been adopted from another rescue or shelter, get in contact with them as there may be a safety net clause in your adoption contract.
If you are unable or unwilling to rehome your cat yourself, we can take the cat in. Please note, Paws 4 Life does require a mandatory surrender fee of $200 for each desexed owned cat to help offset their initial costs to the charity. There is no surrender fee if that cat was adopted from us in the first place.
Get in touch to make a plan.
I'd like to rehome mine or a family member's cat. They're not desexed
Get in touch to see if we’re able to help.
There is no mandatory donation for owned cats that aren’t desexed but we do encourage you to contribute what you can to offset what the charity will have to spend on them before they’re rehomed (vet checks, desexing, vaccination, microchipping etc.).
My cat had kittens. Can you help?
Sure can! We can take in all of your kittens, and help you access subsidised desexing for your cat if you’re unable to afford it. Get in touch to make a plan.
I've found a friendly stray cat or kittens
The first step is to make sure they’re actually stray. A stray cat doesn’t have an owner or anybody to look after them. Have a chat to your neighbours, pop up a post on social media (the New Zealand Lost Pet Register has a huge reach), and pop them into any vet clinic or shelter to be checked for a microchip at no cost.
If you can’t find an owner, please get in touch after advertising them for seven days to organise a time to bring them into the shelter.
If they are vulnerable (very young, very old, sick, or injured) bring them in immediately and we’ll care for them while an owner is located.
I've found an unfriendly/wild cat or kittens and need to catch them
Unfortunately, due to budget and personnel constraints, we are no longer able to help with unfriendly or wild cats.
Traps are available to hire at Hamilton City Council Animal Education and Control.
Somebody abandoned a cat
Abandoning (deserting – see s 14 Animal Welfare Act 1999) a cat is an offense but unfortunately it happens all of the time.
In the first instance, contact your nearest SPCA centre. It is important to note that language can be important – the cat has been deserted, and you have not fed them.
If you have no luck via this avenue, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help.
I'd like to rehome mine or a family member's dog
Unfortunately, due to budget and personnel constraints, we are no longer able to help with dogs.