Sanctuary moves

New home for “Handicats” takes shape

"Cat mom" Bettina Bernadowitsch wants to move with her fosterlings in the summer.(Bild: Jürgen Radspieler)

The "Katzenhoffnung Steiermark" sanctuary can no longer be run at its current location. A new home for the special felines is currently being built - but donations are still needed. 

"Cat mom" Bettina Bernadowitsch has no time to catch her breath at the moment: In addition to sacrificially caring for her 50 "Handicats" - cats in need of care, many of them paralyzed and incontinent - the Styrian is currently converting a house into a new sanctuary. As reported, Bernadowitsch is no longer allowed to run an animal shelter at the previous location in Söding-St. Johann following a legal dispute with a disgruntled neighbor.

Conversion work has been underway at the new location in Mooskirchen since November.(Bild: zVg)

Cat lady "Pompoline" is diligently helping with the building supervision.(Bild: zVg)

This is what the new extension for the cats will look like, the outdoor enclosure will be more than twice as big as at the old location.(Bild: Alfred Wolf Architekt)

Bureaucratic hurdles are inevitable
But despite all the adversity, giving up is not an option for the animal rights activist: the flagship project will continue at a new location in the neighboring municipality of Mooskirchen. "The renovation has been underway since November and is progressing well," says Bernadowitsch. The new extension for the cats cannot start yet because the local authority has yet to give its approval - but the "cat mom" is already used to bureaucratic hurdles.

"I was given a clear assurance in advance that it would work, otherwise I wouldn't have bought the house," she says optimistically. If everything goes smoothly, the cats will be able to move into their new home in the summer - with an outdoor area more than twice as big as before. However, this will be a major feat, especially financially: "The costs for materials and companies are enormous," says Bernadowitsch and hopes for further donations - which will be used exclusively for the conversion and extension for the benefit of the cats and for their ongoing care.

Donation account: Katzenhoffnung Steiermark, IBAN: AT08 1200 0100 3890 5419