Wood Green Unveils Landmark new Snowden Cat Care Centre

Wood Green, The Animals Charity has now revealed a big new growth at its 43-acre website in Cambridgeshire. Following years of planning and disrupted building throughout a pandemic, the Snowden Cat Care Centre is now operational and enabling the charity to offer even higher care to 1000’s of cats in want.

With 60 models, the Snowden Cat Care Centre has elevated Wood Green’s on-site capability by 50%. It is constructed with seamless PVC and options stable partitions, separate sleeping areas and local weather management with a purpose to give cats a quiet and cozy keep, all 12 months spherical. The giant, adaptable models have sliding doorways with a purpose to create double or triple models for pairs of cats, and quite a few safe areas referred to as ‘catios’ enable very important outside entry for cats to train and show pure behaviours like climbing, leaping and exploring.

These improved facilities elevate the standard of care that Wood Green is ready to present, tailor-made to every cat’s medical and behavioural wants. By enhancing total welfare, cats may be rehabilitated and rehomed extra shortly – lowering the typical size of keep by an estimated 10%. This means the charity may be there for much more homeless cats with nowhere else to show.

Wood Green can have as much as 500 cats, canines and small pets in its care at anyone time. Some of those are from house owners who can not look after them, and others are strays with nothing recognized about their historical past. The charity is commonly required to reply shortly to emergencies, with pets in essential situations requiring life-saving remedy. Around 3,500 pets are rehabilitated and rehomed every year, greater than half of that are cats, however the current on-site cat lodging was changing into more and more outdated.

In order to fulfill the demand on Wood Green’s providers and cater to the altering wants of the cats coming by their doorways day by day, it has now been changed. The Centre is called after Ms. Sheila Snowden, who left the charity an unbelievable legacy donation of virtually £900,000, offering round 40% of the challenge’s complete price range of £2.4 million. The remaining funds had been donated by particular person supporters, in addition to presents in type from valued companions just like the pet expertise firm Sure Petcare.

Vanessa Cunningham, Director of Care & Veterinary Services at Wood Green, mentioned: “Since we opened our doorways as a charity 1924, two issues have remained true: the UK is a nation of pet lovers, and there have at all times been pets in want of our assist. However, we now have a a lot better understanding of their wants and we should frequently adapt to offer the fitting care, and the fitting providers, with a purpose to fulfil our objective.

“A brand new Cat Care Centre has been part of our plans for quite a few years, and I couldn’t be happier that now we have been in a position to go forward, regardless of the affect of COVID-19 on the charity and due to the generosity of our supporters. This challenge is extremely near my coronary heart and I’m delighted to see the primary residents settling in so properly and benefitting from the house as we had envisaged they might.”

Meet the Snowden Cat Care Centre’s first residents

10-year-old Felix got here into Wood Green’s care in February after his proprietor very sadly handed away. Weighing in at 9.7kg, poor Felix was extraordinarily chubby and the fur on his again was matted as he was unable to scrub himself correctly. The charity’s devoted staff put him straight on a weight administration food regimen and clipped his matted fur, and he additionally required a dental process to take away some rotten enamel. Despite his dimension, giant models within the Snowden Cat Care Centre allowed Felix to maneuver round comfortably – with loads of house to train and discover. In only a few weeks, Felix was all the way down to 9kg and he’s now persevering with his weight reduction journey in a loving new house.

Jude and Darla, an exuberant brother and sister duo, arrived at Wood Green after the canine of their unique house had killed the pet rabbit, and their proprietor was involved for the five-month-old kittens’ security. A veterinary examine confirmed they had been in good well being, and so they had been neutered with a purpose to stop sudden litters. Adaptable areas within the Snowden Cat Care Centre meant that Jude and Darla may keep collectively in two interlinking models – and their Carers mentioned they’d “the perfect time” enjoying collectively! The kittens had not been given outside entry of their unique house, so additionally they loved venturing exterior for the primary time in one of many safe cat gardens. Jude and Darla have now been rehomed collectively.

Vinnie was one other emergency arrival at Wood Green in February, after he suffered a critical damage to his third eyelid and his proprietor was unable to afford remedy. The 11-month-old was taken straight into the charity’s veterinary surgical procedure to have his eyelid repaired, the place he was additionally neutered while below anaesthetic. Poor Vinnie then wanted a course of ache reduction and antibiotics following his surgical procedure.

During his restoration interval, it made the world of distinction to have giant areas for Vinnie to simply navigate while sporting a buster collar. A managed temperature and improved air flow system within the Snowden Cat Care Centre additionally meant that the therapeutic course of was far more snug for Vinnie. He has now absolutely recovered and is settling into his new house.

To discover out extra in regards to the Snowden Cat Care Centre, and about how Wood Green may also help you together with your pets, please go to woodgreen.org.uk/about-us/cat-centre/.

About Wood Green

From humble beginnings in 1924 and the next headquarter transfer from London to Cambridgeshire, Wood Green, The Animals Charity in Godmanchester has change into one of many largest pet rehoming centres in Europe for the care of canines, cats and smalls pets. The charity takes in undesirable and misplaced pets, gives shelter and care, finds safe and loving houses, gives recommendation and steering to pet house owners and will increase public consciousness of accountable pet possession. Thousands of pets are rehomed yearly and as much as 500 pets may be of their care at anyone time. Wood Green, The Animals Charity depends on donations from the general public that assist assist their work.