To keep Briançon’s cats safe, a Chatipi will be opening on Tuesday 20 April 2024 at 5pm
One Voice, who have fought against feline straying for years, is implementing three-way partnerships with town councils or drop-in centres and local associations to microchip and neuter homeless cats and release them, while providing them with a wooden chalet for them to rehydrate themselves, eat, and take comfort. The SOS Chats des rues du Briançonnais [SOS Briançon Street Cat] Association, situated in the Hautes-Alpes department, which is very invested in protecting stray cats, has contacted the One Voice Association to take charge of the situation in the town with the help of the Briançon town council. The Chatipi programme therefore means that cats without a human family will no longer suffer from deprivation. The official opening of the Chatipi will take place in Briançon on Tuesday 30 April at 5pm.
Photo credit : SOS Chats des rues du Briançonnais
The official opening will take place on Tuesday 30 April at 5pm in front of the Chatipi that is located in ‘Petit Bois’ on the route des Toulouzannes in Briançon. It will take place in the presence of Mr. Hervé Boulais, municipal councillor responsible for culture, tourism, and enhancing the town, and Cité Vauban and the SOS Chats des rue du Briançonnais Association, with the participation of its president, Ms Jacqueline Gaillard, her vice-president, Ms Dominique Chone, her secretary, Ms Rachel Touverey Praly, and her treasurer, Ms Caroline Vassault. The One Voice Association will be represented by Ms Mathilde Perrot who is in charge of the Chatipi projects.
Chatipi: a lasting solution for the misery caused by feline straying
Chatipi is a plan with the ethical aim of creating areas for stray cats in order to keep them safe while raising awareness among citizens of their suffering and needs. Around twenty are currently being developed. Several Chatipis have been established near residential care homes for the elderly, nursing homes, or hospitals to bring comfort to the residents, and close to schools as One Voice’s goal is to raise awareness about cats.
In fact, young cats are too often wrongly described as independent animals that know how to fend for themselves. In reality, for the millions of them that are condemned to a life of straying, survival conditions are miserable: prey to hunger, thirst, illnesses, bad weather, sometimes human violence… Starting as un-neutered house cats, stray cats are destined for an infernal cycle of breeding, leading to fights, illnesses, and untreated wounds. Even if kittens born outside survive, they are in turn condemned to this life of misery, perpetuating indefinite births.
Sharing out tasks and responsibilities
One Voice, who invented the concept of a Chatipi, provided the chalet, cat flaps, and educational information boards. The veterinary fees (neutering, microchipping, tests) for 15 cats will also be taken care of, as well as several kilos of food in order to help kickstart the operation.
For their part, the town council poured the concrete slab and assembled the chalet, as well as the fenced enclosure to protect it.
Finally, the SOS Chats des rues du Briançonnais Association, already very active in this domain with more than 150 stray cats being neutered yearly, will ensure that the health of the feline population living in the Chatipi will be monitored and will be in charge of trapping, feeding, long-term veterinary fees, and cleaning the chalet. In total, around fifteen cats should benefit from the Briançon Chatipi.
The website dedicated to the Chatipi programme was launched at the beginning of March 2022 and gives a lot of information on this educational programme on cats. Sign our petition calling for an urgent plan for feline straying.