Tattoos for a charitable cause? Sounds almost too good to be true, but that is exactly what has been happening at Galway Bay Tattoos, who partnered with Galway Cat Rescue this month to raise money for the charity.
Proceeds from kitty-themed tattoos and art sales went directly to the organisation, providing much-needed funds.
Founding member and treasurer of Galway Cat Rescue (GCR) Olivia O’Reilly spoke to SIN about the work the charity has been doing since they opened in 2010.
The entirely volunteer-led organisation pursues the overall mission to give feral cats in Galway a chance at a better life.
They approach this goal from various angles – from spaying and neutering homeless cats, to giving them health checkups, and finding forever homes where suitable.
With their work, GCR fills a crucial void in caring for those cats in Galway that are forgotten about.
The charity is essentially ready to jump in and help cats in need at any stage. In addition to improving the quality of life for feral cats through their trap-neuter-return scheme, GCR rescues abandoned, sick, and abused animals.
Additionally, some of GCR’s work begins before a cat is adopted in the first place. Their website provides resources for people wanting to get a cat and invites them to reach out with questions.
By educating the public about the responsibilities of adopting a cat, the GCR aims to prevent them from ending up neglected on the street.
Informing prospective pet owners of the commitment they are entering when adopting a cat addresses the problem of the feral cat overpopulation at the root.
As we discuss GCR’s countless efforts to help cats in need, Olivia emphasised the importance of fundraising.
While GCR receives an animal welfare grant as an officially registered non-profit, over 80% of its funding comes from donations and events, including sponsored runs, cake sales, raffles, art and craft fairs, bottle return scheme initiatives, and sales of a specially designed annual GCR calendar.
Community support and collaboration with local businesses and other Galway-based charities are essential in ensuring they can keep up the important work.
“We can all do something to improve animal welfare, so it’s a team effort. Join us in making a positive change for good for the animals on your doorstep & in your community,” said Olivia.
She described the Cat Flash as “a creative event to celebrate cats”, initiated by the staff at Galway Bay Tattoos, who are cat lovers themselves and keen supporters of GCR’s work.
Molly O’Reilly, who works with Galway Bay Tattoos, tells us that she and her colleagues have a total of twelve cats, some of whom have found their homes with the help of GCR.
While the exact amount raised is yet to be counted, she said that the support from their customers and the local community has been beautiful.
“The people who have come to get tattooed have been fantastic. A local pet shop participated and donated cat trees and other supplies.
“We’ve gotten everything from cash to cat food – it was a major success, she says.”
The donation bucket for GCR will be at Galway Bay Tattoos until the end of March.
If you want to get involved in the fundraising, check out the GCR’s website at https://www.galwaycatrescue.ie/help to see all the different ways you can help.
