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.
🐈⬛ GIVE A BLACK CAT A HOME 🐈⬛
Old myths, misconceptions and less-than-perfect photos have all contributed to black cats being overlooked in animal rescue. This is often referred to as the dreaded ‘Black Cat Syndrome.’
But to us, they’re just as affectionate, playful, loving and deserving as every other cat in our care.
These are only a few of the gorgeous black felines at our Lewisham clinic that are all hoping that their forever family is out there:
VENUS - A friendly female cat approximately 18 months old. Initially, she was very shy but has warmed up to us here. She has a lovely purr and enjoys being gently stroked. An adult home with garden access is sought after for Venus.
THOR - A quiet, affectionate middle aged male who came in as a stray. Thor would suit an adult home with a garden. He is now neutered, microchipped and has recently had some dental work done.
FAITH - A very sweet 2 year old female cat who came into our care because her owner was leaving the country and couldn’t take her with them. Faith has previously been used to living in a family home with other cats and garden access.
JACKSON - A slightly shy but absolutely lovely male who is starting to enjoy a little fuss. He came to us as a stray, estimated to be 5 years old, suffering with a few scratch wounds. Now healed and neutered, Jackson is seeking an adult home with a garden.
MRS SOHI - A very sociable 10 year old female who came into our care because her owners unexpectedly had to move abroad to care for elderly relatives. She would make a wonderful companion for someone looking for a ‘lap cat’ type cat. An adult home with garden access is sought after, where she is the only pet.
If you would like to enquire about any of these cats, please email lewisham@celiahammond.org 🖤
#celiahammondanimaltrust #blackcatsyndrome #adoptcat ... See MoreSee Less
Finished reading? Don’t bin it - our cats still need it! 🗞️
Our rescue cats get through piles of newspapers every day. We use them to line their pens before adding bedding on top, helping to keep their spaces clean. All Celia Hammond Animal Trust centres would love your donations, but our Lewisham centre is especially in need of newspapers right now.
Drop off your newspapers and help give them a second life. Thank you!
#celiahammondanimaltrust #donatenewspaper #animalrescue ... See MoreSee Less
A huge thank you to the amazing team from the londonfirebrigade in Deptford for popping into our Lewisham clinic on Thursday with such a generous donation! 🚒
A special shout out to Rebecca, who organised the collection. Rebecca’s cat, Cosmic, was once a patient with us after deciding some foam looked like a tasty snack (spoiler: it wasn’t!). Thankfully, Cosmic made a full recovery and we’re so touched that Rebecca chose to support our work in return.
Every donation helps us continue giving animals in need the care they deserve, so thank you to everyone who contributed!
#londonfirebrigade #communitysupport #thankyou #veterinarycare #celiahammondanimaltrust ... See MoreSee Less
HELP!
This is a long post, but please don't scroll past. We urgently need your help to find homes for these kittens and also to find the other mum cats before this happens again.
This morning, a huge van pulled up outside our Wadhurst charity shop in East Sussex. We assumed it was someone dropping off donations.
Instead, a chap came into the shop and asked if we could take a mum cat and some kittens that had been found.
When we went to look in the back of the van, we were met with the heartbreaking sight of a large dog crate crammed full of cats. There were 12 kittens of all different ages and one young female cat. Some of the tiniest kittens, only around 4–6 weeks old, were buried underneath the bigger ones.
They were sitting on clean puppy pads, so they clearly hadn't been in the crate for very long. They thankfully seem well fed, but several have eye infections and need treatment. They were also extremely overheated, so the first thing we did was separate them out to help them cool down as quickly as possible.
We were told they had apparently been found abandoned in the crate outside the public toilets in Lamberhurst, East Sussex, the next village along from us. The chap had been asked by nearby shopkeepers, who had been told by customers there were cats in the car park, if he could take them "somewhere safe" because they knew he had a large van to transport them in. That's how they ended up with us.
We honestly don't know what the true story is behind this multigenerational family but we have to try to establish it so we can help.
In the short term - we are already completely full. We don't have a spare pen, foster space or room for another cat, let alone thirteen. But we couldn't just turn them away and leave them to an unknown fate.
So right now they're in our office in Wadhurst, East Sussex, because there is literally nowhere else for them to go.
We desperately need help. If you can foster, even for a month, or if you've been thinking about adopting (in pairs or more) , please get in touch. These cats need somewhere safe, and they need it now. If you have cats already please bear in mind several of these kittens have an eye infection which although treatable can be contagious to other cats.
But of course there is the even bigger issue.
