When Danielle and her family made a life changing decision to become the new owners of Cuckfield Cattery in May 2019, nobody could have predicted that a global pandemic and a national lockdown would occur when they were only ten months in. “The cattery emptied in only a few days,” Danielle explained, “with our customers stuck abroad and waiting for repatriation flights, their pussycats were collected by either family or friends; It was not the start which we had hoped for.” However, some feline guests did manage to stay. Cuckfield Cattery is not only an oasis for any loved pussycat to spend their holiday, but it is also a temporary placement for the cats in the care of Cats Protection Mid Sussex branch.
Since the first national lockdown, one thing that has become very apparent was that most people are now reviewing their work / life balance. With many people now working from home, this gave a lot of families a great opportunity to welcome a pet. It has been proven for some time, how having the companionship of any animal can help to reduce stress and improve mental wellbeing, a big factor for everyone during this unusual time. Cats Protection adopted a new re-homing process in the form of ‘hands free rehoming’.
“It’s been so lovely to see our foster cats have so much interest and it is never too long before they are off with their new families”. When virus transmissions began to fall over the summer of 2020, Danielle and her family welcomed back some feline friends into their countryside retreat. “We had hoped that we were over the worst, and we were looking forward to getting back on track but then the second wave hit the UK, with the worst cases directly affecting the South-East. It was a very dark and worrying time not only for the cattery’s future but for our family and friends’ health.” As a registered nurse, Danielle quickly signed up to become part of the mass vaccination team for Sussex. “As soon as I saw the notification from Sussex Community Foundation Trust, I knew I just had to help. History has already proven that vaccines save lives so when the news came through that Covid vaccines were then going through safety testing, this offered a small light at the end of a dark tunnel.”
Danielle has continued to work at the Brighton Centre since February and has witnessed thousands of vaccines being gratefully received by the public. “Working at the Brighton Centre has been such a wonderful experience. Everyone inside, whether staff or members of the public are just full of positivity and hope, there is a real buzz in the air. “Over the past few weeks that positivity has now gone on to be felt in our cattery; With the UK summer approaching and many UK holiday destinations getting set to welcome guests, I am really excited to see all of our wonderful customers and feline friends once more.”
Cuckfield Cattery is conveniently located on Deaks Lane in a quiet, rural setting. The cats are housed in spacious, centralled heated units, each with its own run. If you would like to talk to Danielle about your cat and availability during your next holiday, you can call 01444 454 187 or email: bookings@thecuckfieldcattery.co.uk. www.thecuckfieldcattery.co.uk