Our mission & values
Our mission
Just Cats Tasmania is a community-oriented organisation with a mission to advance the welfare of all cats and kittens by:
providing shelter, food, veterinary treatment, affection and security to rescued, abandoned or surrendered cats and kittens
facilitating adoptions
providing boarding facilities, including crisis care
promoting responsible cat ownership in the Tasmanian community through education, training and support.
Our values
Empathy and compassion
Empathy and compassion are the touchstones of our organisation. Our dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to provide care and rehabilitation to rescued, injured and abandoned cats and kittens and it is through this same empathy and compassion that we connect with the wider Tasmanian community.
Our doors are always open to those whose circumstances lead them to surrender a cat or kitten to us and we will do everything in our power to assist those wishing to adopt a cat or kitten from one of our shelters or seeking advice, support or guidance.
Community
Just Cats Tasmania is a community-oriented organisation, working closely with volunteers and the community. Members of the public are welcome to visit and interact with our resident cats at the Longford shelter and the more sociable of our feline “staff” will often be seen in attendance at community events or providing cat therapy to those in need.
We are immensely grateful for the generosity of the Tasmanian community who support the work we do every day through volunteering, fund-raising and donations and we will continue serving the community through the services we provide and the support, education and training we offer.
Dignity and Respect
We treat all cats and kittens with dignity and respect, valuing their inherent worth as sentient creatures. Sometimes this means difficult decisions must be made and we deeply value the compassion and integrity demonstrated by our staff and volunteers every day.
We endeavour to apply the values of dignity and respect in all our interactions as we continue to advocate on behalf of cats and kittens and to promote responsible cat ownership in the Tasmanian community.
Safety and Wellbeing
The safety and wellbeing of cats and kittens is our primary concern, including:
during a surrender
in the shelter or foster environment
through the adoption and vetting process
in our boarding facilities
through our education programs
We recognise that surrendering, rescuing, and rehoming cats and kittens and caring for those that are sick or injured can be difficult and sometimes heartbreaking and we strive to provide a safe and supportive environment for our staff, our volunteers and the wider community.
Members of the public who surrender their cats to us can be safe in the knowledge that they will not be judged but will be offered support and treated with empathy, respect and understanding.
Trust
Trust is an integral part of everything we do. Gaining a cat’s trust develops a bond that makes them feel safe, secure and loved, while trusting in each other’s abilities brings a team together. It is our goal to ensure that the Tasmanian community continues to trust us to provide a safe and inclusive environment regardless of circumstances and our doors are always open to cats and kittens in need even when our shelters are full.
Communication and Education
We take every opportunity to raise awareness about issues relating to cat welfare through face to face interactions, community events, social media, education, training and mentoring. It is our primary role to give a voice to those who cannot speak and we will continue to communicate, serve, innovate and educate to achieve our vision of a community wholly committed to responsible cat ownership.