Help us save Cats and dogs

I have never fundraised before but this time it’s just impossible to stand by and watch what you love disappear. I’d like to show you a wonderful place born of a dream of one amazing person - Marta. A place which is a home to 150 cats and 20 dogs. Most of the animals have traumatic past and require veterinary attention. Most of them literally escaped death.

But let’s start from the beginning. Azyl Mikrusa is a charity based in Czestochowa in Poland. It was funded by Marta Rudyk and despite helping hundreds of animals doesn’t have any government or local authority funding. Everything is paid from donations. The issue of homeless animals is a huge one in Poland and it went out of control when the war in Ukraine started. Thousands of cats and dogs were pulled out of the war zone hoping to find their new homes and families in Poland - Ukraine’s closest neighbour. Unfortunately a lot of them have become stuck for many years in shelters as there just aren’t enough homes for them.

Over the past 3 years, since the charity was founded, Azyl Mikrusa helped over (wpisz ile, bo nie wiem) cats and dogs. But not only. One of the most spectacular was rehoming of 2 servals who moved from a small cage to a wildlife centre run by dedicated wildlife enthusiast Andrzej.

I visited Azyl twice. And didn’t come home empty handed. I’ve got 6 beautifully purring reasons to fight for the place that gave them a chance when every one wanted to give up. Giving these 6 cats a loving home was the best decision of my life. Marta the founder is truly incredible person - one in a million. I wish I had tiny proportion of her enthusiasm and energy. Asked for help never refused. Even more - went above and beyond to assist. Now it’s my turn to help. Now I have to make sure the charity will still be able to help cats and not only cats. And the situation is dire. Unpaid veterinary bills, utilities. Unpaid staff wages. How to pick from a mountain of invoices which one is the most important? Well, animals always came first - their food and litter. Life saving treatments. For many months the charity was at a breaking point and now it’s facing closure. It’s even hard to imagine what will happen to the animals under their care. Can a cat requiring daily medication survive without dedicated care? Can the nervous one who warmed up to the one person of staff after months of gentle treatment trust again after being thrown in circumstances they don’t understand? They have already been through so much. Let’s make their home safe. It’s really doable.

The most urgent payments are:

Unpaid wages £1400

Unpaid vet bills £3000

Food and litter needed for every day care £5000

Stories of some residents

Zorka. Little gentle tabby. When you learn about her past there’s no way of holding back the tears. She had a family that loved her very much. They didn’t abandon her when the war started and they had to run for their lives. Her owner protected her till the end. Zorka was found in her carrier covered with the body of her beloved owner. Her whole family got shot. We don’t know how long she was there but she was barely alive, extremely dehydrated. She found her peace living in Marta’s shelter. She is not offered for adoption and never will be. Even the shortest car trip ends with massive panic attack

Fifi, Amelia and Belek were rescued from a kitten mill. Today beautiful and proud British shorthair cats, but on the day of rescue all needed urgent veterinary care and sadly some of their companions didn’t make it despite great efforts of all team.

Zabka also arrived from the war zone. She survived despite devastating injuries caused by a bomb. An explosion took both of her hind legs. Finding a home for a cat so damaged is nearly impossible, so she is expected to live with Marta’s mum for the rest of her life.

Chorwatek. A cat rescued from Croatia. A kind lady spending her holiday in Croatia was trying to help a cat she met there. It soon was clear that the treatment he needed was complex and long term, therefore she was unable to take care of him. And the idea of getting him to Poland to give him a chance was born. And here also Marta didn’t say no. Today Chorwatek despite all his health issues is the most loving and grateful souls. His adoption prospects are very bleak. Marta’s shelter is his only guarantee for being loved and cared for

All funds will be passed to Fundacja Azyl Mikrusa which is a registered charity in Poland. Details including charity registration number below.

I know the founder personally and the charity workers personally. To say they are dedicated is an understatement. They care for every cat, dog and any other critter that finds itself under their care like they are a family member. Whenever I'm visiting Poland I'm trying to spend a day volunteering at the shelter and even this little time spent with the animals allowed me to get to know them and love them.

It is worth mentioning that the founder Marta Gora was awarded personality of the year in the category charity by a Dziennik Zachodni magazine.

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All the proceeds from this fundraiser will be spend on outstanding veterinary bills and costs of running the shelter.