About Us
The Cat & Dog Protection Association of Ireland is a registered NO-KILL animal charity dedicated to reducing the suffering of cats and dogs in Ireland through our rescue, fostering and Trap-Neuter-Return, community outreach and welfare programmes.
We are cat rescue, dog rescue working with the local community to help improve the lives of animals.
Founded in Dublin in 1946 as The Feline Club, CDPA became a registered charity in 1989. We are affiliated to the ISPCA and rescue both cats and dogs. Our primary focus is on our rescue cat and Trap-Neuter-Return programme. CDPA is volunteer-run organisation dedicated to helpings rescue cats and dogs in Dublin and surrounding counties.
We do not have our own shelter and all rescued animals are placed either in foster homes or in private boarding kennels at our expense until suitable homes can be found for them. While in our care, our foster cats and dogs are lavished with love as we prepare them for adoption. Our hardworking volunteers dedicate weeks, months and sometimes years to helping a rescued cat or dog become ready for their forever home. We never give up on any animal!
CDPA 2023 Impact
Cats trapped-neutered-returned
Our determined and passionate Trap-Neuter-Return Officers, faced the wind, rain, cold and heat to reach feral cats and kittens. Through our TNR Programme we improved the lives of feral cats by spaying and neutering over 902 in collaboration with rescuers in Dublin, Meath and Paws & Claws in Cavan. We broke the cycle and these cats will no longer have to fight over mates, raise litters of kittens in the cold and barely survive.
Cats rescued and rehomed
Of the kitties and dogs rescued, CDPA rehomed over 413 cats and kittens and 27 dogs in 2023! This would not have been possible without the dedication of our Doggy & Kitty Match Makers, Adoption Application Administrators, Profile Writers, Follow-Uppers and Social Media team as well as everyone who followed, shared and commented on our posts.
Dogs rescued and rehomed
Rescuing such a high number of animals was only possible because of our magnificent foster carers, foster supporters, foster coordinators and allocations team, record keepers and vet liaisons working together to ensure the kitties received the best care possible. Our Bookkeepers helped us keep track of our eye-watering bills and expenses and you helped spread the word and donated to our appeals so we could continue helping animals in need.
Calls and emails answered
It was not an easy road, and while we couldn’t help everyone that contacted us, our Info Admin and Rescue Helpline volunteers responded to thousands of phone calls and emails providing them with information, guidance and support. Many of the people who contacted us were so grateful to learn that CDPA works hard to provide support 7 days a week!
Volunteers trained
Our Volunteer Match Making team recruited many wonderful volunteers and together with supporters like you we were able to improve the lives of so many animals.
We hope you will join us in 2024 to help even more animals and thank you for being such wonderful supporters.
Low-cost spays and neuters
In 2023, CDPA launched our Cat Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Scheme which has enabled over 138 cats from low-income households to be neutered across Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Portlaoise, Wicklow, and Wexford.
Cats cared for across 10 cat colonies
In addition, CDPA Cat Colony Guardians care for 127 cats across 10 colonies and these feral kitties never have to worry about where their next meal will come from!
CDPA’s Trap-Neuter-Return Programme
We believe that our trap-neuter-return programme is the key to managing the over-population of street cats in Ireland. We collaborate closely with the local community to spay and neuter feral cat colonies in Ireland and further afield.
Please read more about the Trap-Neuter-Return Programme here.
Rescue & Adoption Programme
We rescue many cats and dogs throughout the year and our incredible volunteers working hard to prepare them for their forever home. We have many different kinds of cats and dogs who are ready to be adopted. All of our animals are vaccinated, microchipped and, if old enough, spayed/neutered before going to their adoptive homes.
Click here to find out how to adopt a cat or dog from CDPA.
Paws & Claws
We are partnered with Paws & Claws and you can see more about the amazing work they do in Co. Cavan and surrounding area here on Facebook or on their website.
CDPA’s Mission Statement
Our main objectives are:
- To promote, provide for and improve the welfare of cats and dogs through education, intervention and rehabilitation
- To prevent cruelty to all animals
- To reduce the number of stray and unwanted cats, kittens, and dogs by advocating and encouraging spaying and neutering of healthy adult animals to prevent unwanted young being born
- To provide education and to improve people’s understanding of cats and proper care of cats and other animals amongst the public in general, and the young in particular
- To arrange for the treatment of sick or injured cats, kittens, and other animals by veterinary surgeons where these are the property of persons who cannot afford professional fees, or where their owner is unknown
- To provide food and shelter for unwanted or stray cats, kittens, and other animals, to find suitable homes for them and to re-home animals wherever possible
- As a humane solution for community stray cats, we engage in the trap, neuter, and return (TNR) programmes