Heavy downpours caused flash flooding in parts of London last night.

Unfortunately, Mayhew was one of a number of those affected and parts of our shelter were engulfed by flood water due to the torrential rain and damaged. We are launching an emergency appeal to raise funds to cover the cost of repairs and replace items that were destroyed in the flood.

Thankfully, our dedicated staff were on site and the dogs and cats in our care were not impacted. Mayhew staff worked late into the night, making sure the dogs and cats were safe and comfortable, clearing the flood waters and cleaning and disinfecting all the affected areas.

We have a team of professionals visiting Mayhew today to examine what happened and to assess the repairs required, but the charity now faces unexpected costs and disruption at a critical time.Sherine Wheeler, Mayhew Chief Executive says: “We are currently grappling with record numbers of requests for our help to support dogs and cats who need us, and last night’s flooding during the spell of torrential rain means that we need to call on the generosity of donors, old and new, to help us respond, repair the damage and replace what has been spoiled.

Last night, our shelter was full to capacity with animals in our care who were settling down for the evening. I am so thankful that our staff responded swiftly and were able to contain the problem quickly, ensuring the safety of all our dogs and cats.

We are working with a team of professionals to make sure that we have solutions in place for future unexpected weather events that could result in flooding. But right now we need urgent funds to help us with repairs, to replace equipment and the toys, bedding and food that keep our animals safe, warm and happy.”