Having had rescue animals from when I was very young, I’ve always been a supporter of rescue centres rather than using breeders. I’m a big fan of moggies and their unpredictable quirks. But each to their own, for some a particular breed is important for health reasons, for example.
The whole Wordscape team are animal lovers, with four cats and two dogs in total.
With the exception of two, all my cats over the years have come via the RSPCA or Cats Protection. The two exceptions came with our first house purchase in Birmingham in 1998. The previous owner’s eyes lit up when she saw how much we loved cats. As with most rented accommodation we weren’t allowed pets, and she was moving in with an intolerant German Shepherd (dog, not person) and so they were made a legal condition of sale of the house.
But I thought I would take this opportunity to list some local and further afield rescue centres - for cats, dogs and beyond - who are always looking for adopters, fosterers and volunteer helpers, and sometimes just food and donations. Some are able to help with wildlife rescue too, the RSPCA are often unable to. There are loads around though, so if none are local to you, Google (other search engines are available) will be your friend on this one.
Cats Protection is one of the major cat welfare charities in the UK. They have adoption centres all over the country. My boycat came from a CP fosterer’s back garden pen in Nuneaton and he’s never let us forget it. They have a network of fosterers everywhere and are usually my first port of call when looking for my next feline companion.
Local to Merseyside much can be said of the tremendous work of Rescue Me animal sanctuary. They have a network of fosterers and are on their way to renovating their centre in Waterloo, Liverpool which will act as an adoption centre. They have a trap/neuter/rehome scheme where feral cats are taken in, dealt with and either returned to a supervised colony or rehomed to a farm or stables.
Another local animal rescue is Freshfields (based in Ince Blundell and Caernarfon) who act as an adoption centre but also provide low-cost cat neutering, as well as other useful services. My main dealings with them have been wildlife-related - they have assisted me with foxes and hedgehogs in the past. You just never know when you might need them.
Further afield, one of the best places I’ve ever visited - yes, you can go and visit even if you’re not looking to adopt an animal but good luck coming home empty-handed - is Raystede animal sanctuary in Lewes, East Sussex. As well as cats, dogs and other common pets, they also have other animals including ducks, geese, goats, chickens and horses, most available for adoption. They are huge animal advocates in the local area and run family and school learning days to educate about animal welfare. They also have a cafe and shop. It’s a proper day out and highly recommended.