Lockdown Diaries

Posted on 2020-09-11 08:43:17

The start of lockdown saw a team of nine living at our Springfield Park premises 24/7 to feed and care for the animals. The team included an animal welfare assistant and an inspector to monitor the health and wellbeing of the animals, and handle any emergencies. Essential staff operated on a rotational basis over the first five weeks.

Lonely life – our yard cats were puzzled by the lack of visitors to Coffee Cats during the first weeks of lockdown. But full food bowls went a lot way to easing their anxiety! Coffee Cats is now open again and ready to welcome you back for your favourite English breakfast, burger, or decadent muffins with your cappuccino or Five Roses!

Meanwhile, cats in the cattery enjoyed extra cuddles from staff on duty.

Our animal hospital remained on standby throughout lockdown to handle veterinary emergencies. As a result, we were able to save the life of a female dog that had been stabbed by an intruder in her owner’s yard. We also treated several injured cats and nursed them back to health.

Dealing with the pandemic has meant changes; the management team were quick to set up a gazebo at the gate to sell masks and buffs to visitors who come unprepared, temperatures have to be taken before visitors leave their cars, and we have a foot operated sanitizing station, kindly sponsored by Barrows, at the entrance of our animal hospital to keep visitors and staff safe.

Lockdown for our kennels department was emotionally stressful . . . to see so many animals affected due to job losses as owners surrendered them to our SPCA. But it was good to see all staff pull together and assist each other as a team – taking care of our animals and making sure the highest level of animal husbandry continued on.

Masks and hand sanitizer at the ready, our charity shop finally re-opened as the country eased into lockdown level 3. What better way to start than with a half price sale!