More than 300 cats live in the BH Municipal Park today; animals have been protected for 20 years by volunteers | Minas Gerais

Kittens from Belo Horizonte Municipal Park

Who visits the Américo Renné Giannetti Municipal Park, one of Belo Horizonte’s postcards, you have certainly seen, or will see, a group — or “gang” — circulating around the 183,000 m² space. Seen by some as bad-tempered, its members win through affection and purring.

The park today houses more than 300 cats. Many of them were abandoned on site. For more than 20 years, they have been cared for by volunteers, animal advocates. But it was only in 2011 that the SOS Gatinhos do Parque Associationan NGO dedicated exclusively to the protection of felines.

As the years passed and with more volunteers willing to take care of the animalsthe group grew and gained visibility on social media.

With their own resources, the protectors used to buy more than 40 kilos of feed per day. Currently, the NGO has partners and food donations have increased. One of the supporters even offers 100 kilos of feed every month. Caretakers also feed the animals with snacks and pates for cats.

In addition to the care of the protectors, the Belo Horizonte City Hall has been carrying out, for around three years, free veterinary care, such as vaccination, neutering and control of zoonoses, as well as referral for adoption.

With the help of other volunteers, the group grew and they realized the need to split up to serve all the animals.

For this, the park was divided into four areasare they:

• Carandaí Area – Covers from Alameda Ezequiel Dias to Avenida Carandaí and Palácio das Artes
• Afonso Pena area – The entire route that borders one of the main roads in BH
• Dulce Area – It was named after one of the protectors, and covers everything from the Francisco Nunes Theater, Rua da Bahia and the entrance to Avenida dos Andradas
• Irene’s Area – It was named after one of the protectors, and covers everything from the park’s bandstand to the toy area.

In addition to daytime care, a group of volunteers also feed and replenish water for cats at night.

According to the Foundation of Municipal Parks and Zoobotany, two city hall veterinarians are responsible for calculating food. In Monday to Friday, employees distribute and, on weekends and holidays, the NGO’s protectors take over the role.

“With food control centralized by veterinarians who monitor the park’s felines, it is possible to ensure that there is no shortage or excess of food for any of the animals in the colony that live there,” stated the Parks Foundation, in a statement.

You volunteers who are interested in caring for felines personallynecessarily need to be vaccinated with the anti-rabies.