These 12 kittens didn't just appear. Somewhere there are almost certainly at least two more mum cats. If they aren't found and neutered, they'll carry on having litter after litter, and in a few months' time we'll be right back here again.
If you know where these cats came from, please tell us. We are not here to judge, criticise or get anyone into trouble. We just want to help. If these are someone's cats, we'll help get them neutered and stop this cycle before even more kittens are born.
If you live in or around Lamberhurst, please share this post. Hopefully the owner, or someone who knows them, will see it and get in touch. We promise this will be dealt with discreetly. We won't identify anyone or post about them on social media. We simply want to quietly get the remaining mum cats neutered and stop this happening again.
If you can foster, adopt, or know anything at all about where these cats may have come from, please contact us.
We know we posted a fundraiser yesterday and are immensely grateful for all the support, we're sorry to be asking again. But if you're unable to foster or adopt, perhaps you could help by donating funds or some kitten food our Amazon link in first comment below. You can send food to us or drop it off at any of our centres too, we would be incredibly grateful.
If you have any information please contact
📧 wadhurst@celiahammond.org
Please share this post. Someone out there knows where these cats came from, and those other mum cats are still out there. Help us find them and help the owners before this happens all over again.
Update 6pm 10.7.26 Thank you so much we have been overwhelmed with the offers of help with fostering /adopton, food and monetary donations. Please bear with us whilst we respond to you all. xx ... See MoreSee Less
A very busy morning at our Lewisham Rescue centre
This morning was an incredibly busy one for our team.
Amongst the arrivals was a very sweet senior cat who was brought into our Lewisham centre by a member of the public, after they saw she was struggling with a severely matted coat.
We have since established that her name is Coco. Her owner had sadly passed away and due to changed circumstances, she was no longer able to remain in her previous home. Born in 2011, she is now a senior lady who has clearly been through a difficult time.
The photographs don’t show the extent of matting her coat really has. It is thick, solid and pulling tightly against her skin, causing her significant discomfort. Our team will now carefully work to remove the mats and make sure she receives the veterinary care and support she needs.
This morning also saw us take in a young mum and her kittens who were sadly left on our doorstep in the sweltering heat. Thankfully, our eagle-eyed receptionist brought them inside and they are now safe with us and receiving the care they need.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the lovely lady who was visiting our clinic at the time and kindly donated £50 towards their treatment and care. This is exactly the kind of support that allows us to say “yes” when cats arrive needing urgent help.
The cost of caring for just these two cases is expected to be around £450 initially. This is before we even consider the daily costs of caring for the other 200 plus cats currently in our care at Lewisham alone.
Cases like this remind us how important our supporters are. From the people who stop to help a cat in need, to those who donate and make our rescue work possible and enable us to continue being there for cats when they need us most.
If you would like to help these two recent rescue cases please consider making a donation or sharing our post. Every share helps.
As always, Thank You 🙏 ... See MoreSee Less
We are hiring!
Veterinary Nurse Assistant – Canning Town and Lewisham
We have full-time and part time roles and day and night working.
Our Veterinary Nurse Assistants are fully involved in all aspects of nursing care and welfare to animals at our clinics. You will clean and sterilise equipment and clinical areas, conduct checks on animals and attend to all the needs of animals in our care.
We are seeking applicants:
• With at least 12 months experience of working with animals in a veterinary practice, rescue centre, kennel or cattery, or animal welfare organisation.
• Who have experience of handling small animals confidently and safely.
• Who can demonstrate a genuine commitment to animal welfare and our charity’s mission.
• Who can take a flexible approach to work and are willing to work some weekends, bank holidays.
If you have this experience and you are keen to help vulnerable cats, we are keen to meet you!
Please click on the link in the comment below to apply.🐾 ... See MoreSee Less
🐾 Happy Adoption Thursday 🐾
“We adopted Mopsy in September of last year, and he’s effortlessly completed our little family.
Hearing about his tough start in life instantly struck a chord with us, we knew he was the one. The moment we met him proved it!
Despite everything he’s been through, Mopsy takes life in his stride (and definitely doesn’t have an off switch!). He loves playing fetch with his yellow spring, showing off at cat puzzles, and losing his ongoing battle with the water from the kitchen tap. He makes us laugh every day, and our hearts are so full. The team at CHAT described him as a true ‘purr pot’, and we couldn’t agree more.
We’re endlessly grateful to CHAT for believing in him and giving him the chance to experience real life and love. Many shelters would have given up hope, but they never did, and now we get to see the beautiful result of that hope and care every single day.
