In an effort to help stray felines find their forever homes, Washington DC resident Kanchan Singh has launched a Kickstarter campaign for her Crumbs & Whiskers Cat Café.
Sharing details about the cat situation in the US capital, Singh wrote:
“Washington D.C. has a lot of shelter cats – these cats live in cages for months, sometimes years, and many never find a home. Eventually, some of them have to be put down.
“Washington D.C. also has a lot of people who are in love with cats. They love being around cats because cats make them feel relaxed, loved and happy. So why do we have so many cats that live in shelters, deprived of a home and companionship? And why do we have so many people who yearn for the company of cats but can’t seem to find it?
“Well, because there’s a gaping hole in the market. Because the ‘you either have a pet cat or volunteer at the shelter to be in the company of a cat’ model doesn’t work. We can’t all have pets – as much as we would love to. Life is busy! We already have so much on our platforms. And isn’t having pets a less extreme vision of having babies? Whoa. NO THANKS.
“Crumbs & Whiskers solves this problem by creating a space that looks like your favorite coffee shop – but with adoptable cats! You don’t have to go to a shelter that makes you feel really sad, overwhelmed, and guilty to get some cat play time anymore. And you can also stop hating your anti-pet landlord and/or your busy lifestyle for getting in the way of cat cuddles. Win.
“All the cats in the space will be provided by the Washington Humane Society and will be up for adoption, but if you are not ready to be a mom or dad just yet, that’s totally cool. At Crumbs & Whiskers, you can get your pet fix but with no strings attached (unless of course, you attach them yourself) and in an environment that is fun and relaxing. Unlike the shelter, Crumbs & Whiskers provides a fun and comfortable environment so that people can feel the things they seek when spending time with a pet – love, happiness, and comfort.”
Benefits of this project would be the following:
- Improved quality of life: The cat café’s team would rescue the felines from their partner shelter, The Washington Humane Society, and would make the café the cat’s new home until they are adopted out.
- Increase adoptions: The café’s environment is considered less stressful, safe and comfortable for all the felines. This would make them much more relaxed and loveable – thus making it easier to adopt.
- More lives saved: By taking the cats, other felines can be saved by the Washington Humane Society. It would also decrease euthanasia rates.
All food will be donated by the café’s partners and visitors will pay an hourly cover charge for each visit. Singh noted that since the initial demand may be high, reservations will be required. This keeps customers from having to stand in lines for long periods of time. Each visitor are an hour long and the adoptions will go through the Washington Humane Society.
Currently, Singh and her team have their eyes set on a location and are in the process of signing a lease. They have also filed for a Zoning Special Exemption and their hearing date is March 24. If approved, Crumbs & Whiskers may open as soon as this summer.
Since its launch earlier this week, Crumbs & Whisker’s campaign has successfully surpassed the initial $15,000 goal and is currently sitting at nearly $25,000 thanks to over 400 backers. It is set to close on April 7th.
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