Work has begun on a £2million redevelopment of an animal home which supports vulnerable animals across Harrogate, York and the surrounding area.
RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch has started construction on the first phase of its redevelopment of York Animal Home.
The project will see a new purpose-built cattery, specialist facilities for puppies and a community and training hub created at the site.
The independently funded charity has already secured £1.2million towards the £2million cost of Phase One, but is appealing for help to raise the remaining £800,000.
York Animal Home has provided a safe haven for abandoned, neglected and mistreated animals for almost 50 years.
However, some of its existing accommodation is now unusable, while ageing facilities are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
Marie Sandall, Animal Welfare Manager at RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch, said:
“It’s very sad not to have any cats here at York Animal Home at the moment, but we were able to find homes for all the cats in our care before the old cattery was demolished.
“While we rebuild, we’ll be sharing cats available for adoption through our Bridlington branch. With demand for cat spaces continuing to grow, it’s so important that we can bring these much-needed facilities back to York as soon as possible.”
Lucy Lowthian, Capital Campaign Lead, said:
“Seeing construction begin is an incredibly exciting moment for everyone involved in this project. After so much planning, fundraising and hard work, it's wonderful to see the vision for our new Animal Home starting to become a reality.
“But while this is a huge milestone, our work is far from over. We still need to raise £800,000 to complete Phase One, and that funding is absolutely vital if we are to deliver the new cattery, puppy facilities and community and training hub as planned.”
Phase One is expected to be completed by June 2027, with the wider plans forming part of a £5million vision to redevelop the York Animal Home site.
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