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MAUS TO THE U.K.
(Continued from "Maus to the U.K." in the EMRO Spring 2010 Mewsletter.)
Maus to the U.K.
This is the ongoing saga of Rebekah Freeman's attempt to get 5 EMRO Maus from Egypt and into the U.K.! Three Maus are still waiting in France, and two Maus she did manage to bring in were rehomed with a couple of her friends (carefully watched by her). Rebekah has spent an enormous amount of time, effort, and money trying to get the cats as far as she has, and she would be exceedingly happy if her story gets out. I'll ask for some photos or forward some to you from my files once I see a draft up. She hopes to send an update by the fall's edition as she hopes to have them home in the UK by Aug 2010.
Our Story, by Rebekah Freeman (in her own words)
My journey with EMRO started way back on the 1st January 2008,
when I sent an email to Gloria Lauris, Co-founder of EMRO, about the possibility of bringing an Egyptian Mau from her rescue centre into the UK. Like her, I had visited Egypt and vowed to make a difference in the native cats' lives, after seeing how they were suffering. The Egyptian Mau is a breed of cat that is very close to my heart and I am an active follower and supporter of the breed here in the UK. I actually have a silver Mau called Angel, who's name is a testament to the breed's disposition. Completely adorable!
So anxiously I awaited a response, and soon enough one came. Gloria was so kind, friendly and helpful. We spoke about the reasons why I was looking into having a Mau all the way from Egypt and about the possible costs involved. Also about the time and organisation that would be needed to bring a cat safely from Egypt to the UK! A very long way!
And the fact it had never been done before!
After research, it seemed impossible, as quarentine costs were very high, around £1,600 BP and the 6 months in solitary for the cats seemed cruel and un fair on them. Not to mention the extremely long plane journey to get to the UK. So it seemed my dream had come to an end.
However, we then thought about the possibility of residency in an EU country, where we could get their pet passports in place and could bring them into the UK that way.....
So the hunt was on for a foster parent to look after Dino, my then chosen Bronze Mau.
I searched the internet for a few weeks and finally stumbled apon the Wetnose Site, that had info on a French rescue, Le Chat mon Ami and it had a contact in the UK!
So I called the number and a lovely lady put me in touch with a friend of hers called Caroline, who might possibly foster the cats for me for the 6 month residency.
And luckily for me and the Maus, she agreed and we spoke for hours. We have now become the best of friends and I am forever grateful to her for all she has enabled us to do. And for her ever giving heart that has cared for the maus in my absence. When she agreed, I have never been so excited! My dream was going to be a reality!
I found that for the same amount of money to quarantine 1 mau, I could actually bring 5 to the UK! So I decided that since Caroline had agreed, I would do this and if needed, find them loving homes here in the UK!
So, the story of the Chosen Maus:
I had originally fallen for Big cuddly Dino. A very handsome older Bronze mau that had been at the rescue for a long time. He however had a very strong Bond with Rusty, a red mau who has a few issues bless him. He can be a bit grumpy with other cats, but adores Dino and goes no where without him. So when it came to splitting them, Rusty went crazy, stopped eating and really withdrew into himself. As soon as Gloria learned of this she contacted me, and of course I said, well I will take him too. So Rusty started on his rabies treatment to be able to make him ready for travel.
Then Simsim and his plight of being sunburnt and sore, being pure white in the hot Egyptian sun, made my heart ache and I thought well here in the UK he would not have that problem. So Simsim joined the travellers.
And finally both My mum and I fell for Samya's poor tale of woe as she had a very bad eye, damaged as a kitten, that needed specialist treatment to get better, so she and the beautiful Habiba joined in the preperations. My friend had heard of the story and had said that if the girls did not got on with my own pets, they could go to live with her and her little family. So I knew we were going to be making a difference in 5 street cats lives!
Simsim is the white exotic, Dino the big Bronze mau, Rusty is the big red mau.
Samya is the smaller bronze mau and lastly Habiba is the smaller blue classic mau.
The Story continues:
Now that a foster home was secure, we had to establish a way of getting the 5 Maus to France.... Gloria and Maged, the Rescue manager worked hard with promoting their plight and the need for an escort to take all 5 maus to France. Gloria, as devoted to her rescue as she is, even considered bringing them amd meeting me herself!
We were getting desperate, It was now May 2008 and Rusty, Dino, Simsim, Habiba and Samya were in the process of finishing their rabies treatments and ready to Fly...!
But we still had no escort!
Gloria managed to involve a friend of the charity, Julia Dodd, who was due to make a journey back to France for the summer, and after hearing what we were trying to do, she agreed to help. Plans were set and at the beginning of July all five maus were set to leave for France and begin their journey to a new life!
By now everyone was very anxious and excited at the ordeal in hand for everyone concerned, but especially for the Cats, bless them.
I Drove from Hythe, Kent to France, via the Ferry at le Harve and continued my 3 hour drive to near Normandy where Caroline lived. I had only been with Caroline a few hours and it felt like I had known her forever and I knew she would love and look after the gang while they served their 6 month residency and gained their EU pet passports.
That evening, Julia and her daughter arrived with the cats, all very tired from their very long journey. And I, was over whelmed with emotion, it had been a long time in the coming to finally meet the intrepid travellers and to see their gorgeous faces for the fist time, in person!
They had been so brave and endured a very long flight and several hours in a car, to finally reach me in France. I can never express my thanks enough to Julia, her daughter and to Caroline who made all of this possible. And to Gloria, who I am proud to consider a good friend.
Well it is now November 2009, nearly two years on from when the journey first began.
Samya and Habiba travelled to The UK this July of this year, via the port of Dover and the lovely help of Chris Wigzell, a Brit working in France. Samya and Habiba are now very much loved and settled in their new home with a very close friend of mine.
They live with two girls who adore them, a mum who dotes on them and two house rabbits.
Sadly, due to family issues, I have been un able to get to France for The boys Simsim, Dino and Rusty escort back, so have not yet joined me here in the UK, but they will be soon, in the New Year. In the meantime, they are very loved and safe with my good friend Caroline.
I have never met such wonderful and resilient creatures in my life. They have come from the Streets of Cairo, and a early start of suffering, rescued into the Angel care of the EMRO and finally in the last stages of their journey to their Forever homes. You couldn't want for more loving, intelligent and affectionate cats. We all love them so much.
So please read this, other animal lovers from the UK and consider giving one of the EMRO's maus/non maus a new home here in the UK. It is very possible and we are testament to the fact that you can achieve anything you set your mind too! My details are kept with the EMRO and I would be happy to liaise and help in anyway I can if you feel you would like to offer one of their beautiful maus a home.
With love and grattitude to all involved,
Rebekah, Dino, Rusty, Simsim, Habiba and Samya
Habiba and Samya
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