A LEADING animal welfare group in Fermanagh has said they’re on the brink of a major crisis after they were ‘inundated with kittens’ being abandoned throughout the county.
Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary was called to Lisnaskea to provide life-saving care and attention to three kittens that were left abandoned behind a coal bunker in the town.
A member of the Fermanagh community contacted ‘Lost Paws NI’ after they saw three young cats, visibly distressed and in need of life-saving support.
“The three wee kittens are getting on well now,” said a spokesperson for Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary, which is based in Ballinamallard.
“One was rehomed recently and the other two are in foster care as they are a little feral and we wanted to help tame them before rehoming. They have been deflea and wormed, and doing well.
“Shortly after taking the kittens, we got another call from ‘Lost Paws NI’ asking us to take two pregnant cats that are close to birth from the same colony so we have those also,” they added.
After taking the kittens into care, Ballinamallard-based Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary said that they have reached their quota for cats at their premise.
“We also received five kittens from Derrylin recently who are in a very bad way approximately six weeks old,” said a Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary spokesperson.
“They have severe cat flu and respiratory issues and are receiving a lot of care from the staff and volunteers and have had medical care from Cara vets.
“We have been asked to take a further four today from outside Omagh so we will be inundated with kittens very shortly and are full to capacity with no more space to house cats or kittens.”
Organisations like this one in Ballinamallard have noticed a significant rise in pets and animals being abandoned throughout the North. The cost of living crisis has also exacerbated abandoning pets.
The Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary is very concerned about what will happen to more animals if the rate of abandonment continues to rise.
“We put an appeal out today to ask people who wish to rescue a cat to get in touch,” the organisation explained.
“As kitten season has just begun and we are worried being the only cat rescue in Fermanagh, we won’t be in a position very shortly to take kittens in.
“We have been told by the public that cat protection can’t help and so it would seem we are the only help these kittens and pregnant mums have.”
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