Zélia left her mark on her community, within the environment, and certainly in ‘Cat World’
APAA’s Zélia Santos, aka ‘Cat Lady’, ‘Cat Woman’, ‘Helpline Lady’, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Christmas Eve.
Association president Jenny Clarke was astonished at the news. Zélia’s neighbour Jackie (APAA’s Treasurer) found her colleague and raised the alarm. Jenny and Jackie were quick to support Zélia’s animal pets and lodgers who would otherwise be stranded.
“It really puts things to the test at ground zero. When an emergency happens to your kin, clan member, everything seems to be in slow motion.”
Portuguese-born Zélia had moved to her grandfather’s house in the Algarve in 1987 and was one of the very first APAA members and rescue centre volunteers. Her passion, especially for cats, setting up feral cat colonies.
Cat houses, Zélia’s brainwave, were built by Silves Prison inmates. Trapping, SNiP’ing and returning the felines to their colonies or taking them into her own home in the countryside north of Portimão. “Her vast knowledge of the habits of cats and dogs, her almost perfect command of the English language meant she was the true ‘Helpline Manager’ candidate.”
The Association for Protection of Animals Algarve can only thank her posthumously for her work.
“Passionate, dedicated and loyal,” Jenny summed Zélia up briefly but succinctly. “She put in time and emotion into her work. Trapping at dawn. Van loads of cats for sterilisation and very often re-homing and nursing the sickly stragglers herself.” A true VIP, a diamond in every way.
“Often, the official helpline would be blocked. Her own phone would ring. She always cleared the calls, always dealt with every one of them, regardless.”
APAA’s latest Christmas newsletter wrote: “Zélia is an invaluable member of the APAA team and life would be much more difficult for the rest of the team without her.” Writing these words not knowing that her precious 65 years would be taken from her family and friends the day before Christmas. When, in actual fact, the Portuguese celebrate the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem on the evening of the 24th.
Leaving Zélia enough time to conclude business on Planet Earth, she will continue somewhere, in the celestial clouds, her cat colonies and roll back her sleeves with a huge knowing and contented smile. She had left her mark on her community, within the environment, and certainly in ‘Cat World’.
From all her friends and colleagues at APAA, and anyone who had met her and worked with her, Rest In Peace, dear Zélia, you have earned yourself a Gold Star!
Can you help? We need someone to cover our ‘Helpline’ – Portuguese and English speaking. Perhaps we can set up a team on a rota to start. Patience, vigilance and an animal lover helps for a start!
Contact: info.apaaportugal@gmail.com
By APAA
