A KIND-HEARTED Quinton mum who runs an animal rescue spent £3k last month on the 48 cats and kittens in her care including a mother cat whose leg had to be amputated and an elderly cat left to starve after his owner died.
Sadie Townsend has been rescuing animals including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles and wildlife at her home for 30 years.
The 48-year-old mum of three grown up children funds Petsearch and Rescue, which also operates a lost and found register to reunite lost pets with their owners, from her own pocket - by working as a book keeper and taking cats for boarding.
Now costs are spiralling as she has lots of cases of cats requiring operations and special care.
On an average month Sadie will spend £1k on the animals in her care, so last month at £3k, was an especially bad one.
One case at the rescue is Peggy (pictured above) who has had to have an operation costing £1k to amputate her leg after being found injured in a garden in Dudley.
Sadie said: "I had a call at the weekend about an injured cat in a back garden with kittens - they had tried so many rescues but no-one would come out.
"When I got there it was a terrible injury - half her leg was missing - it was horrific - she must have been in so much pain.
"She's had the leg amputated and is doing well - we're putting ice packs on it and she's on antibiotics for an infection."
Sadly two of Peggy's kittens were already dead, one died after being rescued, but surviving kitty Sue is at the rescue with Peggy (the pair are pictured above). It is believed they may have been attacked by a fox.
Another heartbreaking case is that of elderly moggie Bruce (pictured above), who was left to starve after his elderly owner died at their home in Dudley.
The 18-year-old cat has suffered liver and kidney damage from his ordeal. He is on a special diet and is living with Sadie's partner Mark McCarthy, aged 55, who helps her run the rescue.
Sadie said: "His owner passed away and poor Bruce was put outside like a bag of rubbish.
"He was sitting outside on the doorstep and hadn't got a clue what was going on poor thing. We have no idea how long he had been there.
"He's at the last stage of his life now, but we are keeping him comfortable.
"He is such a grateful boy to be off that doorstep at long last. He was just waiting to be let in for food and a soft bed."
Sadie said a carer went to check to see if the owner's family had taken Bruce and was horrified to see that he had been left - then brought him to her.
Sadie (pictured above) said: "You name it I will have it - I've got an exhausted racing pigeon here at the moment.
"Since lockdown people have been really kind and have donated towards certain animals or helping out with trapping and transport.
"My son helps with maintenance, my family all do their part along with volunteers, that I now class as my friends, who help with pen duties, fosters, trapping, microchip readers and I have amazing followers/friends who donate and share posts on social media, not only for the rescue, but also for the registry of lost and found."
To help the centre donations can be made to S Townsend sort code: 30-16-84 account number: 00390986 or at https://www.paypal.me/PetsearchRescue. If you want to help a particular animal please state their name.
There is also a wishlist which can be found by clicking here.
Anyone who can help Sadie, by volunteering or fostering animals, can contact her through the rescue's Facebook page.
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