Photos: Catalan cat shelter gets smart to help COVID-19 orphans

Cat sanctuary El Jardinet dels Gats launches online campaign to get them adopted

Last updated: October 27, 2020 | 17:34

Reuters and Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

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Barcelona: Overflowing with aging cats who lost their owners to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barcelona's cat sanctuary El Jardinet dels Gats has launched an online campaign to get them adopted.

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As cats of all colours, shapes and sizes basked in autumn sunshine in the courtyard, shelter owner Alex Salvador was shooting an advertisement for "Whatever you can afford" donations on a smartphone, broadcast live on Instagram.

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"The COVID situation has brought us older cats, cats in quite severe physical states, from elderly people who had not taken them to the vet for a long time, so the costs are very high," the 43-year-old Salvador said.

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The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of onsite fundraising events and cut the incomes of existing donors, but the online drive has been a success, Salvador said, a restyled World War Two "We Can do It" poster with a cat in overalls hanging behind her.

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"We have adapted everything, the interviews for the adoptions, the interviews for the foster homes, the interviews for volunteers," said Salvador, whose late parents founded Jardinet 12 years ago.

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The epidemic has also brought in new volunteers.

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"Since I'm working from home, I work remotely in sales, I need to get out a little bit. Coming here to Jardinets helps a lot," said Andreas Schaedler, 33, a Swiss who lives in Barcelona.

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Some cats also like to help with the integration process, like four-year-old street-born Zipi who shows new arrivals how to respond to stroking and offers of food.

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"He has become the king of Jardinet, we are all in love with him," Salvador said.

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Street-born cats are pictured inside of El Jardinet dels Gats (Cats' Garden), which is a cat shelter in the Raval district.

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A street-born cat is seen on a slide.

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Shelter owner of cats, Alex Salvador, does a broadcast live on Instagram of a street-born cat, newly arrived.

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