Client Case Study: Cat Haven

For over 20 years, Therian has been a leader in designing and equipping animal shelters, council pounds, veterinarians and pet resorts with innovative, high-quality solutions. From state-of-the-art shelter layouts to durable animal housing and cutting-edge equipment, we create spaces that prioritise animal and staff welfare, workflow efficiency, and operational excellence. Our expertise ensures that animal shelters have the best facilities to provide safe, comfortable environments for the animals in their care.

One of our many animal shelters clients are Cat Haven, in Perth, Western Australia. We were delighted to work with CEO Roz Robinson and the team at Cat Haven, to deliver an outstanding facility designed and fitted out to improve their operations as an open-admission feline shelter of excellence.

“What we appreciated most about working with Therian is their wealth of experience and professionalism. Together we delivered an amazing cat shelter and cat management facility.”

~ Nicole Bishop – President, Cat Haven Committee of Management

Project Details

DATE

2012

CLIENT

Cat Haven

PROJECT TYPE

Animal Shelter & Veterinary Hospital

Cat Haven is Western Australia’s largest shelter for lost, homeless, and abused cats. For over 60 years, they have been giving cats a second chance at finding a loving home and providing essential veterinary treatment for them. As the state’s only open-admission cat shelter, they accept every cat presented. Cat Haven cares for between 8000-9000 cats every year, with approximately 91% being successfully rehomed. Prior to working with Therian, the shelter had limited space and intake capacity, with very open runs next to eachother.

“We had a 20 cage type set up for the cats in here and it was just fraught with issues, because once a cat sneezed, every cat in the whole of the shed would sneeze, or if someone touched a cat that had ringworm, it would be transmitted all the way through … cat flu was our biggest problem in here.”

-Roz Robinson, CEO, Cat Haven

Therian was engaged by Cat Haven to provide architectural concept designs & to fit out various areas of the shelter with cat housing, particularly Therian Ventilated Cat Condos. In addition to the need to reduce disease transmission, one key challenge was ensuring the organisation could continue to operate during the fit out. Therian addressed this by providing a temporary veterinary facility and modifying existing cat holding areas to accommodate additional cats.

Our team provided expert advice on animal flow, disease control management, and human movement, while facilitating other site visits for stakeholders to explore innovative housing solutions. Through collaborative workshops with key stakeholders, including the Cat Haven Board and management, we streamlined the process, ensuring a smooth transition from concept to completion.

Therian provided various equipment and animal housing throughout the shelter including:

• 52 Therian Ventilated Cat Condos with ISFM Gold Standard for >24hrs
• 16 cat runs and 8 cat towers
• Increase from 5 to 18 isolation enclosures for onsite feline ringworm treatment
• A veterinary flat top surgery table
• Easy-to-clean fibreglass cages in the onsite vet clinic

Despite previously having up to 30% of cats within the facility infected with cat flu, once the architectural and fitout changes were complete, Therian’s Ventilated Cat Condos were installed and were a “complete game changer”. The rate of cat flu within Cat Haven fell to zero “overnight”.

“Cat ‘flu was rampant throughout the shelter and as an airborne virus impossible for us to control. Since installing Therian Cat Condos cat ‘flu and similar transmissible illnesses have been reduced to zero. We couldn’t believe the difference the condos made. Each is its own little quarantine station.”

-Roz Robinson, CEO, Cat Haven

Therian’s project delivery brought significant benefits to Cat Haven, including improved feline welfare standards and increased capacity across all cat housing and holding areas, with the feline amnesty area doubling in size. The new design also provides cats with greater privacy and a quieter, more peaceful environment, reducing stress and leading to better outcomes.

Cat Haven was awarded the 2020 annual national JetPets Companion Animal Rescue Awards, Outstanding Animal Shelter after being finalists in 2019. Judge Tim Vasudeva, said the judges were extremely impressed with Cat Haven’s approach to animal management from a medical and best-practice sheltering perspective. Also commenting on how Cat Haven have managed to get to a very low euthanasia rate and very high adoption rate by being focused on length of stay and best-practice disease management.

“The team at Therian have been second to none on delivery of the service … there is always someone there to provide support for you … and the service was impeccable. We felt absolute confidence in Therian, that they would deliver for us, that we would get world-class cat condos, and that there would be aftercare as well. They’ve delivered on everything.

I’d recommend Therian in a heartbeat to any vet clinic or shelter. Without a doubt, for me, there is only one-stop-shop when it comes to animal welfare units and that would be Therian.”

-Roz Robinson, CEO, Cat Haven

Therian’s Ventlated Cat Condos are backed by decades of research, and designed in collaboration with leading Cat Behaviourists. Therian’s Cat Condos streamline workflow with a thoughtfully engineered design, providing an easy access layout that simplifies feeding, cleaning and caring for cats.

Developed with industry, Therian Ventilated Cat Condos benefit animal facilities through:

• Optimal Airflow for Superior Air Quality: Active ventilation ensures a continuous flow of fresh air, promoting a healthier environment for cats through odour control and minimising the spread of airborne viruses and bacteria within any environment.
• Enhanced Cat Wellbeing: Thoughtfully designed to reduce stress with separate resting and litter areas, providing cats with the privacy and comfort essential to their wellbeing.
• Improved Workflow Efficiency: smooth surfaces and thoughtful design make cleaning and sanitisation quick and efficient, reducing cross-contamination.

Therian Ventilated Cat Condos are available in several models, and are customisable with different finishes, colours and configurations to suit your needs. All models meet the ISFM Gold Standards and exceed animal welfare regulations, making our condos a trusted and reliable choice for veterinary, boarding, shelter and animal care facilities.

We also offer Therian Modular Cat Condos and CASCO WellKennels Cat Condos. Learn more about our cat housing solutions.

Therian is a leading supplier of animal care equipment and animal facility architectural solutions, working with shelters and council rehoming centres, veterinary practices, pet resorts and more across Australia and South-East Asia. Our range of products are designed to meet the unique needs of animal care facilities, ensuring functionality, durability, and comfort for both animals and caregivers. From innovative veterinary equipment and Fear-Free® and ISFM-accredited animal housing, to automated veterinary inventory management technology.

Visit our website to explore our solutions, or contact us discuss how we can work with you to design and fitout your facility for improved workflow efficiency, staff and animal wellbeing, and future growth.

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