This is how the RSPCA York Animal Home looks now as a major transformation of its facilities gets underway.
Buildings have been demolished for phase one of the redevelopment, which will see the creation of a purpose-built cattery, specialist puppy facilities and a new community and training hub.
The charity still needs to raise £800,000 towards its £2 million Phase One target and is urging everyone to get behind its A Future for Every Paw appeal.
For nearly 50 years, the animal home on Landing Lane has provided a safe haven for animals who have been abandoned, neglected or mistreated.
Hundreds of dogs, cats and small animals receive veterinary care, rehabilitation and support here every year before going on to find loving new homes.
But the charity’s existing buildings are increasingly struggling to meet the needs of the animals in its care.
Some accommodation is already unusable, while ageing facilities are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
Phase One of the redevelopment will deliver:
- A modern purpose-built cattery with improved welfare facilities.
- Specialist accommodation for puppies and their mothers.
- A new multi-purpose community and training hub supporting education, training, rehabilitation and community engagement.
The new cattery and specialist puppy facilities will provide purpose-built spaces designed around the welfare needs of the animals cared for by York Animal Home.
Marie Sandall, animal welfare manager at the RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch, said: “It’s very sad not to have any cats here at York Animal Home at the moment, but we were able to find homes for all the cats in our care before the old cattery was demolished.
“While we rebuild, we’ll be sharing cats available for adoption through our Bridlington branch. With demand for cat spaces continuing to grow, it’s so important that we can bring these much-needed facilities back to York as soon as possible.”
Lucy Lowthian, capital campaign lead at RSPCA York Animal Home, said: “Seeing construction begin is an incredibly exciting moment for everyone involved in this project. After so much planning, fundraising and hard work, it’s wonderful to see the vision for our new Animal Home starting to become a reality.”
“But while this is a huge milestone, our work is far from over. We still need to raise £800,000 to complete Phase One, and that funding is absolutely vital if we are to deliver the new cattery, puppy facilities and community and training hub as planned.
“We hope that seeing work begin will inspire even more people to get involved. Whether someone makes a donation, buys a virtual brick, takes on a fundraising challenge, encourages their workplace to support the appeal or talks to us about a corporate partnership, every contribution can make a real difference.”
Phase One forms part of a wider £5 million vision to completely redevelop the York Animal Home site over the coming years.