It’s fairly common knowledge, that over the past year, during a global pandemic, that a lot of people are turning to animals to improve their life and are relishing that they have more time to spend with them at the moment. However, as with everything, there are always extremes and those who take advantage of a situation.
Woodlands Animal Sanctuary have recently taken in 30 cats over a 10-day period which means they are now working with 3 multi cat households. Sometimes multi cat household situations elicit a strong sympathetic response, whilst other times anger is by far the most dominant emotion. In all circumstances, Woodlands Animal Sanctuary will always involve other authorities where necessary and at times this can lead to prosecution. With the goal always being to eliminate the suffering of animals and to prevent any repetition occurring. Support to the owner will also be given if it is prudent to do so.
In this case, Woodlands are also working with Yorkshire Cat Rescue, who will be taking 8 of the 14 cats who came from one household last week. However, prior to these 8 heading over to White Rose country Woodlands will ensure they have received worm and flea treatments which comes at a cost to them. This will then leave them with 17 cats who all need to be neutered, costing £680 for the 17, wormed and de-flea’d as well as being vaccinated. This is without the time spent daily by the team looking after these cats and ensuring they are receiving the best care possible to enable them to be successfully rehomed when they are ready.
This is by no means the end of the cats coming from just these three households, but unless Woodlands can rehome the cats that are currently in their care, they will be unable to help any more. So, if you have been thinking about welcoming a cat into your home – now really is the time to decide how serious you are about it. Because when you rehome a cat, you are not simply helping that one cat, you are also helping the next cat who will take their place at the sanctuary. The phrase Two for the price of one has never been so prudent!
If you are not wanting or are not in a position to rehome a cat – then that decision is absolutely the best one you can make and will most certainly also be the best one for the cats, and Woodlands will certainly support you with that. They are extremely careful about where they rehome to, to try to prevent the cats coming back into their care in the future. (Although they will always accept a cat rehomed from them back into their care should the relationship breakdown.) And so, if this applies to you, please do not feel bad, Woodlands very much advocate horses for courses and if a cat isn’t for you that is absolutely fine.
But if you would still like to support them and the work they do you can still provide essential support to Woodlands and subsequently the cats, by sending them a donation. They have weekly running costs in the region of £4000 and a bill of nearly £700 for neutering is on top of this. You can donate to this cause via their website and with both one off and monthly donation options there is something for everyone and every pocket. Whilst big donations are fantastic and indeed essential, so are the 50p’s, £1’s £5’s etc, because it’s amazing how much these amounts can add up to – you only have to think of your money box when you were younger if you were lucky enough to have one! So please know, Woodlands Animal Sanctuary appreciate every single donation, from the bits of coins that you find in your pockets to the wonderful cheques they sometimes also receive. So if you want to be a part of the solution, take action now and support their work in whatever way you can. The whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.
If you like to feel that you have got something for your money then have a nosy at their website shop which now features the brand new, full range of available Woodlands Animal Sanctuary merchandise. All proceeds go directly towards the cost of care for the animals.
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