Cat rescue centre looking for Londoners to rehome pets before it's forced to close

Precious Paws Cat Rescue in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire has not yet managed to find a suitable site to move to after it was told by landlord Affinity Water it needed to relocate earlier this year.

Owner Jacqui Schafer, says she hopes to get all of the remaining cats rehomed by the end of November before they have to leave the premises.

“Our lease finishes at the end of December and our landlord is not renewing it so we’ve got to try to get them all rehomed by then,” Ms Schafer told LondonWorld.

“We’ve been here five years. We originally came down here to start a boarding cattery and then Covid hit. Obviously we couldn’t take cats in to board during that time so we opened up a rescue.

“We’ve gone from strength to strength with the amount of cats we’ve had. In the last five years we’ve rehomed anything between 400 and 450 cats.

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“It's been hard work but it’s all been worth it to get all these cats that have been abandoned or strays into forever homes.”

Precious Paws Cat Rescue has put out an urgent call for anyone looking to adopt or foster cats and kittens to get in touch.

Ms Schafer has “no hard feelings” over the lease not being renewed as it was “always a possibility.”

“It was always a possibility that they would not renew our lease when we first signed five years ago,” she explained.

“We were told back in June that it wouldn’t be continued.

“If we can find other premises that would be amazing, like a cattery that is no longer trading or something like that.”

Affinity Water said in a statement: "Prior to the start of the lease in December 2019, it was clearly outlined that the agreement was contracted out, with a fixed term of five years ending on 22 December 2024, with no right to renewal.

"The tenant has enjoyed peaceful use of the premises throughout the lease period. However, we now require the premises for operational purposes in the wider public interest.

"To support the tenant during this transition, especially given the timing around Christmas, we have offered a tenancy at will extending until January 22 2025, allowing additional time to find alternative premises and vacate."