£176k boost for sanctuary

WOODLANDS Animal Sanctuary has unveiled a new state-of-the-art cattery thanks to £176,000 grant.

The facility at the sanctuary in Ormskirk was funded by a record-breaking grant awarded by Support Adoption For Pets.

In July 2019, Woodlands Animal Sanctuary was awarded a £176,422 grant from Support Adoption For Pets, the UK’s largest grant giving animal charity, to help build a brand new state-of-the-art cattery at its centre.

This is the largest grant the charity has ever been awarded.

The sanctuary, which currently has 165 animals in its care and takes in hundreds of cats each year, aims to provide a refuge and a secure home for animals that require care and attention and are unwanted or abandoned.

On Saturday, July 18 2020, nearly a year after receiving the grant, it was all hands on deck as the team moved the animals into the new cattery.

In total, 49 cats and kittens are now homed in their apartments, lodges and suites within the cattery and 12 resident cats have also been moved over to their permanent new home.

The new facility also includes a maternity wing which has been utterly transformed and enables pregnant cats to give birth to their little ones in comfort and peace.

There is plenty of space for them to play as they get ready to find their forever home.

Amy Angus, charity manager at Support Adoption For Pets, was invited to take a tour around the new cattery to understand how the grant money was spent and what it means.

Amy said: “Woodlands Animal Sanctuary is a truly worthy recipient of our largest ever grant.

“The new cattery is outstanding and it will make an incredible difference to the quality of life of the rescue pets.

“The new facilities mean the sanctuary is able to rehome more cats and kittens, and provide superior care with more space to roam and even a beautiful duck pond to look out onto.

“Seeing the animals so comfortable in their new space was really heartwarming - we applaud the team who have worked so hard to bring this dream into reality”.

Vickie Maude, trustee at Woodlands Animal Sanctuary said: “I can’t even begin to describe how much the grant money means to us.

“The cattery is going to change everything.

“It means we can monitor disease control better, the cats can move around easier, there is more choice for isolation, more freedom when we’re allowed to host fundraising events again and it is also a much nicer environment for our volunteers to work in.

“The grant from Support Adoption For Pets means the world and we really can’t thank them enough”.

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary takes in cats and small animals from all over Lancashire and Merseyside, including rehabilitating between 600700 hedgehogs every year.

If you are from a rescue centre, and would like to apply for a grant with Support Adoption For Pets, please visit: https://www. supportadoptionforpets. co.uk/grant-programme/

To donate online to help more pets in need during this difficult time, please visit: https://www. supportadoptionforpets. co.uk/support-us/ donate/. Donations are also accepted at tills in Pets At Home stores.

For more information, please contact Victoria or Olivia at the SAFP press office on safp@smokinggunpr.co.uk