celia hammond animal trust
Animal Rescue Charity
Celia Hammond Animal Trust is a unique non destruction charity providing essential low cost veterinary services for sick and injured pets as well as a rescue and homing service for unwanted, abandoned and stray cats in London and the South East.
Please help us build a dedicated rescue and rehoming centre, and secure the future of our Lewisham hub for decades to come
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A NEW RESCUE AND REHOMING CENTRE IN LEWISHAM
In October 2023, we were granted planning permission to redevelop the Friendly Street warehouse and former shop at the rear of our Lewisham site into a new rescue and rehoming centre.
Phases 1 and 2A of the project have been funded by legacy gifts. Phase 1 of the building works has already been completed and phase 2A works are to commence shortly. We are now fundraising to pay for phase 2B, the construction of the main two-storey building, and we really need your support in funding the next stage of this project.
Please donate whatever you can afford and help us continue caring for animals who need us most.
Celia Hammond Animal Trust
OFFICIAL PAGE Celia Hammond Animal Trust, UK. We rescue rehabilitate and re-home abandoned animals.
🐾 Happy Adoption Tuesday 🐾
“I thought you might like a little update on Molly (originally Nancy) who was my foster fail back in 2012. She was found on the side of a road after an RTA and had to have a front leg amputation. But this has never stopped her from living life to the full. We moved up to the Peak District in 2014 and she now has a big garden to explore where she is safely fenced in and has all her own favourite spots.
She was so scared when she first arrived that she hid in the back of a cupboard for 2 days. But over the years she has developed a wonderful cheeky little personality, taking any opportunity to steal some human water and demanding her own chair in the garden. She has her little routines, sitting between us in her spot on the sofa and coming to bed in the morning for cuddles and purrs. She headbutts us or pats us with her front paw to get our attention if there is anything she needs.
I was warned when I adopted Molly that she might not have a full expectancy because of her amputation, but she is 15 now and doing really well. She has developed a bit of arthritis over the last couple of years which is successfully managed with medication and acupuncture, which she really enjoys. We call the acupuncture her spa days!
Over the years, Molly has leant to recognise the sound of the car approaching and greets one or both of us by the front door when we come home. She is our family and has absolutely stolen our hearts.
She is also testimony to how tripod cats thrive with a few adaptations. I would urge anyone considering adopting to give a tripod cat a chance or if your cat is in the position of needing an amputation to be encouraged that they can still live a full life.” - Amy
Thank you Amy and Naomi for sharing Molly’s lovely update with us! We’re so happy she found her forever family with you. Please give Molly a huge cuddle from all of us! 🐾❤️
➡️Have you adopted from Celia Hammond Animal Trust? We’d love to hear from you! Send your photos via DM using the words “HAPPY ADOPTION” to share your update.
#rescuecat #happyadoptionthursday #celiahammondanimaltrust #adoptdontshop #happyadoption #cat #foreverhome ... See MoreSee Less
Yes, that is right… you are seeing a rabbit! 🐰
We know, we’re primarily a cat rescue. But very occasionally, when there really is nowhere else for an animal to go, we do what we can to help. That’s how Nibbles came to be with us at Celia Hammond Animal Trust in Lewisham.
Nibbles has been in our care for far too long and really, really needs a home.💔
Nibbles is a 4-year-old neutered male rabbit who is friendly, sweet and just a little bit sassy. He loves a stroke and a bit of brushing, but he’s not shy about telling you when he’s had enough! The animal care team say he’s a big fan of his food and absolutely loves his veggies. 🥕🥬
He came to us after his owners were moving and could no longer keep him. He has been used to living as a house rabbit and has previously lived alongside cats.
Earlier this year, Nibbles went into foster with the hope that he could stay permanently and be bonded with the foster carer’s neutered female rabbit. His foster carers spent two months trying to make the pairing work, but unfortunately, it became clear that the female rabbit simply didn’t accept Nibbles and was becoming unhappy. So this experience doesn’t mean that Nibbles can’t live happily with another rabbit.
