
U.K. Registered Charity No: 1008057


Things to be aware of if you want to adopt

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Saffron helping with deliveries

Saffron helping with deliveries

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Cat Fact

A happy cat carries its tail upright, while a nervous one holds it down low. When a cat fluffs out its tail, it is to appear larger and scare off whatever is frightening it.

There are many tourists and visitors to the island that are overawed by the problems we face regarding stray cats, however the offer or thought of adopting a cat or kitten that they have fallen in love with is NOT always the answer.

When deciding to choose a kitten or cat and taking it overseas to a new home, it is a long laborious and expensive commitment, everything should be considered very carefully before doing this.

Let me explain the procedure, before any decisions are made – this is for the UK only:

  1. The animal is caught and kept in a new carry cage until it can be taken to the vet, if it is over the weekend it could be 2 days!!! Imagine how claustrophobic that can be for these free roaming, outdoor creatures.
  2. It then goes to the vet to be neutered, micro chipped and a rabies injection as a passport is required to enter any other European country.
  3. Take these finances into consideration and you have already paid out 140 Euros.
  4. The cat will remain in a carry case or cage until the flight is arranged and this needs to be 3 weeks from the date of the rabies jab.
  5. We have NOWHERE to keep cats on the island apart from foster homes and these do not normally have facilities to let cats roam freely, in case they disappear or mix with other cats however there is a cattery at 8 Euros per day, add that on and you are now looking at another 240 Euro.
  6. Next the flight, if you are returning to any other part of Europe other than the UK it is simple as the animal can go as hand luggage and stay in the cabin at a much lower price, if not it has to be booked through an agent to return to the UK at a fee of approx £400 – £500 .

I don’t wish to deter anyone from adopting because it is a wonderful & admiral able proposal for people to save an adorable cat or kitten, I just feel the facts should be fully understood -before tourists insist GCWS go searching (at a great deal of time and expense) for the animal they absolutely adore and then they change their minds because of the costs involved.

The complete costings are now approx 780 -880 Euros.

So please consider and think very carefully before you propose to adopt and take an animal overseas, GCWS Rhodes are ecstatic when we see people take these beautiful creatures into their homes, but as you can see we have been open and honest – it is expensive….


GCWS Rhodes cats

GCWS Rhodes cats


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