Many of Morocco’s cats are heavily neglected. In a coastal town near Casablanca, Anne Heslop has taken it upon herself to improve the welfare of the city’s cats by sterilizing them for free and providing them with food and shelter.
When Anne Heslop visited the Moroccan coastal town of Azemmour, she fell in love with the historic buildings, the wide tidal river and the castle-like walls of its old medina. But life in the Moroccan town also broke her heart. Like all towns in Morocco, Azemmour is overrun by street cats, many of whom are malnourished and carry diseases.
“I couldn’t stay there and not do something,” said Heslop, a photographer originally from the UK. “Sterilization is the only way to stop kittens from being born to die.”
That’s why she started her organization ERHAM (‘take pity’ in Arabic) in 2017 with the goal to reduce the suffering of unwanted kittens by offering a free sterilization service for Azemmour’s cats.
The city’s garbage heap is a well-known dumping ground.
“Moroccans like cats, but they don’t know about sterilization options and what to do with newborn kittens,” said Heslop.
Throughout the entire year, usually reaching a peak in the spring, kittens are dropped at the garbage site.
Last year, the organization faced a catastrophe when 180 kittens were abandoned in one week.
“When that many kittens are together, viruses spread fast and kittens die,” said Heslop. “We tried to move as many as possible away from the rubbish tip, to minimize cross-contamination.”
The organization is currently working on building more shelters throughout the city where volunteers can move the kittens to.
Heslop believes the only solution for the heavy cat population is mass sterilization, and the government plays a vital role in making that happen.
“If the government implements a sterilization program,” she said, “I hope it will work alongside existing organizations since we already have the knowledge and experience.”
In the last 18 months, ERHAM has sterilized 260 cats. Heslop works with a Moroccan vet and finances the organization’s work through donations. Additionally, ERHAM campaigns in the streets to educate the people of Azemmour on the importance of cat sterilization.
Heslop is often asked to expand to other cities in the future, possibly joining forces with other existing animal welfare organizations throughout the country.
“I believe it’s important to collaborate with other associations and all help each other,” she said, “but for now, ERHAM will focus on the cat population in Azemmour.”
This is a wonderful article. I’m here in Morocco and met Anne through a truly serendipitous series of events. Two days ago, a friend and I went to the dump site with her and saw the situation firsthand. It is as you describe. It is my hope to stay in Morocco for as long as it takes to help ERHAM get the situation under control
Thank you for writing about this.
We LOVE you both — THANK YOU for your rationality, sanity and compassion — you are making a HUGE difference in the lives of these Cats — I hope they land in loving homes.
Engage the community — tell the community what you’re up to with the kitties — you never know who can help — they can act as Fosters while searching out permanent homes for the kitties.
Beautiful work you’re doing, Anne Heslop — KEEP IT UP — you deserve many donations from all over the world– Humans MUST get involved — without Human intervention, needless suffering and deaths will ensue AND, we cannot have that — sterilization, caring for cats’ health will help the Cats AND the human community — your Rescue mission is a win-win for all — THANK YOU — THANK YOU — the kitties are beautiful, aren’t they?!
Thank you so much
Can you please help the starving dogs of Aguilar, Morocco OR get someone to help? The officials are rounding up the stray street dogs and placing them in a holding pen with no food or water and starving them to death. The dog are so hungry they are killing and eating each other.There are organizations willing to help but officials will not let them. PLEASE HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God bless you!!! Spaying and neutering cats (and dogs) is a simple solution to an overwhelming problem that would be so easy change if governments would help to provide funds. And educating people to the importance of spaying/neutering is also important but not as easy to accomplish. People tend to hang on to the “old ways.” A lot of our shelters here in the United States spay & neuter the animal before it is released. And, yet, we still have a huge problem with abandoned cats, most of whom are NOT spay/neutered. I have volunteered doing TNR (trap, neuter,release) for more than fifteen years. I also feed, monitor, and provide healthcare for cats that I have spay/neutered. The problem of unaltered cats seems endless, but we keep a positive attitude.
Great that people care.
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Anne Heslop for the great work you do.
Thank you to all and especially Anne, who help these cats that have no families to love them. Sterilization is the best way to keep the populations down. It’s good to know that some people care.
It’s a sad thing because the cats are dumped at the site for three reasons: people don’t want them, too lazy and apathetic to help their own pets, and they know someone is there taking care of them, namely Anne. Thank God for her!! It would be easier on her if people did the right thing, but they don’t.
Vous êtes une belle personne!Merci pour ce que vous faites!
Please send a few dollars or pounds to this charity it can’t continue on fresh air. Thank you.
Thanku Anne for all that you do.
Why don’t you take care of all the roaming cats in your country? DO SOMETHING. Why do other nations have to do the dirty work of saving cats which Morocco SHOULD BE DOING?
DO SOMETHING?
This brings to mind the tremendous number of cats as well as other animal surviving on their own and suffering. We should all do whatever we can to save these animals, small or large, wounded or maimed. We must be their voices!!
BRAVA Anne & thank you!
It matters for every animal that is fed and given hope to live.
We commend you!
Sincerely,
David Aaron
Chicago
BRAVA Anne & thank you!
It matters for every animal that is fed and given hope to live.
We commend you!
Sincerely,
David Aaron
Chicago