The crippling cost of living and a Brexit-fuelled UK-wide shortage of vets has created a crisis for Canning Town’s Animal Trust rescue centre, according to its founder Celia Hammond.
By Jean Gray
The Animal Trust rescue centre in Barking Road, opened in 1999, offers a vital range of services aimed at providing care and refuge for feral and domestic cats, many of whom might not be taken in elsewhere because of their age, temperament or appearance.
The charity’s work includes rescue, rehoming, sanctuary, foster care, low cost vets services, neutering and vaccination as well as investigation of complaints of cruelty.
But the last few months have seen demand on the centre’s services spiral and Celia says she doesn’t know how they are going to get through this year’s “litter season” stretching over the summer.
She told Newham Voices: “This is a bleak time for us. Cats are arriving in far greater numbers than we can possibly move out. The number of cats needing a home has gone up massively and at the same time it’s becoming harder to find people who will take them. The cost of living crisis is making it hard for people to keep their pets – they just can’t afford vets’ bills, insurance and all the other costs. We would never turn them away and we do all we can to help but it is getting more and more difficult.”
According to the British Veterinary Association, many of the vets working in the UK used to come from European Union countries, but that number has dropped by over two thirds, a figure that reflects the Celia Hammond Animal Trust experience.
“But many went back because of Brexit,” said Celia. “The shortage means there is a lot of competition for vets and that puts charities in a difficult position because we are competing with much richer organisations to attract staff.”
One result of the shortage is that cats are not being neutered in the same numbers and so the population is exploding with fewer homes on offer. The Canning Town centre has around 300 cats either in residence or with foster carers. One option for Celia and her team is to look at opening offices in new areas. She also has a sanctuary in Sussex where some of the Canning Town cats may be taken.
She said: “These cats can be harder to place because they are old or even considered ugly. We are always looking for people who can open their hearts to something that isn’t perfect.”
As well as looking for homes and donations, the centre invites volunteers but mainly people who have done this sort of work before.
Meet Daisy
Daisy is a four-year-old neutered female who needs to live in an adult home with a garden and no other cats or dogs. She was abandoned at a railway station, but luckily someone found her in the nick of time. Staff at the centre say she has a really sweet side to her and although not a huge fan of being picked up, “is more than eager to get cosy on a comfy lap and nuzzle up as close as possible to you”.
For details of how to donate or for more information about animals seeking homes visit: www.celiahammond.org
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