An RSPCA-affiliated cattery in Kent has launched a fundraising appeal amid fears it might have to close later this year.
The Ashford Garden Cattery, which is run by the RSPCA’s Ashford and District Branch, lost around £30,000 last year with predicted losses likely to reach £50,000 due to rising veterinary bills and a drop in legacy donations.
Around 6,000 cats have been rehomed from the cattery in its 20-year history and the centre also runs a pet food bank and offers welfare and neutering services to pet owners who are struggling financially. Trustees say that unless the centre – which was opened in May 2006 by the late Paul O’Grady, who served as the branch’s president – can raise an initial £50,000 it could be forced to close its doors at the end of the year.
Secretary of the branch trustees Sally Moir said: “Our focus is on providing a high-quality rehoming service for cats, many of whom are brought to us by RSPCA inspectors after being rescued from cruelty and neglect.
“The demand for our services just keeps on going up and up with the big rise in cruelty cases our inspectors witnessed last year contributing to that. We have been full to capacity with cats for long periods of time, although every day we get emails and phone calls from people wanting to give up their cats, while we also deal with abandoned cats, pregnant mothers and kittens that need hand-rearing.
“While our veterinary costs have soared, our fundraising has dropped, which has meant our losses keep on growing. Unless we get an injection of funds, we will not have much choice but to close the cattery at the end of this year. That will be a huge blow to the Kent community and cat lovers from a wider area too who have relied on our services.”
