Thaindian News

London, Aug 19 (ANI): A Brit dog’s home is said to be facing a crisis, for it is being overwhelmed by the growing number of cats arriving there.

Staff at Battersea dogs’ home in London are desperately appealing for would-be owners to come forward to help with a “cat emergency”.

Battersea is world-renowned as a dogs’ home, but it is less well known that it also has a cattery, which is nearly at full capacity because fewer and fewer people are choosing to adopt a cat.

The number of cats being found a new owner is nine percent down, compared with this time last year, with only 1,174 cats having been rehomed by Battersea this year, compared to 1,290 cats by July in 2008.

And there has been a summer influx of kittens. Of the 145 cat pens, 143 are in use and there are a further 173 cats waiting to be admitted.

“We are having a cat emergency at Battersea - we have more cats than there are in the entire cattery waiting to come in,” the Daily Star quoted a spokeswoman for the home as saying.

Ros Davies, “cat rehomer” at the rescue centre, the full name of which is Battersea Dogs And Cats Home, said there is a huge range of cats and kittens looking for new homes.

“Summer is traditionally a busy time of the year for us because the warm weather usually means there are more kittens brought in,” she said.

“But this summer’s nine per cent drop in rehoming figures has taken us all by surprise.

“People might think of Battersea as more of a home for dogs than cats, but cats are just as important and need loving new homes, too,” she stated.

A RSPCA spokesman said: “We have seen an increase over the past year in the number of abandoned pets. We put that partly down to the recession. What we don’t want is for people to volunteer if they can’t look after an animal. People should not come forward on a whim as it is quite a commitment to look after an animal,” he added. (ANI)