After her the death of her husband, Margaret Baker aged 75 desperately wanted a cat for companionship.
She picked out Lily, a Bengal from an animal shelter and agreed to go through a standard vetting procedure. To her horror, she was told that her application has been refused due to her home of 38 years in Norfolk is in too rough an area.
Mrs Baker said in response to the news, “I was numb and just burst into tears.” Molly Cutmore from the Feline Care East Harling, Norfolk, last night defended the charity’s decision. Mrs Cutmore said, ‘We don’t want to stop people who want one having a cat, but can’t re-home them if we think something will happen.’
She added: ‘We’ve heard reports of people training their dogs to attack cats and there have been cruelty cases on the estate. All of our policies exist for good reasons.’
Mrs Baker has now adopted a cat called Smokey, said: ‘When I went out I realised that when I came back home I hated it. There was nothing to come back to. You could say Ted and I were joined at the hip and we did everything together. Now I’ve got Smokey I don’t mind coming home any more.’
Have you just bought a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. Join and receive 12 weeks Free insurance.