No two days are ever the same at our Home in North West London, and we never know what to expect. This month, one of our staff members found a cat carrier abandoned outside our clinic.

Inside the carrier was Stitch, alongside a heart-breaking note. This is not only devastating for Stitch, but her owner too, who clearly felt they had no other choice but to give her up.

Despite being at full capacity, we brought Stitch to safety and started providing her with the immediate care she required, including medical support from the veterinary team.

Sadly, we are seeing more cases like this as pet owners struggle to care for their animals amidst the cost-of-living crisis.

Just this year alone, seven cats have been abandoned on our doorstep with nowhere else to go. And this is only a small percentage of the animals who have depended on our services. This year we have already taken in over 270 dogs and cats.

Fortunately, these animals are now all safe alongside Stitch. But we can only continue helping dogs and cats in need with the support of animal lovers like you.

While pet owners are struggling to care for their pets with the cost-of-living crisis, animal charities have also been impacted, including Mayhew. Every day, it’s becoming more expensive to run our Home, including our clinic which so many lives depend on. In the last two years, the average daily cost of looking after an animal in our care has increased by 55%.

As an animal charity serving dogs, cats, and communities in North-West London and overseas, we want to continue being there for those who need us most. We need to be there. But with increasing costs, we fear we will no longer be able to help cats like Stitch and dread the day we might have to turn them away.

If you can, please stand by us, and them. Thank you for your continued kindness towards dogs, cats and communities.