March News

We took in

8 Rabbits
14 Cats
1 Parrot
1 Hamster
4 Snakes
3 Guinea pigs
5 Roosters
4 Chickens
2 Rats
1 Bearded Dragon

We rehomed

9 Cats
2 Rabbits
3 Corn snake
3 Hamsters
2 Gerbils
1 Bearded Dragon
5 Chickens

Wildlife

138 Birds
45 Hedgehogs

March has been a month of Neutering with over 38 cats either Spayed or Castrated with our support. Many cat owners are struggling financially and have made use of our Neuter vouchers in our local area which is fantastic. We believe that this will help slow down the amount of unwanted pets in the long run as homing of kittens is becoming increasingly difficult.

The average cost of one litter stands around £700 without any medical intervention for sickness or birthing complications. This amount is the extra litter, food, worming, flea treatments and vaccinations. There is also the worry of rehoming and if the new owners will be responsible and ensure the kittens are neutered when they come of age. If you are already struggling with rising costs it is essential that you get help and neuter as soon as possible.

On a seperate note we have recently recieved a few complaints from individuals with our homing policies and personal views. We as a rescue made the decision several years ago to become a mainly “indoor only” policy when rehoming our cats. This was a decision made on the back of seeing the results of free roaming cats. The wildlife being attacked and killed, along with the amount of lost cats is enough to make us believe there is nothing good from being an outdoor cat. There is of course the exception as sometimes it would be unfair for a cat who has lived outside its whole life to suddenly be kept indoors, but if a cat has not know any difference and is provided with enrichment indoors we believe it protects them from danger such as parasites, predators, poisioning, stealing to use for baiting, deliberate dog attacks, fights with other cats, hit by cars and we even have seen cases of cats been used as target practice for air riffles from cruel humans who class this as sport.

We love a cat proofed gardens or a catio which alows safe outdoor time. We understand you may not share our views and that is completely fine, we will not change your mind but then maybe Pawz is not for you, there are plenty of other rescues who will find the perfect match for you. We also only rehome kittens in pairs or at least with another feline companion, it is researched and proven that it promotes social development and leads to a happier well adjusted cat thus making life easier for their humans. We advocate for the animals welfare and believe that our job is to find the best possible forever home for our pets, every animal has specific needs and personalities so they are not matched to everyone, please try and remember we have done this for years succesfully and that your application being rejected is not a judgment on you just that your not a good match for that pet or there was a more suitable application.

Spring has most definitely sprung and we greeted our first baby bird of the season a lovely little Robin we called Rupert. Soon we will be inundated with hungry little mouths demanding food every 20 minutes. No wonder mummy birds look tired! If you are able please try and support your local wildlife at this time with fresh water and some bird seed as it makes all the difference. It will soon be hoglett season too so please continue to put out fresh water and meat in jelly catfood with some chicken cat biscuits.

We were involved in something a little different with our friends at Knaresbrough Reptile Rescue when we received two separate calls for help. The first was a lovely lady who had been left with three large snakes one of which was a beautiful Burmese Python who was a glorious 9ft long. We brought them into us at Pawz where we held them overnight till the Knaresborough team arrived to take them to their rescue to rehome. They also agreed on route to call in at a ladies house as a previous breeder had abandoned after a break up, leaving her with the issue. Nothing could have prepared the team for what they found on arrival, the snakes were severely neglected and being kept in poor condition as a result. There was over 70 Royal Pythons being housed in trays with the bodies of dead ones who had died from starvation and parasites.

Some had escaped in search of food and females to breed with and the whole thing was heartbreaking to see. We got to meet some of these poor babies and emptied our freezer to support with emergency feeding supplies. We donated all of our available housing, lighting and sent a food delivery direct to the team as this is a huge undertaking for Knaresborough rescue. If you are concidering adopting a snake or would like to help with supporting their recovery please reach out to Dan and his team. If youd like to adopt as there was many youngsters who will make a great pet once rehabilitated.

We also had some lovely vet students who did a week of practical experience with us. They were absolutely fantastic and we are privileged to be on many of the Vet University placement lists now, so many are interested in coming for wildlife and domestic pet experience with us along with vet practice staff.

We are always blown away by the support we receive in the community and only achieve what we do with your help. If you would like to get more involved take a look at our volunteer roles section to find out more.

Remember if you find an animal needing help please call us on 0191 580 8880