Desperate plea for homes as Northamptonshire's Animals In Need reaches capacity

A Northamptonshire animal charity is desperately appealing for help to re-home the animals in its care as it reaches capacity.

Animals In Need in Little Irchester rescues and re-homes hundreds of animals every year.

But with more than 70 dogs and 40 cats as well as 360 wildlife patients, the charity needs to re-home as many animals as possible to make room for others which come to their door.

Sanctuary manager Annie Marriott told this newspaper: "I feel like I am at my wits' end.

"And it's not just us, it's every rescue centre all over the country, all the ones I deal with.

"Someone messaged saying could I help this dog and I had to say we just don't have room.

"We are literally playing dominoes with the dogs.”

Annie, who has been rescuing and re-homing animals for 25 years and is up at 5am every day, described the current situation as ‘relentless’ and said: "It's just a losing battle at the moment.

"We have got a dog living in the laundry room and we have had to put some dogs out to foster homes.”

The cattery is full with 47 felines and they have 71 dogs, the majority of which are in kennels but several have gone out to foster homes to help ease the situation.

Another 100 rescue hens are expected this weekend.

And with 20 wildlife patients coming in every day, such as badgers, swans, baby birds and hedgehogs, the numbers just keep going up.

Just this week two puppies were dumped in the car park at Animals In Need and they have recently taken in two sets of abandoned pet rabbits.

Annie said: “We are full to capacity, we have got dogs everywhere - one is living in the grooming area.

"It's just relentless.

"It is 100 per cent the busiest I've ever seen it - it's at the point where I don't want to pick up my phone.”

While they try their ‘damnedest’ to help, Annie says what they really need right now is homes.

She said: “Offering an animal a home is top of the list at the moment - and a winning lottery ticket would be really good too.”

Looking after animals is so much more than a job to Annie, it’s her life - but providing food, bedding and veterinary costs for this many animals comes at a price.

Annie said: "I will do what's best for the animals.

"I don't think about the money at first - if I have to sell my car or a kidney, I will.

"But the cost of living has flown up for us like everyone else and less funds are coming in understandably.

"I just have to carry on working hard.

"There's less funds coming in and more people are asking for help.”

While homes are top of the list, they also need decent quality food, any old towels/blankets (but not duvets), financial contributions and prizes for their fundraising raffles/tombolas.

Volunteering is another way people can support the charity.

Annie said: "We have a handful of staff and 100 volunteers – they roll up here at 7am and some are still here at the end of the day, we couldn't carry on without them.”

Local businesses also support the charity, with Annie adding: "Our corporate volunteers are amazing.

"The site is looking really nice because we have had so many groups in and they have worked so hard."

All the animals in need of re-homing are on the Animals In Need website or its social media pages.

Animals In Need is open to the public 11am to 3pm at the weekend where there is also an on-site cafe.