History

Holly Hedge Sanctuary was first registered as a charity in 1982, although it's founder, Pauline Leeson, has dedicated her whole life to animal welfare. Until 1992, when kennels were purchased and became Holly Hedge Sanctuary, Pauline worked from her own home and with the support of foster carers. Her aim has always been to provide a safe haven for animals until caring permanent owners can be found and this continues to be the purpose of the charity today.

The accommodation at Holly Hedge Sanctuary is of a very high standard and our rescued animals get the best care, comfort and veterinary treatment when needed. They also get lots of exercise and love. Our team of dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure their stay with us is as pleasant as possible. Even so there is still "no place like home" where each one can be someone's special pet. The pressure of life today means not only that there are more animals being given up but that new homes are harder to find. We pride ourselves on maintaining exceptional standards and our re-homing policies have been set, with the benefit of years of experience, to maximise the chances of the animals staying with their new owners for life. Some of our rescues have been ill-treated and their lives are just beginning, others are sad to be apart from their owners and are broken hearted. They all need the security of loving homes where they can rebuild their lives and find happiness once more. Sick, badly neglected and elderly animals are placed in foster homes until they can be rehomed, as they benefit from individual attention in a home environment. The numbers of animals that have arrived in poor health and with ongoing medical expenses has increased dramatically as have cases of abuse and neglect.