Charity helps struggling owners keep their pets

An animal rescue charity said it was helping people keep their pets rather than rehoming them, to help stop the influx.

Animals In Need in Little Irchester, Northamptonshire, said it was focusing efforts on helping people with the cost of pet ownership and solving behavioural issues.

Owners who contacted the shelter were often struggling to afford vets' bills and food or deal with behavioural problems, it said.

The manager, Annie Marriott, said: "The best way forward is to try and help them keep the animals in the home, so if they can't afford it, we can tell them where they can get support."

The sanctuary, near Wellingborough, takes in animals from racing greyhounds all the way to abandoned baby birds - finding them new homes or getting them ready to be released back into the wild.

The charity supports local food banks with food for dogs, cats and rabbits, and allows owners to collect donated food directly from the shelter.

If a behavioural issue is driving owners to feel they cannot keep their pet, the charity puts them in touch with trainers.

Ms Marriott said the most urgent cases in their daily influx of animals were the dogs.

"We always give priority to the dogs at the pound, because they have a seven-day holding period and then potentially get euthanised."

The charity has seen an increase in the number of unwanted feline pets.

Ms Marriott said: "The cat and kitten situation is ridiculous at the moment - people need to get their cats neutered."

One of the current residents is Lionel, a Herdwick lamb.

Assistant manager Emma Townsend said: "He was born at a hobby farm but no mum was claiming him.

"So he came to us at about two days old. He's been bottle-reared ever since."

The shelter does not routinely rehome sheep, so Lionel will be staying where he is.

He has certainly bonded with Ms Townsend - even giving her an impromptu haircut.

She said: "Late one night, after everyone else had gone home, I sat in with the lambs.

"I woke up about half-an-hour later and found them chewing my hair. As I woke up, they were still hanging on to my hair and I could see the chunk missing."

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