Celandine Wood Animal Rescue raises £42,000 for new premises

Celandine Wood Animal Rescue in Heswall is set to lose its home in just under four weeks due to the landlady, who had generously allowed it to use her land for free, selling up.

Vet Sharon Williams, the centre's founder, has launched a campaign to raise £500,000 to set up new premises, which she says are desperately in demand to cope with the animal abandonment crisis. She has urged the public to "help us build big". 

Vet Sharon Williams, founder of Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR) in Heswall, with one of the residents (Image: CWAR)

The shelter, which has 50 dogs in its care and also rescues cats and wildlife, initially was told they had four weeks to leave, but this has been extended to June 24.

Dr Williams has always taken animals home who were brought in for euthanasia unnecessarily. The rescue began last year in response to the soaring levels being dumped.

So far, Dr Williams has saved around 1,000 animals over the years.

Collage shows animals that have been treated at Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR) (Image: Claudia Tanner / Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR))

Calling on dog, cat and wildlife lovers to back her dream of a creating a large rescue centre, she said: "We've had a temporary base that’s allowed us to save many animals but now we’re in a position where we have to urgently find permanent or foster care for all the dogs in our care.

"We're so grateful for all the donations but we still have a long way to go.

Claudia Tanner / Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR) (Image: Claudia Tanner / Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR))

"We'll have no physical shelter imminently, and it will mean we will be very limited to how many animals in desperate situations we can help, until we have been able to set up a new facility."

Dr Williams said even with the shelter CWAR is forced to turn away around 10 animals in need a day.

One of the animals being cared for at Celandine Wood Animal Rescue in Heswall (Image: Claudia Tanner / Celandine Wood Animal Rescue in Heswall)She explained: "The loss of our shelter has come at the worst possible time when animal abandonment levels are at a record high.

"We're still seeing the fallout from the pandemic when dog ownership soared and that, along with the cost-of-living crisis and shelters being overwhelmed by XL bullies dumped after the ban, has created a perfect storm.

"Rescues are full to bursting up and down the country and Merseyside is especially bad for the level of animals dumped."

Dr Williams said she and her team are in an ideal position to run a much-needed large rescue centre.

Calendine treated a very poorly fox cub who was having seizures (Image: Claudia Tanner / Celandine Wood Animal Rescue)She explained: "We now have a team of vets, vet nurses, a dog behaviourist and other professionals volunteering their time for the rescue, who have a unique skill set that enables us to cater for animals with a wide array of medical and behavioural needs that many other rescues do not have the capacity to deal with."

She said she was exploring the possibility of having a temporary premise, but that a permanent set up is ideal.

Priscilla the cat lost her eye and was treated at Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR) (Image: Claudia Tanner / Celandine Wood Animal Rescue (CWAR))

She added: "We have saved a lot of animals with make-shift kennels so far. We are looking into renting a facility but we really need to buy our own property or land to build on so that we are not investing into a rented space only to have to move.

"Our own facility will create a more conformable experience with larger kennel space for animals and bring security for the future of CWAR."

CWAR are urging people to donate via their GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-to-purchase-premises-save-many-lives.

They are also urging the community to organise fundraisers and companies to donate or provide sponsorship.

To apply to foster or adopt a dog or cat, visit the website: https://celandinewoodanimalrescue.org.uk/.