NEWBERRY, S.C. — The Town of Newberry has launched a place for stray cats. It's called, simply enough, the Cat Haven Development.
They are extra large cat houses that look a little different than the ones in people's homes. One of these houses is a 'duplex' with four apartments and other amenities, according to one of the project's creators.
“It has the UV protection shields, they can come and go and see who wants to come in, it also protects them from the wind and rain...and they have two exits and entrances,” says Dee Gauci, mother to Cashia Gauci, who created the community-based project.
The goal is to keep neighborhood cats dry and to help the population of cats have a central spot in the community.
“[Cashia] was in Girl Scouts for 12 years and was always taking care of the cats at the recycling center and she would make little cat houses and get her Girl Scout troop to do that as well, but she needed to come up with something better since there are more so she wanted to do a community project,” Dee Gauci adds.
The Humane Society helps them decide where the cat houses need to go.
Students in the school district help make the houses. "It's one of their projects they learn to design and build,” Cashia Gauci said.
Thanks to the help of everyone, it’s all come to light.
The county animal control says they have seen a decrease in several stray cats coming into the shelter, but an increase in sterilized cats jumping from 586 in 2022 to 800 already in 2023.
If you want a cat house at your home or business call 803-227-9013.