Het Poezenbootje, a cat sanctuary that is housed on a barge currently moored on the Nieuwevaart on the northern edge of Ghent (East Flanders) city centre will be staying put at its current location for a few more months. 2 months ago, it was announced that the floating cat sanctuary would be moving after 28 years at its current location. The Flemish Waterways Authority (De Vlaamse Waterweg) has already found a new location for the cat sanctuary. However, the site is not yet ready. The waterways authority still has to install mooring bollards at the new location so that the boot is able to moor.
Ghent’s ‘Poezenboat’ will not be able to move until next year after all. The Flemish Waterways Aurhority has not yet carried out the work that is necessary to allow the floating cat shelter to moor at the new location. The Poezenboot had been told that the move would be this year. The charity that runs the cat sanctuary said that it has incurred 50,000 euro in costs preparing for the move. However, it has now transpired that the Flemish Waterways Authority has not yet provided mooring bollards at the new mooring site.
The waterways authority promises that it will complete the work soon. However, the new moorings will not be ready before the new year. The Poezenboot is having to move to make room for pleasure craft on the Nieuwevaart.
Early next year the floating cat sanctuary will move to new moorings on the Willemotlaan 1, in the Mariakerke area, in the northwest of Ghent. The move is part of a wider plan on the part of the Flemish Waterways Authority to cluster pleasure craft and houseboats. Around 700 cats are cared for aboard the Poezenboot each year. There are currently around 100 cats staying there.