04/11/2026
💔 A heartbreaking update on our little Silvie. 💔
Unfortunately, this isn’t the update we were hoping to give.
Silvie went back into the vets yesterday for a review of her antibiotics. She was given an antibiotic injection, but it was clear that she was dehydrated, so we made the decision to leave her hospitalised on a drip to help her feel a little brighter.
She was still bright in herself, had a little nasal discharge, but nothing that had us particularly concerned. She had been doing absolutely fine throughout the day, and we were due to collect her at 6pm.
However, in the final 30 minutes of her hospitalisation, everything changed.
Silvie suddenly deteriorated dramatically. Following further investigations, the vet’s conclusion was that the most likely cause was cancer within her mouth, which had spread into her nasal cavity.
When I arrived to collect her at 6pm, it was immediately apparent that something was very wrong. She was withdrawn, clearly depressed and refusing food. Anyone who has met Silvie will know that refusing food is absolutely unheard of for this little girl. She was an absolute monster when it came to dinner time.
It was clear that we had reached the point where the kindest thing we could do was let her go.
So last night, we said goodbye.
I stayed with her, held her and gave her the biggest cuddle before she was sedated. We always opt for sedation before euthanasia because, for us, it’s the kindest and most humane way to say goodbye. She wasn’t alone, she was loved, and she knew nothing but kindness in her final moments.
Run free, beautiful girl 😢❤️
But alongside the heartbreak, we have another very real problem. One thing I don’t think people always realise about running a rescue is just how difficult it is to grieve.
As the person who has fostered Silvie, cared for her and ultimately had to make the decision to let her go, I’m heartbroken. But alongside that grief comes the immediate responsibility of switching straight back into finance mode.
There’s no real time to sit with the loss, process what’s happened or even catch your breath, because whilst you’re grieving one animal, you’re already looking at the next veterinary bill, the money you’ve just spent and how you’re going to claw it back to make sure the rescue can continue.
The bills don’t stop because you’ve lost somebody you love, and the financial responsibility doesn’t disappear because you’re heartbroken.
It’s an incredibly difficult and exhausting part of rescue work that isn’t always visible. Sometimes I feel like I don’t even get the time to grieve before I’m having to start fundraising again.
And that’s where we are right now. Heartbroken over Silvie, but simultaneously having to ask for help because we simply cannot afford not to.
Silvie’s veterinary treatment and goodbye came to almost £400, and we still have her cremation to arrange. We always try to give our animals that final dignity, and I’ll do my best to cover her cremation personally.
We have kittens waiting to be spayed and neutered. We have three very young kittens who are only just recovering from suspected cat flu. We have two new older doggies who need settling in and finding their forever homes. We have ongoing veterinary commitments, preventative treatments and all the everyday costs that come with running a rescue.
And we still have so many little lives depending on us.
We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to build a team of genuinely enthusiastic, committed people who want to help make Chirpy’s Allies a success. People who want to contribute, get involved and help us grow into something sustainable. There is so much potential here, and we have people who are willing to give their time, energy and hearts to make it happen.
We need the backing of our supporters. We need people to stand behind us, share our posts, donate what they can and help us build something that can continue.
I know we ask for help a lot. I know there are so many charities and rescues competing for people’s attention, and everybody is feeling the pinch financially.
But I promise you, we wouldn’t keep asking if we didn’t genuinely need it.
Even £2 or £5 makes a difference. If 100 people donated just £5, that’s £500 towards keeping this rescue going. If you can’t donate, sharing this post is genuinely valuable too. You never know who might see it.
We love what we do. We love these animals. We love being able to take the ones who have been overlooked, forgotten or left with nowhere else to go and give them a chance at a different life.
But we cannot keep doing it without you.
Please, if you’ve ever supported us, followed one of our animals’ journeys, shared a post or simply believed in what we’re trying to achieve, we’re asking you to help us now.
We desperately need donations. Not tomorrow, not next month, but now.
Let’s make sure Silvie’s story, and the stories of all the animals still waiting for their happy endings, aren’t the reason we have to stop.
Rest peacefully, my little Silvie. You were so loved ❤️
PLEASE HELP US 🙏🏼
💚PayPal: [email protected]
🧡Bank transfer: Chirpys Allies
Sort code: 30-99-50
Account number: 59913363
💜Or directly to our vets - Gonda’s Maltby 01709 819888 (Ask to donate towards Chirpy’s Allies)
Thank you, as always, for being here. ❤️
