Animal Rescue with Marion Garnett

Dedicated animal expert Marion Garnett, founder of the Ealing Animal Charities Fair, continues her column

CAN you remember what you were doing four years ago? I certainly wouldn’t think you were concerned about social distancing and whether or not you could risk going to the shops. We’ve come a long way since then. And Chunky Chops has come a long way too.

Four years ago, I visited the RSPCA Southall Cat Adoption Centre and can remember writing about Chunky Chops. He had watched me closely for the whole time I was stood outside his pod making a few notes on how he came to be there. And, sad notes they were too.

Originally, he had a home but his owner died. From September 2015 until February 2016, Chunky Chops lived outside his old home, unable to get in, getting what food he could from locals. It wasn’t until he developed an infected wound on his head that he was taken into the care of the RSPCA.

The reason I’m telling you this, is because, quite unexpectedly, I recently received a message from his new owner to let me know that, four years ago, after seeing the column, she went to the Adoption Centre and adopted him and it was now the fourth anniversary of his arrival. And, what a happy life they have had together for the past four years. Renamed Rodney, he lives in the country and is very loving. As she wrote to me, he was asleep on the bed.

Hopefully, a similar happy life is in store for Stocky, one of the Adoption Centre’s current residents. The manager of the centre, Bev Leavy, says Stocky is obsessed with food. Possibly because he was a stray and knows what it’s like to be hungry.

He’s a loving boy who wants to be around people. He’s best suited for a home with older children and no other pets. Because of the Covid-19 crisis, the adoption centre is closed to the public but if you’re interested in homing Stocky, go to rspca.org.uk to see his details and then click on the Adoption Process link to see the new process for rehoming cats during the pandemic.

In order to guard against our pets experiencing what Chunky Chops went through when he was shut outside his home for several months, don’t forget the RSPCA have a Home for Life scheme whereby if your pet outlives you, the RSPCA will care for them and do all they can to find them a new home. For scheme details including how to join, see rspca.org.uk.