WLPA president Halina Thompson.
AN animal protection organisation has sent out an SOS call to residents to help save about 3000 cats from being killed every year at Blacktown Council pound.
The animal holding facility also takes unwanted animals from Auburn, Canada Bay, Holroyd, Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Parramatta and Ryde councils.
World League for the Protection of Animals (WLPA) president Halina Thompson wants more volunteers to implement its recently introduced Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program.
She said the organisation needed people to catch feral or stray cats from areas near supermarkets and takeaway stores, send them to their vet for desexing, and find people to adopt them.
Ms Thompson also wants local businesses to help, saying cats help eliminate rats from their premises.
"Unless members of the community act now, the killing of unwanted cats will continue," she said.
"Our group, with the support of many local groups, recently succeeded in getting Blacktown Council to desex cats and other animals taken to its facility after a six-year campaign.
Mayor Alan Pendleton, who confirmed this, said the council would do more to tackle the problem.
Ms Thompson said Blacktown residents could lobby local businesses to sponsor the program.
For details or to volunteer, email admin@wlpa.org or call 9817 4892.