As the coronavirus pandemic took hold, there were unexpected victims.
Animals looking for homes saw their searches put on pause as shelters were forced to close and adoption processes were halted.
Now rescue centres are oh-so-slowly picking up where they left off.
The first animal from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to go to a new home since the lockdown measures came into place is Missy, a very special tortoiseshell cat who’s moved on from the cattery to live with her forever family.
Missy was brought to the charity’s London centre at the start of February when her owner’s circumstances changed.
Shortly after arriving, staff noticed that the three-year-old cat often seemed unhappy and was frequently shaking her head. They ran tests and discovered a severe infection in Missy’s ears, along with polyp masses.
After exploring al the options, vets discovered the best treatment was to operate on Missy’s ear canals and remove the outside of her ears.
She may now be missing her ears, but Missy is just as much a sweet, playful cat as she was before. Her favourite thing to do is chase around a bit of string.
She can still hear, too, and is far happier without her outer ears.
Cattery Team Leader Michelle Henry-Clement said: ‘Beautiful Missy is truly one of a kind. Although she may appear earless, she can still hear perfectly well and quickly became a much happier cat following her treatment.
‘We’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this sweet girl during her time with us, when we haven’t been cuddling or playing together with her favourite string toys, she’s kept us entertained with her funny, seal-like belly flops.
‘We were sad to say goodbye to our unique cat but very excited for her to start the next chapter of her life.’
Since Battersea began to rehome animals in lockdown, Missy was finally able to go to her new home in Lambeth last week.
When lockdown was announced, Battersea, like many rescues, had to suspend rehoming. They are now slowly rehoming some of their dogs and cats following government-approved guidance.
But before you rush over to the centre to adopt all the furry pals your heart desires, heed this warning: the reopening of adoptions is going to be slow and steady, and priority will go to people already registered, already in the process of adopting an animal, and those who live nearby to one of Battersea’s centres.
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