The RSPCA in Orange is urging people not to surrender cats or kittens at the facility due to the temporary closure of its cattery.
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RSPCA Orange manager Rita Perkons said the facility is closing the cattery building until about January 19 so the animal welfare centre will not accommodate any cats or kittens in that time.
Ms Perkons said the closure is due to the installation of new flooring.
“It’s a major renovation for us and it’s an upgrade, which is terrific,” Ms Perkons said.
She said the shelter was fairly dated and was built about 40 years ago and the cattery building was built 30 years ago.
It will make hygiene and cleaning much, much easier.
- RSPCA Orange manager Rita Perkons
“It never had proper flooring,” Ms Perkons said.
She said floor in the cattery has always been rough concrete and it used to be hosed out, which could cause mold in bedding, but once more electronics and power cords were required that practice had to stop and instead workers mopped the floor.
Ms Perkons said mopping wasn’t ideal, the roughness of the concrete made it hard to clean and it captured more dirt, dust and could harbour disease.
She said because it was harder to mop it was also bad for workers’ backs.
To upgrade the flooring she said heavy duty linoleum, such as that used in veterinary clinics, will be installed to bring the facility up to current standards.
“It will make hygiene and cleaning much, much easier,” Ms Perkons said.
She said anyone who has cats or kittens they need to surrender should take them to Canobolas Family Pet Hospital, which is also the drop-off location where people should take stray dogs.
In the lead up to the closure Ms Perkons said five animals were placed into foster care on Friday and foster carers were also being sought for another nine cats and kittens.
On Saturday, employees from Flight Centre in Orange will also volunteer their time to remove bedding, food and water bowls and kitty litter.
“They want to do a bit of corporate responsibility they want to help me empty the cattery,” Ms Perkons said.
Removalists will arrive on Tuesday to take out the steel cages and work is due to start on the flooring installation on Thursday.
She said the project was made possible due to a donation from Orange Credit Union, private donations from Orange residents and RSPCA NSW.
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