About us
Fur-Get-Me-Knot is a non-profit organisation (NPO) formally founded in November 2018, but the existing team has been operating since June 2014. Our team is a small group of volunteers who rely on donations to do our work in the Westlake community of Cape Town, South Africa. We are supported by various other Non-Profit Organisations as well as the general public.
Our main mission is to assist the animals of Westlake. We focus mainly on the dogs and cats that suffer from abuse, burns, parasites, starvation, dogfighting, neglect, and over breeding. During 2022, we have sterilised 71 dogs and 47 cats as well as vaccinated 326 dogs and 161 cats. We have microchipped 100 animals too.
The support we provide:
Education
We strive to improve the quality of life for animals in the area that we operate by educating their owners on the correct care, of feeding and making water available and health care (including de-worming, dipping against ticks/fleas, vaccinating and sterilising).
Medical Assistance
We dress wounds, take animals to vets where needed, tend to fly eaten raw ears, etc.
Intervention
We report neglect and cruelty to the Inspectorates for them to act on it. As volunteers, we do not have the authority to remove an animal without the owner’s consent and signing of a surrender form.
Providing Food and Shelter
We feed the animals on a weekly basis. We also collect and distribute donated items such as kennels, blankets, bowls, leads, collars, and similar items to sterilised dogs and cats.
Sterilisation
We have done a census of the animal population and have achieved about an 94% sterilisation of cats and 80% of dogs which is remarkable. Unfortunately, animals do come and go so it is forever fluctuating.
Building Trust / Making a Difference
Through educating and working with the owners over 3 years or so via our previous affiliation to another Non-Profit Organisation, we have won their trust and we now have them phoning/texting us when they need help, which is just wonderful. It is a fulfilling job in many ways, as we see the value of our input, and most of the animals just love us (and the food). On the other hand, it is sometimes hard to see sadness and neglect – but it is lessening with our help, and we can only hope to continue making that small difference to these creatures.
