Animal charity is under pressure
Manager of Animals in Need Annie Marriott pictured with just a few of the animals looking for new homes. The centre is almost full to capacity with unwanted and injured pets.
An animal charity says it is under increasing pressure because fewer people are rehoming pets and other rescue centres are closing.
Volunteers at Animals in Need, and its sister charity Maxicare, in Little Irchester, say January is normally a good month for rehoming but this year very few people came forward to adopt animals.
They are appealing to anyone who is considering taking on an animal to come to its centre.
Charity founder Roy Marriott said: “We’ve been hit by the closure of a rabbit rescue centre in Northampton which is now only doing boarding.
“A lot of people have come to us because they couldn’t go there – we took in 13 rabbits in just one day last week.
“Other charities in Oxford and Swindon have also closed recently and we’ve been asked to take on some of their animals.”
Normally the charity would expect to rehome about 100 domestic pets during a typical January but this year it only rehomed about 70. On top of the other animals already in its care it also took in a further 22 dogs, 24 cats and about 40 rabbits.
Annette Marriott, also of Animals in Need, said: “We’ve got about 63 dogs at the centre and a further six in foster homes and more than 50 rabbits. We’ve got so many rabbits we’ve got nowhere else to put any more. Rehoming has been really slow this year. I’d urge anyone who is considering adopting an animal to come to see us.”
The charity does not rehome dogs to families with children under five as it does not know the history of all the dogs because some come from the pound.
It has also launched an appeal for donations of indoor rabbit hutches.
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