Pennine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) calling on businesses to help save it from closure

Pennine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), near Todmorden, was left devastated when it was given an eviction notice by its landlord.

The charity, which has been fundraising £150,000 for a new home since last February, has been given an extension and must now be out by July 31st.

PAWS is now calling on businesses in the area to help them secure funds for a new home.

Susan Curran, the charity founder, lives on the site in a static caravan with rescue dog Big George, and faces losing her home.

Susan said: “I am still completely numb following receipt of the original Section 25 Notice. Months have gone by and we are still no nearer to finding a suitable site to relocate to, set-up the kennels and cattery and then there is the worry of where to house any animals we cannot rehome in the meantime. I am incredibly fearful for the future of the charity.”

Big George is just one of the animals who is at risk of an horrific future if the charity is forced to

close. He was saved by Sue from the pound and it has taken six years to rehabilitate him, so that he is not fearful of new people and it would be too traumatic for him to live elsewhere other than with Sue who he knows and trusts.

The charity is looking for three to five acres of land that is within a 15-20 mile radius of Todmorden so they can continue to support their community. It needs to have buildings or a footprint of buildings so that they can build bigger and better facilities for the hundreds of animals they save every year.

Michele Way, Chair of Trustees, said: “The Trustees will do their best to ensure the charity continues to help local people and their animals, in whatever form that might take. Ideally, we would like to buy somewhere and then we will have secured the future of the rescue.

"We are desperately looking at options and will have to close our doors to the intake of new animals to allow us to pack up the site. It is devastating that after all the hard work everyone has put into trying to fundraise the sum we need to purchase somewhere decent and we are no further forward to finding a solution. There must be someone out there who can help us?”

Sue set up PAWS in 2007 to create a rescue where anyone could adopt an animal no matter where they lived, their age or their circumstances. She takes pride in helping families whose applications to other rescues have previously been rejected.

Animals rehomed by PAWS have a lifetime membership, so if a new owner were to fall ill or were unable to look after the animal it will have a place at the rescue with no questions asked. They have a massive focus on the rehabilitation of animals who otherwise may have been given up on. This is why it is imperative they find another site to operate from.

Donations can be made at: https://www.pennineanimalwelfaresociety.org/ or https://www.gofundme.com/f/f6y8rh-save-our-shelter?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Alternatively, contact 07748 988242 or [email protected]