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 she 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, the 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.
Through the Pet Refuge programme, the charity are able to provide temporary care and shelter for the pets of people facing a crisis, whether that be an ongoing issue or an unexpected emergency.
Mopher and Arthur have only been with their owner for a year, but she is completely besotted with the brothers and always puts them first.
When an old illness flared, she was obviously very concerned for her feline companions, and also worried about the consequences of moving her appointment – she didn’t want to cause any trouble by asking for her operation to be rescheduled.
“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,” Mopher and Arthurs’ owner said. “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 at 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 went into Mayhew’s care just before Christmas, they were given a full health check at their Community Vet Clinic, and received free flea and worming treatment..
They then settled down in a warm and cosy cabin together, where they spent the festive period being spoiled by Mayhew’s Cattery staff and volunteers.
Happily, the owners operation went well, and their owner was discharged from hospital a week later. She was thrilled to welcome Mopher and Arthur back home on New Years Eve, so they could all ring in the new year together as a family.
“Our Pet Refuge service is a lifeline for people in our community,” Ellie Traquair, Animal Welfare Officer, said. “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 owners and their beloved pets together and we work hard to reduce the number or 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.”
Find out more about the Pet Refuge programme here.