If you’re thinking about adopting, please do it. It changes your life, and a cat’s, for the better.” – Emily 💙
When Mopsy first came into our care, he had been found abandoned in a back garden, severely underweight and desperately unwell. He faced a long road to recovery, including months of treatment for a stubborn gut parasite that simply refused to respond to medication. There were times when the odds felt stacked against him, but our veterinary team and carers never gave up.
Today, seeing him so happy, healthy and completely adored is everything we could have hoped for. From playing fetch with his favourite yellow spring to keeping everyone entertained with his endless energy and mischievous personality, it’s clear Mopsy is making up for lost time and living the life he always deserved.
Thank you so much, Emily, for opening your heart and home to this very special little boy, and for sharing these wonderful photos with us. Seeing just how loved Mopsy is, is exactly why we never stop fighting for cats and kittens like him, no matter how difficult the road ahead may seem.
➡️ Have you adopted from Celia Hammond Animal Trust? We’d love to hear from you! Send your photos via Messenger using the words “Happy Adoption” to share your update. 🐾💙 ... See MoreSee Less
Missing or abandoned?
This poor little soul was found in the West Hill area of Hastings after making her way into someone's home last Sunday. She was terrified and spent the entire day hiding behind the sofa before eventually being coaxed back outside. Believing she had gone home, the finder was relieved. They then discovered her well hidden in a corner of the garden late on Wednesday morning.
By this point she was so frightened that the finders could no longer get anywhere near her, so Carolyn from our Greenacres Sanctuary went to catch her and bring her safely into our care.We have no idea how she ended up in the area, but it seems she just hid up where she felt safe amongst the shrubs although spent three days outside in the sweltering heat with no food or water.
When she arrived with us, she was alive with fleas, underweight and generally in poor condition. Our initial plan was to build her strength while we searched for her owner. As she began to settle, it became clear that she desperately wants to eat, getting very excited when food is offered, but simply couldn't because of the pain in her mouth.
On veterinary examination, it was found that she requires extensive and expensive (😢) dental surgery. In the absence of an owner, our vet made the decision to start pain relief to make her as comfortable as possible. We're pleased to say that this evening she has finally started eating, which is a huge relief.
We’re only able to proceed with her full dental surgery once we can establish that there is no owner, which is why this appeal is so important.
She is microchipped, but the details are not upto date. We have also checked the chip number with local veterinary practices, but it is not registered with any of them.
We are appealing for any information about this lovely cat. Does anyone recognise her or know anything about her history? She may have been missing for some time, been abandoned, or her owner may have passed away.
If you can help in any way, please email greenacresrehoming@celiahammond.org
Please share far and wide so we can uncover her story and ensure she gets the care she needs. ❤️
Our focus now is getting her urgent treatment, and once she is well and no owner comes forward, we will work to find her a safe and loving forever home. ... See MoreSee Less
🚨 EMERGENCY APPEAL - WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY 🚨
Right now, we are in the middle of several emergency rescue operations.
This is just one of them.
We have stepped in to help an owner whose number of cats had spiralled completely out of control. The owner left it far too long before asking for help, and by the time we became involved, many of the cats and kittens were already suffering. Among them are these three kittens.
They are trying to cope in this unbearable heat, carrying heavy flea burdens, battling chest infections and, heartbreakingly, many have serious eye conditions that have gone untreated.
The cats are now safely in our care. We are committed to giving every one of them the veterinary treatment, love and rehabilitation they need, and when they have fully recovered and are ready, we will find them the loving forever homes they deserve.
Our own veterinary clinics are already overwhelmed with the constant emergency cases we are bringing through their doors, so to make sure these kittens receive the urgent treatment they need without delay, we have had to use a couple of wonderful independent veterinary practices who kindly fitted them in at very short notice today. Emergency treatment outside our usual arrangements inevitably comes at a much higher cost.
💔 But today, one little kitten simply cannot wait. Meet Toto.
Just 8 weeks old, this tiny black kitten has a ruptured eye. The damage is so severe that he needs emergency surgery to remove the eye TODAY to relieve his pain.
Please note: Toto is the black kitten in the final photo. As the image shows the extent of his injury, we have placed it last due to its sensitive nature.
If you can spare anything at all towards Toto's emergency surgery and the mounting veterinary costs from this rescue, we would be so incredibly grateful. We urgently need to raise £2,900 to help cover the emergency veterinary treatment for Toto and the other cats and kittens from this heartbreaking rescue.
If donating isn't possible, please, please, please share this post. Sharing costs nothing, but could reach people who can help save Toto and his siblings.
#emergency #CatRescue #cat #KittenRescue #kittens
Todays update in the comments below. 🧡 ... See MoreSee Less