Fall 2007 APPEAL
November, 2007
Dear Friend and Mau Supporter:
Thank you for your continued interest in the native Egyptian Mau cat, from Egypt. Your interest and support are what keep our doors open.
In the past couple of years, we have already done more than we imagined: we have rehomed dozens of Maus and Mau mix cats locally and internationally and found ways to get cats to hard to reach places (e.g. central United States, Europe and even to Finland!). We continue to try to get cats to rabies quarantined countries like the UK and to Australia/NZ where interest is high but the barriers are many.
We have been advertised in various media of TV (local Cairo, German and Finnish TV), newspapers and magazines (locally in Egypt, Middle East and in the UK) and on the internet (MSNBC and Reuters). Most recently we have been interviewed by National Geographic and are excited to report that a special about the Maus is to air on PBS’ Wild! Chronicles any time as of Nov. 9/07, so check your local listings!
We have also worked with the University of California/Davis with the Feline Genetics Department studying the DNA of Maus and how they compare with other cats. An exciting initiative is in the works to try to compare the current Egyptian Mau DNA with the DNA of cat mummies! We have also discovered the long haired Mau, the Shirazi Mau, which has existed for centuries on the streets of Cairo, and we hope to make this cat as popular and famous as their short haired cousin, the traditional native Egyptian Mau.
We continue to participate in the vibrant community of animal welfare shelters and remain on the cutting edge of developments in this front in Egypt, often coordinating efforts and helping other shelters or individuals rehome their often orphaned Maus. We are a member of the recently established Egyptian Federation for Animal Welfare Societies (EFAWS).
Adopting a native Egyptian Mau was all but unheard of four or five years ago as it was very difficult to acquire a tame Mau let alone prepare it for travel overseas. Although it requires much coordination, time and paperwork, and through the use of volunteer pet escorts, it is now possible to have access to an exotic and historic Mau from Egypt at an affordable cost, and at the same time feel good about giving a home to a needy shelter cat.
Our little shelter in Mokattam, Cairo has grown with now a full time veterinary clinic and boarding facilities, and we have a fully furnished two bedroom suite above the shelter available for booking at competitive cost, for anyone visiting Egypt and who wants an alternative to a hotel experience, a bed and breakfast facility in a quiet residential area of Cairo (see EMRO Suite for more info). We are enhancing the yard around the building to include better isolation quarters and a jungle garden (with thanks in part to our kind supporter and volunteer, Ms. Aida Marina of CA, USA) to allow the ferals (Maus and others) to romp and to enjoy some freedom and safety from neighbourhood dangers.
But can it all continue?
EMRO’s shelter is really only designed to hold 20 cats or less comfortably and we always seem to have 40-60 cats at any one time! We continually get more cats in than we can adopt out monthly and we have to start turning away potential intakes unless they are pure Mau (and not mixes), tame and under a year old, as their chances of rehoming otherwise are reduced. However we are always open to true emergencies for any Mau or for Mau kittens.
We are advertising for a paid position for a full time Office Manager, and continue to exist on a skeleton staff of a couple animal workers, two vets and a couple of part time office workers. Our volunteers (assisting with sponsorships, adoptions, photography, pet escorts and sometimes therapeutic health work for the cats) are invaluable and help keep the shelter operational and functional. Much administrative work is even done remotely.
However, even with all this, we cannot keep up this pace or expect future growth without assistance and substantial donations. Operating expenses, salaries, food and vet care for 40-50 cats amount to over $2500 USD a month, even on our shoestring budget and incorporating volunteers as much as possible. The shelter continues to be mainly privately funded from the Founders' retirement money, although supplemented with modest donations from sponsorships and the donations from other kind hearted people. But, this cannot be sustained indefinately (the Founders do hope to keep SOME of their money for retirement!) and it is hoped that EMRO will become self supporting sooner than later in order to continue to exist. We must get more adoptions, sponsorships and corporate (or other benefactors) financial support to keep EMRO operational and alive in 2008. So we are thus appealing for your help.
It seems our dream of operating a sanctuary in Giza may not be feasible as we are looking for funds just to keep our headquarters (HQ) in Mokattam functioning. Thus we are putting the sanctuary up for rent or even sale so as to bring in much needed funds for the operation of HQ and our current 50+ shelter cats.
Do you value the opportunity to adopt or help a native Egyptian Mau cat? Then NOW is the time to make plans for that adoption or sponsorship! Order a book or CD from our site which gives us a percentage of sales (great holiday gifts). Or, make a donation on behalf of a relative or friend in lieu of gift giving this year…and we will send out a heartfelt email letter of thanks to the giver/receiver. Tax receipts are also available.
Know anyone who can help give donations of supplies, pharmaceuticals or cat toys? Anyone work for a company that recognizes (international) charities and can consider a donation to us this year? Anyone have other ideas that can help out? Volunteer time? Help with fundraising? All ideas are good ones and we deeply appreciate any support.
If we get adequate funding, we hope to slowly turn our focus to educational outreach (for instance possibly create material about the Mau for school aged children in the Ancient Egypt lesson in Middle School). We also hope to help create a tour based around Egyptian animals in conjunction with an up-and-coming Tour Company in Egypt (TBA), and hire Egyptologists for this. Other ideas? But remember our staff and finances are very limited, so anything that can help us build income (to help more cats and stay afloat in the process) is most appreciated and desperately needed. Perhaps you can help us with grant writing?
We anxiously look forward to your continuing support in 2008, and we hope it will be a great one for the cats....with your help...
Here then, to the ancient cat, the Egyptian Mau! We hope you will have the opportunity to become acquainted personally with this remarkable cat, if you haven’t already.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and we hope to hear from you very soon. EMRO's future depends on it. We hope, one day, 'Mau' will be a household word!
Kind and sincere regards,
Gloria Lauris & Ismail Elkholy
Ms. Gloria Lauris & Dr. Ismail Elkholy
Founders
The Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization (EMRO)
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