In fact, Nibbles could potentially be very happy in a home with another suitable, neutered rabbit, provided they are carefully introduced and successfully bonded. Finding him the right rabbit companion could be a wonderful outcome for him.
He is such a lovely boy with a BIG personality and deserves to be settled in a proper home where he can enjoy life, with the companionship that is right for him.
Please, can you help us find Nibbles his forever home?🐰❤️
If you think you can, please email:
📧 lewisham@celiahammond.org
#adoptdontshop #rescuerabbit #rescueanimals #rabbitadoption #rabbitadoptions ... See MoreSee Less
Leonard and Bernadette Finally Find Their Home 🏡
Sometimes, the cats who leave the biggest pawprints on our hearts are the ones who take the longest to find their way home. ❤️
Leonard and Bernadette came into our care at just eight weeks old. They were rescued from a back garden in the E12 area, part of a group of 11 kittens from two litters.
Sadly, one of the kittens was too weak to survive and passed away soon after they arrived. It was a heartbreaking start, but we were determined to give the remaining kittens the best chance we could.
Over time, their brothers and sisters all found homes, while Leonard and Bernadette remained with us. What began as a temporary stay became more than a year in our care.
Their journey wasn't always easy. Both struggled with ongoing stomach issues, meaning regular veterinary checks, medication, careful monitoring and a special diet. Our animal care team became very familiar with their routines, while our vets worked hard to get their stomach problems under control and keep them happy and healthy.
Through it all, they remained incredibly affectionate. Leonard is a gentle soul who adores attention and happily rolls onto his back for a belly rub, while Bernadette is a little whirlwind who rarely stops moving and always wants to be wherever people are. Together, they became a much-loved part of everyday life at our Canning Town clinic.
Then, last week, after more than a year of waiting, Leonard and Bernadette were finally adopted together!
It was the moment our team had been hoping for, but that didn't make saying goodbye any easier. Staff had watched them grow from tiny, vulnerable kittens, cared for them through difficult days and celebrated every step forward. There were certainly a few tears as they left, but they were very happy ones.
After everything they had been through, they finally had someone who saw what we had always seen in them: two loving cats who deserved the chance to grow up together in a home of their own.
We’ll keep you updated with how life is going with their furever family soon! 🐾
#adoptionsuccess #rescuecat #foreverhome #happilyeverafter #secondchance #catadoption ... See MoreSee Less
A little update on Gunston, Blake and their siblings ❤️
Last week, we shared the story of little Gunston and Blake, who were rescued with their mum after being found living under a garden shed. They arrived in our care already poorly and were unable to eat by themselves, relying on tube and supplementary feeding from our veterinary team.
We wanted to share a little update on how they’re doing.
As you can see, they’re looking a little better, and when you’re caring for babies this poorly, you learn to celebrate every tiny milestone.
Gunston is now eating by himself, which feels like such a huge step! Blake and their siblings are doing well too. They’re still in their incubators and receiving close care, but seeing these little improvements gives us hope.
While we’re fighting to get these babies through, more and more cats and kittens are arriving with cat flu.
Evelyn tabby and white and Everett black both pictured recently arrived in our care at just two months old, already suffering from cat flu. 💔 They’re so tiny, and yet they’re already having to fight so hard. You can see and hear how congested these poor little ones are.
Any cats arriving with symptoms of an infectious illness are immediately isolated and closely monitored under our strict infection-control procedures.
The need is relentless, so we’re going to keep this fundraiser going. If you could spare even a small amount, we would be incredibly grateful. Every donation helps us provide the specialist food, medication and intensive veterinary care these cats and kittens need.
The donation link is in our stories, and in the comments. If you can’t donate, sharing this post could help us reach someone who can. ❤️
Thank you for helping us keep fighting for them. 🐾
#donate #donatenow #rescuecat #rescuecats #kittenrescue ... See MoreSee Less
🐾 Happy Adoption Thursday 🐾
“We adopted Mayu from Lewisham in October 2025 as a 9 month old kitty. We love our little shadow. At first she wasn’t sure on human contact but now she loves strokes and has settled right in 🖤. Loves to sleep against my feet every night and morning zoomies ☺️” - Courtney
This has absolutely made us smile! We’re so happy to hear that Mayu is doing so well and is clearly very loved. Thank you so much for giving her such a wonderful home and for taking the time to send us an update - we always love hearing from our former residents.
