Animal charity Wood Green says it has been “stretched to the limit” by the challenges it has had to face in dealing with coronavirus.

The Godmanchester-based charity has launched a coronavirus emergency appeal for cash as it prepares to meet growing demands for its services as the lockdown lifts.

A Wood Green spokesman said: “With our 19 charity shops temporarily closed and a restricted ability to raise funds, despite growing demand on our services, our need is now greater than ever.”

The charity has continued to provide life-saving care for vulnerable pets and also aid to owners who found themselves struggling as a result of the impact of the pandemic.

As part of its new fundraising campaign, the charity has told the story of some of the animals brought in as the pandemic began to erupt.

Bix, a young tortoiseshell cat was found at the side of the road, terrified and suffering serious injuries to her tail, eye and leg.

The cat had to have her tail amputated and treatment to her eye before going to a foster home to recover - but she needed further surgery to amputate her injured leg in April.

“This level of care during lockdown required work and collaboration between three teams, veterinary, fostering and care to make an immeasurable difference to poor Bix’s life,” the spokesman said.

Wood Green also had to deal with five kittens - named Daisy, Nala, Milo, Pickle and Muffin - whose lives were at risk after being dumped in a carrier bag outside one of its rehoming centres late at night.

The abandoned animals were spotted on CCTV and staff gave up their own time to recover the kittens which were cold, hungry and dirty,

The spokesman said: “Once fed, warmed up and checked for any medical issues, the kittens were delivered to an experienced fosterer’s home.

“Without quick action from Wood Green they may not have survived the night.”

Staff also had the heartbreaking task of treating Oxo, an eight-year-old grey terrier which had a huge ulcerated tumour on her mammary gland, requiring immediate surgery and leaving the dog with a 25cm incision along her stomach.

The dog, which was covered in fleas, was in desperate need of care and needed daily veterinary care after her surgery to check and clean the wound before she could go to a foster carer two weeks later.

The spokesman said their work did not stop with the care of animals: “The team relentlessly offered support to local people and their pets through the provision of pet food, financial assistance and behavioural support.

“From panicked owners who were running out of pet food and couldn’t leave the house due to health reasons, to those struggling to access veterinary support and others who were experiencing urgent behavioural problems from pets in the home involving aggression towards children, Wood Green was there to help.

“Without the support and generosity of the public, Wood Green couldn’t have been there for Bix, the abandoned kittens, Oxo or all the other people and pets in need.”

The spokesman said its need was now greater than ever as it moved beyond the crisis to resume its intake and rehoming services with new procedures and measures in place.

Donations of £5 can be made by texting WOODGREEN to 70500 or by visiting the website www.woodgreen.org.uk where donations can be made to the coronavirus emergency appeal.