One worried pet owner was able to leave her cats at Mayhew over Christmas whilst she went into hospital, thanks to their Pet Refuge Programme.
When Mopher and Arthur’s owner needed to go into hospital over the Christmas period, her first thought was not for herself, but her two beloved cats.
Her family were away at the time, and so the owner was afraid that she’d have to cancel her scheduled operation to take care of her pets, potentially putting her own life at risk.
Luckily, London based animal charity, Mayhew were able to step in and admit Mopher and Arthur into their Cattery for a temporary period, whilst their owner was in hospital.
Mayhew’s Pet Refuge Programme is a lifeline for owners and animals in need, who would otherwise have to make the impossible choice between refusing help and support or giving up their pet permanently.
The programme provides temporary care and shelter for the pets of people facing a crisis, whether that be an ongoing issue or an unexpected emergency.
The two cats had only been with their owner for a year, but she is completely besotted with them. When an old illness flared, she was very concerned for her feline companions and didn’t want to cause any trouble by asking for her operation to be rescheduled.
Mopher and Arthur’s owner said: “If Mayhew had not been here to help me, I would have had to rebook my appointment for another time, as I can’t leave Mopher and Arthur alone. That would have been a waste of time and resources for the hospital, and I would have felt really bad.
“I found out about Pet Refuge through the Blue Cross, who recommended Mayhew’s services to me. I was so glad I discovered it – Pet Refuge meant everything to me and made my life so much easier. I can’t thank Mayhew enough for their support as such a stressful time, and I was so happy to know that Mopher and Arthur were safe and happy without me.”
When the two cats first arrived at Mayhew, just before Christmas they were given a full health check and received free flea and worm treatment. They were then settled down in a warm and cosy cabin together, where they spent the festive period.
Happily, their owner’s operation went well, and she was discharged from hospital a week later. She was thrilled to welcome Mopher and Arthur back home on New Year’s Eve.
Ellie Traquair, Animal Welfare Officer said: “Our Pet Refuge service is a lifeline for people in our community. If you are going through a crisis or something unexpected happens, and you are worried about who will care for your pet during this time, we are here for you.
“We are committed to keeping owner and their beloved pets together and we work hard to reduce the number of animals being relinquished to shelters against the owners will, through no fault of their own. Pet Refuge offers temporary care allowing owners to get back on their feet and be reunited with their pets as soon as they are able to take care of them again.”
For more information about Mayhew’s Pet Refuge programme you can visit www.themayhew.org.
