AN AVID animal lover, Cat Neller-Clements has spent most of her life looking after all creatures great and small.

Yet it wasn’t until one of her very own, beloved pets was killed in a sickening attack that she decided to up sticks from Penketh and move to the countryside to set up an animal rescue sanctuary in mid Cheshire.

Heartbroken Cat was inspired to rescue animals after her 14-month-old feline Duster died when he was restrained, poisoned with anti-freeze and beaten over the head in October 2016.

Cat, who has worked closely with animal rescue charities since she was a child, including Warrington Animal Welfare, said: “My husband and I decided we needed to move to somewhere where we had more space to rescue more animals as a legacy to our precious boy and found a place with three acres.”

Which is how Duster’s Ark in Hartford, Northwich, was born. It not only aims to rescue and rehome as many stray and feral cats as possible, but also welcomes a few other furry and feathered friends.

“We have so many stray cats running around and a lot of it is down to a lack of understanding on why neutering is so important.”

Since moving to Hartford in March 2017 Duster’s Ark has saved the lives of two Shetland ponies, three pigs and many cats and dogs.

While working towards charitable status, Cat is intent on educating people about the importance of looking after animals properly, and with festive season looming is keen to stress the adage that an animal is for life, not just for Christmas.

She said: “So many people choose animals as presents without realising the responsibility it takes and when it becomes it too much they abandon or give these animals away. If these animals are lucky, they end up in a sanctuary likes our and will eventually be rehomed. But a lot of them aren’t lucky and end up on the streets or in the hands of people who want to harm them.”

She also said that there is a huge problem with abandoned pets who have not been neutered and is campaigning to raise awareness in this field.

She said: “There is still a huge job to do around educating people around the importance of neutering animals, particularly cats. We have so many stray cats running around and a lot of it is down to a lack of understanding on why neutering is so important.”

As well dealing with domestic animal cases, Cat says in recent years there have been increasing issues around people living in urban areas taking on livestock. She herself now owns three pigs, Penny, Rita and Lottie, which were bought as pets, or so-called ‘micro’ species, who outgrew their homes.

She explained: “Pigs are lovely, intelligent animals and they are very cute and endearing. But people either don’t realise how big the will grow, or how messy they can be. When you explain that a pig is has the intelligence of an average three-year-old, and so displays the same sort of behaviours as a toddler, they’re shocked.

“It’s similar with chickens. Sometimes people by eggs or chicks and when it turns out they’re not girls and can’t lay eggs, they no longer want them.

“Or they don’t realise how noisy cockerels can be and when it becomes a bit too much for them, or their neighbours, they look to give them away.

“This is why it is so important to do your homework when taking on any animal.”

Although she has plenty to keep her and her family busy at Duster’s Ark, Cat is currently attempting to save ‘Geoff’ and ‘Dave’ – two donkeys which, until recently, were heading for an abattoir in France.

Cat said: “They are only five and seven years old respectively and were heading to the abattoir in France before we stepped in.

“We have raised much of the funds ourselves, but Geoff needs complex treatment for a serious sarcoid condition (skin tumours).”

Which is why Cat is calling on fellow animals to support their fundraising efforts to get the donkeys treated and to bring them over to the UK, where they will live the rest of their lives out in comfort at the three-acre sanctuary.

Cat said: “We have already paid €400 to the meat man to save their lives and another €150 to have them wormed and their feet looked at, but we now need to raise funds to get their documentation, vaccinations, chips, passports and of course transport.”

As well as organising several fundraising events to raise the £3,000 minimum needed, the sanctuary is selling 2019 advent calendars to help towards the fund and has a GoFundMe page where donations can be made towards their cause to help Geoff and Dave.

For more information search for Duster’s Ark on Facebook, or visit uk.gofundme.com/dusters-ark-donkey-rescue