KYALAMI, JOHANNESBURG — It’s a Wednesday morning at the Woodrock Cat Café in Kyalami, but there’s no usual rush. Instead, journalists are doing yoga with rescue dogs and media guests are cradling cats between interviews, experiencing first-hand the grounding impact animals have on human mental health.

The event is made possible by First for Women as another manifestation of the insurer’s long-standing partnership with Woodrock Animal Rescue, in support of the organisation’s sterilisation and adoption work. Today’s Cat Café event, however, was to demonstrate to guests and media what a genuine collaboration can achieve for both vulnerable animals and the people who love them.

South Africa faces one of the highest stray animal rates on the continent. First for Women’s funded partnership with Woodrock Animal Rescue tells a story about what it looks like when a corporate brand genuinely shows up. Rather than offering a once-off cheque, the brand has committed to consistent monthly donations, physical renovation support, and an active drive toward adoption and sterilisation at scale.

“Our relationship with Woodrock isn’t simply a sponsorship but an ongoing commitment,” says Seugnette van Wyngaard, Executive Head of First for Women Insurance. “Our monthly donations have supported the sterilisation of over 1 500 animals, contributing to an overall impact of saving hundreds of thousands of animals. We’ve also invested in the physical transformation of a very special place, the Woodrock Cat Café. This is a celebration of a beautiful, calming space where animals and people can connect and where adoptions can happen naturally. We’re here because we believe that caring for animals is caring for our communities.”

Jacqui Martheze of Woodrock Animal Rescue echoes this sentiment, emphasising the profound operational impact of this sustained support: “Since we are self-funded and have a sustainable income from First for Women, the commitment to sterilise a specific number of animals monthly has provided financial relief and stability. This assistance from First for Women alleviates pressure and supports the animals who depend on us.”

This partnership between First for Women and Woodrock highlights the benefits – both physiological and emotional – of the human-animal bond and the mental wellbeing of both. By promoting adoption, the initiative brings dual healing to “both ends of the leash” – lowering daily anxieties, easing loneliness and giving modern women a much-needed environment to exhale.

First for Women’s consumer pet insurance policy is intentionally built around the ethos that care goes beyond the expected. The brand understands that pet ownership is as much an emotional and psychological commitment as it is a financial one. As such, policyholders benefit from unique lifelines, including a dedicated Pet Taxi service for vet appointments, grooming, and pet hotel drop-offs, a 24/7 emergency vet advice line and comprehensive post-surgery recovery support. The policy ultimately serves to protect the owner’s inner peace of mind by mitigating the stress that comes with a sick pet.

“South Africa has a significant stray animal problem, and Woodrock’s sterilisation programme is one of the most effective tools we have to address it humanely,” Van Wyngaard adds. “Our support is directly measurable. Every First for Women pet insurance policy is, in a small way, contributing to that life-saving number, ensuring our customers are part of a larger ecosystem of care.”

Ultimately, the collaboration underscores a shared corporate philosophy – insurance is about showing up for the rescue, the recovery and the second chance