The owner of a Keswick pet charity has vowed to keep going, despite a disastrous two years which has seen its main source of funding slashed.
Joyce Walker set up Pets Lifeline in 1986 with her husband David, and since then has taken in and rehoused over 7,500 abandoned cats and kittens.
With fostering, vets fees and expenses such as food and heating costing around £45,000 a year, they relied on takings from a bric-a-brac stall at Keswick market to make up the bulk of its annual income.
But in 2020 Covid restrictions saw the market closed indefinitely, and then in November last year David died after a period of ill-health at the age of 80.
Even though the market reopened, Joyce has been unable to secure a permanent pitch and now, aged 74, she says she is having to “beg, steal and borrow” to keep the charity going.
To help raise funds daughter Kathleen has been making knitted items, such as baby cardigans, teddy bears and baby blankets in various colours to support the charity, selling them on her Facebook page, with all the money going to Pets Life Line.
“There’s only me and Kathleen, now – and while we’re determined to keep things afloat, without the income from the stall the future looks pretty bleak after more than 40 years,” Joyce said.
“It’s just been one thing after another what with Covid and then losing David. We just have to hope that things turn round somehow.”
At its peak, Pets Lifeline – which is based at the family bungalow in Crosthwaite Gardens – was rehousing around 50 cats and kittens a week. They even managed to find new homes for badgers, hedgehogs and herons.
Now Joyce has only a handful of cats left, and without funds to look after them fears they may be among the last. She is currently looking to rehouse three cats – Willow, Beanie and Kizzy – who were taken in three months ago.
“Willow and Beanie are both three years old and quite nervous, so I think they would have to go as a pair,” she said. “Kizzy would be best in a home where there are no other cats.
“Whatever happens we’ll do our very best to find them suitable homes.”
Joyce is available on 017687 73723, or get in touch via the Pets Lifeline Facebook page.
