Reducing the Euthanasia Rate

Cat Haven is an open admissions shelter. This means we never say no to any cat or kitten who comes to our front door.

Unfortunately, this means we receive many cats who may be unwell, injured, or have severe behavioural problems. In some cases, Cat Haven may need to make the difficult decision to euthanise a cat.

Euthanasia is the absolute last resort, and Cat Haven will always avoid it if possible. We understand how confronting and distressing it is for everyone involved. Cat Haven is committed to the Getting 2 Zero Euthanasia Program, an initiative which aims to achieve zero euthanasia of any healthy and treatable animals.

To reduce the rate of euthanasia, Cat Haven provides care and safe shelter through a number of different programs and services. One of these is the Foster Carer Program.

We are fortunate enough to have 1,100 active foster carers as of September 2025. The foster carer program has grown by more than 20% in the last 10 years. In FY25, Cat Haven saw over 3,200 different cats and kittens fostered out. This represents over 40% of the cats that were surrendered to Cat Haven during the year. Many of these cats have health conditions or severe behavioural issues. Without our amazing foster carers, we would not be able to care for all of the cats and kittens we receive.

Our other efforts to reduce unnecessary euthanasia include continuous public education about the benefits of cat microchipping and sterilisation; successful lobbying to improve legislature and policies around cat ownership and containment; partnering with veterinary clinics and groups; and working closely with other rescues, councils and welfare advocacy groups. Cat Haven also continuously strives to understand and implement the best possible medical treatment for cats and kittens who come in to our shelter.

As a direct result of all of the above, Cat Haven is proud to share that our euthanasia rate for FY25 was 8.5%. This is our lowest ever euthanasia rate. No healthy and treatable cat was euthanised during this year.

To learn more about the GTZ initiative, click here.

To apply to become a foster carer, click here.