What Woodside can do for you

While totally dependant on donations and the revenue from its charity shops, a significant amount of what Woodside earns is ploughed back into the community it has served for over forty years.

Woodside founder Carole Bowles MBE said: ‘Our Elfordleigh based charity has always looked to dealing with its problems at source, rather than just mopping up the result. Yes, we do care for and find homes for over 1,000 unwanted pets every year but we also put an enormous amount of our resources into preventing them coming to us to start with. We offer low-cost neutering for most varieties for owners on benefit, and will consider helping others in dire need as well. It’s far more cost effective for us to neuter cheap than to take an animal in — and there’s a big financial impact for us if a litter is involved. Adoption fees rarely cover a stay and our pets leave neutered, chipped, wormed, vaccinated and flea treated. Plus we always accept our own back if necessary.’

Another local service provided is the Community Welfare Round, with trained staff often travelling over fifty miles in a day. With animals frequently acquired without any prior research, friendly advice can make a huge difference to their future wellbeing. A prime issue here is rabbits. With few pet shops offering appropriate housing, life incarcerated in a hutch, often without a run or winter shelter, is nothing short of misery. When such pets become a family burden and are at risk of being passed around or even dumped, the charity does its best to take them in and find them caring homes.

With the New Year heralding the onset of the kitten breeding season, getting your cat neutered will not only help prevent Woodside's risk of 200+ onsite felines, it will also reduce your own problems. As the weather warms, un-neutered males often indulge in bloody turf wars and can wander far and wide in search of a mate. Your female kitten, even as young as four months, could surprise you with an unexpected family too. Sadly, this often results in a clueless mother and weak, sickly babies.

Advice is at hand by phoning Woodside on 347503.  As their Welfare van says ‘If you love it - neuter it’.