Rescue personality: Jackie Bower
Jackie Bower has been involved in cat rescue for over 35 years and in 1991, she set up Black Cat Rescue, in Selby, North Yorkshire.
The property Jackie lives in is called Black Cat Bungalow and the pane of glass in the front door is of a black cat and this is where the rescue’s name originated. Jackie describes herself as:“A one woman band and a retired one at that, whose cats are her life and keep her going through the difficult times.”
The last few months have been incredibly tough for Jackie as her husband,Warwick, who she had been with for 46 years, passed away last year.While coping with the loss of her husband, she also found the rescue struggling financially.The 20th anniversary could not be celebrated due to Covid restrictions but in October, the rescue did host its first fundraising and celebration event since February 2020.
Jackie’s supporters have rallied round for her, whether that be donations towards the rescue’s veterinary bills (which Jackie posts online for transparency), dropping off boxes of food, or making up hampers to raise money. She has very loyal volunteers who have helped out at every fundraising event and she said:“Without them, I would not have made it to 20 years. People have been very kind when any appeals go out. Making ends meet is a struggle and a worry, and I am so very grateful for any support I receive.At times, I am blown away by people’s kindness.”
Jackie often receives calls from members of the public wanting a specific-coloured cat and who don’t appear to be bothered about the personality or temperament — it is the colour they want. She says a couple of people even wanted the colour of the cat to match the furniture!
There was a huge amount of interest for a Ragdoll named Looby Loo but behind her beauty was a lot of health problems. Likewise with Luis, aged 6 ,and Ginge, aged 9, who came into the rescue as their owner suffered from serious allergies. Jackie promised the owner that they would only be rehomed together and while Luis, the white cat, received a lot of interest, people were put off by Ginge’s age.
Jackie mainly takes in cats who are more difficult to be rehomed. She said:“I always do my best by them and it doesn’t matter how long it takes to find the right home. I try to provide a home from home environment.
I take the time to get to know the people who contact me before inviting them to the rescue as it is so important that I find the right home for the cat.”
● For more information, please visit their Facebook page: Black Cat Rescue – N Yorks.