➡️Have you adopted from Celia Hammond Animal Trust? We’d love to hear from you! Send your photos via DM using the words “HAPPY ADOPTION” to share your update. 🐾 💙
#rescuecat #happyadoptionthursday #celiahammondanimaltrust #adoptdontshop #happyadoption #cat #foreverhome ... See MoreSee Less
Danny Boy is ready for his next chapter ❤️
In August, our Lewisham rescue team was contacted by a resident in SE11 after her dog sniffed out a cat hiding in a bush during their morning walk. Worryingly, the cat appeared unable to use his back legs.
He was a little hissy, but the resident was concerned for him, especially as we were in the middle of another heatwave. She put out a bowl of fresh water for him and contacted us for help.
Our Lewisham rescuer James went along to help, and when he arrived, the lady told him that Danny Boy hadn't moved at all since she'd last checked on him.
Despite a few groans from our rather unimpressed patient, James managed to get him safely into a carrier. One thing immediately stood out. His pupils were incredibly constricted and James commented that he almost appeared intoxicated. At that point, though, we had no idea what had happened.
Danny Boy was taken to our Canning Town clinic, where our veterinary team carried out extensive investigations to try to understand why he appeared unable to use his back legs.
Blood tests, toxicology testing, scans and neurological assessments followed, but strangely, there was nothing wrong with his back legs and no evidence of a serious neurological problem. Exactly what caused the episode remains a mystery.
Thankfully, Danny Boy has not shown any further neurological issues. He is still a little wobbly on his legs, but he's doing really well.
And now that all the drama is behind him, we've discovered what an absolute softie Danny Boy really is.
He is approximately 3 years old, loves his food, enjoys a good fuss and is a really affectionate little character. Once he knows he's safe, his sweet nature quickly comes out.
Danny Boy has already been vaccinated, wormed and flea treated and is due to be neutered and microchipped. Once that's done, he'll be ready to leave us, and what he really needs now is a home of his own.
Danny Boy will need an indoor home and is currently at our Canning Town centre waiting for someone to choose him.
Could that someone be you?
Please share Danny Boy's story and help us find this lovely lad the forever home he deserves. With a little Irish luck, hopefully his person is out there waiting for him. ☘️
Please contact adoptionscanningtown@celiahammond.org if you'd like to offer Danny Boy his happily-ever-after!
#adoptme #adoptdontshop #rescuecat #RescueCatsUK ... See MoreSee Less
❤️ A MASSIVE THANK YOU to our amazing CHAT community! ❤️
There has been so much going on lately, with our wonderful supporters and volunteers finding all sorts of ways to help the cats in our care.
From races and challenges to bake sales, a fantastic yard sale organised by one of our lovely Canning Town volunteers that raised £394.25 for CHAT, a beautiful plant sale held by a Lewisham supporter, and of course our Greenacres Open Day.
We’ve also got some incredible supporters putting their legs to the test for CHAT!
Zita will be taking on the Chiltern 50 Challenge on 26th September, walking an incredible 50km to raise money for our cats.
Support Zita here:
www.justgiving.com/page/zita-balogh-1
Then on 10th October, father and daughter Vicki and Lawrence will be taking on the Kent Downs 50 together. Vicki adopted a senior cat from our Lewisham centre last year, and after the care he received from CHAT, she wanted to find a way to give something back. Now she and her dad are taking on 50km for our cats!
Support Vicki and Lawrence here:
www.justgiving.com/page/lawrence-green-2
And on Saturday 19th September, our Lewisham team held a lovely evening for their volunteers, organised by Volunteer Coordinator Verena and Animal Care Manager Georgina as a thank you for everything they do.
