Welcome to Oak Tree Animals' Charity

Coronavirus Update

With the developing coronavirus situation changing daily we want to reassure our visitors and service users that we are doing all we can to continue delivering our community animal support,  and other services to a high standard whilst minimising potential health risks to our supporters, volunteers and staff. 

DUE TO YOUR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT, WE ARE UNABLE TO TAKE ANY MORE DONATIONS OF ANY BEDDING OR TOWELS AT THIS TIME. Our storage spaces are totally full and we thank you for thinking of our Charity during this difficult period. Please keep checking our website where we will let you know when we will be able to receive your kind donations once more.

We are now able to process people looking for dogs and cats who have not already registered with us. However, due to on-going staff shortages, we will be asking everyone to follow these guidelines:

• Have a look on our website rehoming pages to see if there is an animal that you like and matches your rehoming needs; each profile will have a list of the animals rehoming requirements
• If there is an animal that you like and that meets your needs, email smallanimalteam@oaktreeanimals.org.uk with your contact details and the animal you are interested in
• One of the Small Animal Team will then call you back to discuss the animal, go through our adoption questionnaire and explain our current rehoming process
• We will ask you to email photos of your ID, proof of address and if needed, landlords permission that you are able to have pets
• With dogs and certain cats we will also ask for photos of the home and garden
• Adoption fees are still £60 for cats and £110 for dogs, and we are able to sell you equipment you need such as leads, harnesses, litter trays and litter to save you waiting for internet deliveries, or braving the shops
• Once you have been matched to an animal we will arrange to bring the animal to you with anything else you need. At delivery we will ensure that social distancing is in place
• For certain cats we will offer a foster to adopt where you can spend a few days getting to know the cat before officially adopting
• For dogs we can do socially distanced viewings in your garden and if all goes well, can go straight to adoption
• All adoption still come with 4 weeks free insurance with Petplan, vet histories, up to date vaccinations and flea and worm treatment 
• We will be unable to register people who have not mentioned a specific animal from the website

Thank you for your patience and understanding at these unprecedented times.

We are incredibly grateful for all of the offers we have received over the last month to adopt or foster our dogs and cats. The generosity of the local community has been overwhelming. 

The welfare of the animals in our care remains our top priority. Some of our services, such as training classes and school visits, have been forced to transfer to an online format, but we are confident we can continue providing a high level of care and support to the community. For the foreseeable future we are also cancelling all our onsite events.  We will, of course, monitor the situation and plan to provide frequent updates with regards to how we are adapting to this unprecedented situation. Please keep an eye on our website home and events pages and Facebook for the latest information from the Charity. 

We need to keep generating income in order to help animals in need. With this in mind, we continue to discuss online alternatives to some of our events and services. We have an incredibly imaginative and determined team here at Oak Tree, so please watch this space for more innovative ways to keep supporting us and being involved with us in these uncertain times. 

We currently have the following measures in place – these will be updated as and when the situation changes, so please refer back regularly: 

• Animals continue to be cared for on site and by a fantastic team of foster carers. 
• Our site at Wetheral (including the Tearoom and all shops) are closed to the public. Carlisle and Keswick Shops are also closed. Thank you to you all for your loyal support and custom and we look forward to welcoming you again once the situation improves. 
• We are of course still able to provide support and advice over the telephone or via email. Please call 01228 560082 Ext. 225 for any general enquires or email info@oaktreeanimals.org.uk . Please be patient - if you don't manage to get through on the telephone, please do email us at the address above and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Don’t forget our website is packed full of information and more specific ways to contact different departments. Whatever your situation, please get in touch and explain your needs and we will do all we can to support you. 
• If you are currently self-isolating and your pet requires veterinary care, please telephone your veterinary practice for the latest advice. It may be that they suggest that a friend or family member brings your pet to the practice.

According to the World Health Organisation, there is currently no evidence that companion animals can be infected with COVID-19, however regular hand washing is advisable, as always, when in contact with your pet. 

Please do contact us if you have any concerns. We will continue to help local animals and their owners in need, wherever possible. Please bear with us – this is unprecedented territory for us all. We will update this information as the situation develops. 

Thank you for your continued support.