A VET is raising money to help with a cat neutering project in Turkey. Charlotte Whatmough, 29, of Church Street, Buntingford, will be travelling to Bitez in May. She will travel with fellow vet Sarah Bignell from Kent. After a visit to Bitez in October,

A VET is raising money to help with a cat neutering project in Turkey. Charlotte Whatmough, 29, of Church Street, Buntingford, will be travelling to Bitez in May. She will travel with fellow vet Sarah Bignell from Kent. After a visit to Bitez in October, Sarah was shocked to see an out of control street cat problem and after talking to people there and the mayor's wife, a plan began to form in a bid to ease the problem. When Charlotte, right, heard about Sarah's plans she was keen to be involved in the project. "The problem with a lot of European towns is that they have a different attitude towards animals," she said. "I don't know if we're more compassionate, but the animals over there are left to it. So it's down to British people to sort out the problem." Charlotte said they hoped to neuter about 20 cats a day during the visit before the start of the main tourist season, and while one of them anaesthetises the cats the other will operate. One of Charlotte's main worries is whether they will be able to catch the cats. She said: "There are lots of stray cats because they just keep breeding." However, there are already volunteers in Turkey who will be helping with the project, as well as Faversham Animal Welfare - a charity in Kent which assists with projects in the UK and abroad. Charlotte said they were still trying to get sponsorship for the trip. They are also in contact with the Turkish authorities and the police, and have been given two rooms to carry out the project. Charlotte said: "We are also appealing to drugs companies, vet suppliers, and companies, but already we have raised just over £2,000, and £500-£600 worth of drugs and equipment has been donated." If Charlotte and Sarah come across cats with specific problems Charlotte says they will try to treat them, but their aim is to go back periodically in an effort to keep the problem under control. Charlotte said she would also like to deal with the problem in other countries. With only a month to go before the trip, Charlotte said one of her reservations is that there is still much to organise. She said: "We have still got to liaise with the airline in order to transport needles and drugs. "I am, however, really looking forward to the week-long trip" If anyone can help with the project, or would like to make a donation, they should e-mail Charlotte Whatmough at cwhatmough@rvc.ac.uk or write to the Queen Mother Hospital for Small Animals, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Road, North Mymms, Herts AL9 7TA.