‘I’ll live in my car if I have to but I’m looking at these animals every day thinking what’s going to happen to them?’
Amy Donoghue with rescue poodle Ruby(Image: UGC)
A Hull animal rescue centre owner says she is facing living in her car and losing all her cats, dogs and rabbits, with just three weeks left before she must move out from her current base. Time is now running out for Amy Donoghue, who has told how she has been desperately trying to raise the cash needed to move.
We told in November how Amy, who has been rescuing animals for more than 14 years, had been forced to start looking for a new base after her landlord announced plans to sell the Harley Street home she rents, which also acts as the Never Give Up cat sanctuary. The deadline of February 6 is now looming large, although there are hopes she will have longer as the landlord will have to raise an eviction notice after that date if she has still not found a new home for the rescue centre.
She previously revealed how her former pet shop operation gradually became the rescue service, simply by caring for unwanted animals that were sent her way. Over the last six years she has rescued and rehomed thousands of cats, dogs and other animals, and currently has more than 34 cats, three dogs and two rabbits at the house.
But their future is in jeopardy because, despite her best efforts and the launch of a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe, she has been unable to find anywhere to move. She said: “I’m just praying for a miracle. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Last year Amy established Never Give Up Rescue CIC as a Community Interest Company, directing funds to where they’re needed to pay for food, vets bills and other essentials for the cats that she takes in. Her ultimate goal has been to raise £40,000 which could be used to purchase land or a suitable property at auction where she can construct purpose-built, secure facilities for the cats.
A static caravan in Skipton has been offered as accommodation for Amy to live on alongside the animal pens – but she can’t take ownership of the caravan until she can find some land. A tearful Amy told us how she is desperate for a farmer, landowner or landlord to come forward and help her
She said: “I can’t find anywhere. I’ve sent emails to farms to see if anyone’s got any land, I’ve been in touch with every landlord I can think of. I just don’t know what I can do. I can’t even find anywhere to rent with me and my own animals, if I gave up the rescue, which I can’t even contemplate.
“I’ve been given a big caravan which I could live in, but I’ve got nowhere where I can put it. If I gave up the rescue I don’t know what would happen to animals. All the animals I have left are the unhomeable ones. I’ve rehomed all the ones that can be.
“I’ve got ones here with feline aids, or are messy, with long term illnesses. And then there’s the 14 ferals in the garden which I’ve had eight to nine years. I’m not even worried about me, it’s the animals I’m worried about, it’s breaking my heart. I’ll live in my car if I have to.
“I don’t want to give it up at all but I just don’t know what else to do. There’s a patch of land near Patrington for sale for £20,000 with planning permission which is ideal, but I can’t put in for it until I have the money. I’m putting the fundraiser out there as much as I can and if anyone’s got any ideas for more fundraising, or want to do fundraising for me I really want to hear from them.”
She said supporters have been holding fundraising nights, so some money is still coming in from events. On January 30 two local businesses – Lily’s Bake House on Holderness Road and Brew on Bond Street – are also hosting all-day Board Game Bonanza fundraisers, with tombolas and raffles.
Amy added: “The money is coming in, just not quick enough. I’m looking at all these animals every day thinking what’s going to happen to them? That’s what’s killing me more than anything. I just need to know that they’re going to be safe.”
To make a donation visit the Crowdfunder page here, where you can also contact Amy.
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