The cats of Kennedy Park in Lima's Miraflores district need your help! The local mayor and government is trying to kill them off.

I discovered this amazing cat city park sanctuary and the group taking care of the cats on a recent trip to Lima. The volunteers are doing a great job without any support of the local government. Now the local government is threatening to get rid of them after more than 25 years. Peru, Lima, and Miraflores is heavily dependent on tourism, so we need your signature to let the government know you support the Kennedy Park cats. Your signature can make a difference to the lives of hundreds of cats!

Kennedy Park (Parque Kennedy) is located in the touristic district of Miraflores and is a popular attraction with both Peruvians and foreigners. It has a large cat colony, comprising both feral and domestic cats. The first two cats were introduced more than 25 years ago by priests from the nearby church for plague control. As those cats reproduced and populated the park with their offspring, people got used to abandoning their unwanted cats in the park, therefore creating the domestic cats colony. The feral felines live in the trees and avoid human contact, while domestic cats let people approach and pet them.

Groupo Voluntario de Defense Felina (GVDF) was created 15 years ago by a group of cat-loving neighbors and volunteers. In 2013, the group’s non-profit status was made official. GVDF's mission is to contribute to improve the cats' well-being, promoting their responsible adoption, and preventing their abuse and abandonment.

The GVDF volunteers are busy:

- Feeding daily the 150 cats living in the park (up to 20 kilos of balanced food per day);

- Regular deworming and vaccination campaigns;

- Permanent spaying and neutering program (about 4 cats are sterilized per week, males and females alike);

- Medical treatment for sick and injured cats;

- Permanent adoption campaign for domestic cats;

- Foster care for recently abandoned cats and kittens;

- Sheltering the cats during end of year festivities;

- Generally ensuring the cats’ safety and welfare.

All funding comes from individual and voluntary donations. GVDF receives no help from governmental or private institutions. The municipal authorities of Miraflores refuse to provide any financial help even though their facilities are located inside the park. The only support GVDF receives from them is being allowed to carry out the group’s activities.

Here are links for more information on the cats and the organization:

Facebook (English): https://www.facebook.com/kennedypark.kittens/

Facebook (Spanish): https://www.facebook.com/gatosparquekennedylima/

Website: http://gatosparquekennedy.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gatos_kennedy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAyvyIlKza0LfE6ByoQ-vLQ