With homemade vegetarian snacks and drinks, there was time to relax and catch up before everyone got creative making toys and enrichment for the cats they care for every day.
Seeing our community come together in so many different ways really does mean so much to us.
Every mile walked, cake baked, bargain sold, plant bought, event supported and hour volunteered makes a difference.
Thank you to every single person who gives their time, energy and support to CHAT and our cats.
We truly couldn’t do what we do without our wonderful CHAT community! 🐱 💕 ... See MoreSee Less
Update 22.9.26
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated
Gunston and Blake were rescued by CHAT having been found with their mum, living under a garden shed, as is so often the case. No owner has come forward. They are just two of many currently being tube or supplementary fed by our veterinary team at Canning Town because they're simply too poorly to eat by themselves.
Yet, in between feeds, they're still trying to play. They're climbing over each other, batting at toys wanting fuss and causing mischief whenever they can. Despite feeling awful, they're still determined to be kittens.
Like most of the kittens arriving with us, they haven't had the start in life they deserve. They've been abandoned outdoors and found struggling to survive alongside their mum. Most of our rescues often arrive already fighting illness and the effects of living rough.
For some of our tiniest arrivals, cat flu can quickly take hold and they can become very poorly very quickly.
That's where our fabulous veterinary team comes in! Right now, they're caring for 57 cats and kittens requiring treatment at Canning Town, while our animal care team continues looking after the huge number of cats on our homing floor waiting for their forever homes.
Caring for cats this poorly is incredibly intensive, and the costs quickly add up.
At the moment, we're getting through three trays of specialist recovery food every day for just some of the cats and kittens receiving treatment. That costs £209.52 a day - almost £1,500 a week.
And that's just the specialist food for some of our sickest patients.
Our nurses celebrate every few grams gained, worry about the ones that aren't eating and come back the next day hoping to find a brighter little face looking back at them. No cat is ever just a number to them.
Today we're asking for your help towards the cost of the specialist recovery food these kittens are relying on right now.
We're incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful community of cat lovers supporting our work. The care shown in these photos is only possible because people continue to dig deep and help when they can. Please donate via the link in our bio or the donate now button on this page.
If you're unable to donate today, please, please share this post far and wide. The more people who see these kittens, the more support we can raise for them. ❤️🐾. ... See MoreSee Less
🐾 Happy Adoption Thursday 🐾
“We adopted George & Mildred in July 2020, after sadly losing our beloved cat The Fonz, who had been part of our lives for 18 years. We had always grown up with cats and felt bereft without a feline in the flat, and lockdown only made that feeling stronger. So, while Rachel was working as a key worker and I was retraining as an occupational therapist from home, I started looking online for cats to adopt. Enter George and Mildred!
We were told they had been handed in together after being fed in a garden for months. They were around 4–5 years old when we adopted them and both quite skinny and frightened at first, but it didn't take long for their very different personalities to emerge.
Mildred is the brave one, despite being significantly smaller. George took a little longer to settle, but once he did, he became a wonderfully friendly and affectionate ball of fluff. He follows us everywhere, has fans on the street and likes to steal other cats' - and humans' - food whenever he gets the chance!
We love them both so much and are so glad that we came to CHAT to adopt them. We have nothing but respect and love for the work you do, long may it continue!” - Laura & Rachel
Laura & Rachel also chose to do something incredibly special when they got married. Instead of asking their guests for wedding gifts, they asked them to make a donation to Celia Hammond Animal Trust! Their donation was their way of saying thank you to the Trust for bringing George & Mildred into their lives, we honestly can't think of a more beautiful thank you. 🥹🐾
Thank you so much, Laura & Rachel, for giving these two special cats a loving home and for choosing to share your wedding celebrations with animals in need. ❤️
➡️Have you adopted from Celia Hammond Animal Trust? We’d love to hear from you! Send your photos via DM using the words “HAPPY ADOPTION” to share your update.
#rescuecat #happyadoptionthursday #celiahammondanimaltrust #adoptdontshop #happyadoption #cat #foreverhome ... See MoreSee Less