Ferne Animal Sanctuary gets 'fantastic' £750k donation

The charity opened its cat unit after a public appeal for donations in 2015

A Somerset animal charity has received a "fantastic" £746,000 donation from a local trust, enabling it to buy a neighbouring farm to expand its work.

Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard was given the donation from the Montague Panton Animal Welfare Trust which decided to close after 12 years.

Chief executive, Elaine Hayes said: "It's incredibly rare to be offered such a fantastic opportunity."

The 21-acre farm will provide more space and grazing land for the animals.

The farm was sold to the charity for £600,000 in January, but Ms Hayes said work would need to carried out on the boundaries, to make sure that animals are secure. The water trough system would also need to be upgraded, she said.

"The barns and buildings are structurally sound and robust and we've already moved animals in," Ms Hayes added.

"Over time we will improve things and add some more shelters and so on, but as it stands it's a really useful asset."

'A fantastic idea'

Over the years the trust had made smaller donations of about £10,000 to the charity, which cares for a range of animals including, dogs, cats, horses and ponies. But after the three trustees decided to close the body, they named Ferne as one of three legacy projects.

Ms Hayes said: "We talking to them about what might constitute a really good legacy project and we were looking at fairly major changes with buildings and so on."

"But while we were having those conversations, the farm next door went up for sale.

"I rang the trustee and said, 'Would you consider that, because it's forever?' They readily agreed it would be a fantastic idea."

The remainder of the donation will be used to expand the hay barn, and set up an indoor training school for dogs with challenging behaviours.

In 2017, the charity opened its intensive care unit for cats after a public appeal was launched in 2015.