Prestigious IFAW award for cat-lover Liz

By The Newsroom
Published 17th Oct 2014, 08:27 BST
Dallington woman Liz Varney is to be recognised with a special award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the House of Lords, honouring more than 40 years of dedication to rescuing and rehoming cats in need. SUS-141016-094503001Dallington woman Liz Varney is to be recognised with a special award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the House of Lords, honouring more than 40 years of dedication to rescuing and rehoming cats in need. SUS-141016-094503001
Dallington woman Liz Varney is to be recognised with a special award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the House of Lords, honouring more than 40 years of dedication to rescuing and rehoming cats in need. SUS-141016-094503001
A DALLINGTON woman is to be recognised with a special award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the House of Lords, honouring more than 40 years of dedication to rescuing and rehoming cats in need.

Animal lover Liz Varney has rescued thousands of cats over the years and offers refuge to 200 at any one time at Catastrophes Cat Rescue, which she runs from her home alongside partner Alan Knight, who also runs the charity International Animal Rescue.

Many of the cats have been abandoned or ill-treated and some become homeless because of a change in people’s circumstances.

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The rescue’s aim is to help any cat regardless of age, temperament or behavioural problems, whether wild or tame.

This brings in many desperate calls from around the UK and sometimes abroad, asking Liz to help elderly, feral and difficult to rehome cats that some larger organisations may turn away or put down.

She also takes in cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), showing the disease is not a death sentence. Valuable data on these cats assists with research into the disease.

Liz has a ‘no kill’ policy and set up a sanctuary as well as rescue and rehoming organisation, so that cats which would be difficult to rehome could live out the rest of their days in a peaceful environment.

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President and CEO of IFAW, Azzedine Downes, said: “Liz’s dedication has seen her rescue many thousands of cats over the years and she is a great role model and example of animal welfare in action. She is a very deserving winner of IFAW’s Cat Rescue Award.”

Liz, with help from a team of volunteers, also visits colonies of feral cats. As with any cats they help, they spay and neuter and provide any necessary veterinary treatment.

Liz said: “The firs