A WARRINGTON charity has experienced a significant rise in the number of animals they have dealt with over the past year.

A volunteer from Warrington Animal Welfare (WAW) said that the charity is often ‘full to capacity’ and the amount of calls they receive each day has ‘sky-rocketed’.

From January 2021 – October 2021, Warrington Animal Welfare rehomed and rescued over 800 animals.

More specifically:

• 363 Cats

• 160 Dogs

• 170 Chickens

• 95 Rabbits

• 14 Guinea Pigs

• 8 Gerbils

• 5 Ferrets

• 3 Rats

• 2 Owls

• 2 Tortoises

The charity workers believe there are a number of reasons for the increase in animals they are caring for – ranging from lockdown pets, unwanted litters, older animals being dumped to make way for puppies or kittens, financial difficulties, or death of their owners.

Last September, WAW, based on Slutchers Lane, liberated 20 rabbits from a ‘life of hell’.

Two of these were females, each with a litter of babies that had been left to rot in their own faeces.

Last year the charity also received a call from a cat owner threatening to drown it if they would not take it immediately.

Despite not having anywhere to put the neglected feline with an awful skin condition, the charity took him in and he is now recovering in a foster home.

The animals coming into the charity’s care are also needing more support, which volunteers believe is partly due to the impact of lockdown as many have not been socialised or walked.

Luckily, many animals were rehomed and fostered in 2021 thanks to WAW.

One of these animals included a 16-year-old Beagle, Archie.

Archie was confused and frightened when he was surrendered to WAW after being desperately unhappy in kennels.

Following a successful plea for an emergency foster home, he moved out of the kennels and in with his foster family where he still lives.

He settled in well and is enjoying his retirement with lots of pampering and lovely naps!

Many animals were rehomed and fostered in 2021 thanks to WAW. One of these wasn a 16-year-old Beagle, Archie.

Many animals were rehomed and fostered in 2021 thanks to WAW. One of these wasn a 16-year-old Beagle, Archie.

People often foster animals from WAW to give them a wonderful retirement or end of life care and often foster animals with health conditions.

A volunteer said: “Fosterers are absolutely brilliant.

“It really rewarding for people.”

WAW also offer low cost neutering service with the aim of helping to reduce the amount of unwanted and abandoned pets across the town.

Last year, the team of 80 volunteers help to neuter 390 animals.

But as WAW is a charity, it relies on donations and fundraising for support.

Despite the impact of coronavirus over the last two years, people have still been ‘very supportive’.

Fundraising events have included a volunteer running a marathon, a lady shaving her head raising £1,600, vets, vet nurses and their families taking part in the Tough Mudder challenge and various others – including a children’s bake sale.

To find out if your are eligible for the neutering, you can visit their website here.

If you are interested in joining the team of volunteers, click here.

And to donate, visit here.