What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 11am - 5pm Sunday 11am - 5pm

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary

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Woodlands Animal Sanctuary

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We are a registered charity helping to rescue, rehabilitate, and care for over 150 animals including cats, ponies, goats and more! Get involved today! Thank you!

Supporting us to raise vital funds and awareness helps us to help more animals in need. You can support Woodlands by donating securely at https://app.donorfy.com/form/SOK1GM5P83/Urgent-Appeal-1Aug24 or https://www.woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk/donate/donate-online/. The sanctuary is a registered charity that was created in February 2005 in its original format as a charitable trust but now operates as a charitable incorporated organisation. Woodlands was set up in order to care for unwanted and neglected farm animals, small domestic animals and species of native wildlife. The purpose of Woodlands Animal Sanctuary is as follows:-

"To relieve the suffering of animals of any species who are in need of care and attention, and in particular to provide or maintain refuge, secure homes, sanctuaries or other facilities for the reception and care of unwanted animals and the treatment of sick or ill-treated animals." The sanctuary's objectives are:
1. To rescue unwanted, ill-treated, abandoned or neglected animals.
2. The rehabilitation of these animals.
3. To provide residential care, or wherever possible to foster out these animals into a secure, permanent and loving environment.
4. To educate, and provide support and advice to the general public in the care of domestic animals.
5. To provide opportunities to everyone including people with mental health issues and special needs. There are several local Shelters that cater for unwanted dogs and cats, but very few that cater for smaller domestic animals, farm birds, farm animals, wildlife and equines. The team have a wealth of experience in caring for these animals and all this expertise can only benefit the animals at the sanctuary and provide them with the safe, secure and stimulating environment that they deserve. HOWEVER……

None of this will be achievable without continued support from you - the people local to the sanctuary. The sanctuary receives no government funding or financial support from a national charity and thus are entirely dependent on the goodwill of private benefactors and local businesses. Every day brings new challenges to our small purse; food, bedding, heating, not to mention veterinary fees. All our animals have at least their first vaccinated, are microchipped and all adult cats will be neutered prior to being re-homed. Many of our long-term resident cats and farm animals are on permanent medication and we have a biweekly vet visit to monitor the overall health of all our animals. The team are committed to caring for these animals. It is an ongoing struggle just to maintain and care for the animals already in our care. But despite this, during the last 19 years, we have achieved leaps and bounds! We have built a new stable block, a state of the art cattery and a new hedgehog unit, meaning that we can take in more animals and provide them with the best care. Our future ambitions include working more with our local community and providing a preventative service, so we won't just be a cure for the problem. Due to your never ending support, we were able to meet our goals, but we know that you will help us meet our next goal. So please don't keep us a secret. Tell your friends and family about the sanctuary and ask them to help us help these animals as well. We appreciate you all so much!

03/11/2026

🧼🧽We have a big ask...yes another one! 🧼🧽

Does anyone have a second hand washing machine they would be willing to donate to us pretty please? One of ours had decided life is just too hard and it can't go on any longer!

As you can see we have lots of towels, blankets, bedding and cloths that need washing daily. We do have several machines in each of the cattery areas, and whilst essential for the cats comfort, welfare and infection control, it is a big cost that we haven't budgeted for. Especially with our last few fundraisers having to be cancelled due to circumstances outside of our control.

If you, or anyone you know could help, please get in touch
📞 01704 823293
📧 [email protected]

Thank you so much!

27/10/2026

Say hello to Carly and her two kittens. Yet another young family abandoned. This time left in a plastic box in some woods and found by a member of the public.

Obviously someone's pet once, they came into our care yesterday.

You're probably getting a sense of deja vu. We certainly are. Too many are being dumped or surrendered because of unplanned litters, unexpected costs, and quite simply people taking on pets that they don't understand the responsibility of.

25/10/2026

Thank you so much to all of you who have bought from our Shopping lists. 🫶💚🫶

When you buy from our shopping lists you directly help vulnerable kittens like this current hand rear litte. Cotton Wool pleats (please note please and Not balls or any other sort) are ideal for helping us to toilet these little babies. A natural body function that their mummy would usually do...but with hand rears, we have to be mum and do what is needed to help these vulnerable little ones have a chance at survival.

Pill Assist pockets mean when we have incredibly scared cats like sisters Harri & Charley, we can administer medications in as stress free way as possible. The medications are vital, AND so is their welbeing, the more we can reduce stress - you can bet we will do.

Helping us with these essential items, means the rest of the hard earned money we have can go on other essentials, like heating, staff wages, veterinary costs etc.

Thank you for being part of the solution.

You can find most of these items in your local shops. Alternatively, you can order directly from our Amazon Wish list and it will be delivered here. Link on our website too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/EC8M8N6H7MZJ/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist

23/10/2026

Meet Marge, a resilient 2-year-old who's been through a lot, but is now on the path to healing and growth! Despite being separated from one of her kittens, & then reunited and fiercely protecting them with the rest of her babies, feeding and ensuring they wanted for nothing, Marge is now learning to trust again, just for herself. Our team of staff and volunteers, have been working passionately with her, to help her find her place in the world again, without her babies to care for.

Empty nest syndrome can affect us all differently, but Marge is showing, that with a little patience and love, she can blossom into a confident companion who can not only tolerate human connection, but find comfort with it too. Coupled with her hesitancy to interact with strangers, Marge also has to contend with being a black cat. Black cats notoriously take twice as long to rehome as any other colour & so we are constantly seeing this gorgeouse girly being overlooked for the cool cats, who are a more fashionable colour with a more outgoing bubbly personality.

If you like to support the under dog, or help those who have had to build their walls up high and thick, just to survive, to feel safe enough to lower them, then Marge is for you. She is a firm favourite with the team here, becuause even when Marge didn't have faith in herself, their determination to help her, didn't waver and now they are reaping the rewards, seeing Marge improve each day, realaxing in their company and even seeking their touch.

We think Marge would settle best with a quiet home with a gentle family, possibly with older children, where she can continue to flourish and reach her full potential 🌱❤️ Most of all, Marge deserves unconditional love and safety, where she can finally let her walls down, when she's ready, and not have to shoulder the weight of the world on her own. She's been the whole world to her babies, now its her turn for someone to make the world of difference to her.

If you think you could be the family Marge is looking for, or you know someone who might be, please share this message and get in touch with us> https://www.woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk/rehoming/cats/rehome-marge/

22/10/2026

😁😁😁😁😁 Tabella has moved in with her new family and she's found herself a dad! 🥰

She has settled straight away, even bringing herself to sit on his knee!

It's these stories that give the team the lift they need after a long, hard slog of a summer. And of couse, is the absolute reason everyone here does what they do and endures the lows as much as they do, because the highs make it worthwhile.

A safe loving home you can call your own can be taken so easily for granted, but it's not a given. Especially at the moment, for many people and animals, it is simply a dream. But dreams can come true and make all the difference in the world to those involved. 🌍💞

19/10/2026

Only 5 places left on our half term holiday club.
A wonderful fun and educational day for young children where they'll meet and care for our animals and learn first hand about animal welfare. Just £25 per child. Book now:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/woodlandsanimalsanctuary/2091749

19/10/2026

Do you need some motivation for a Monday? Maybe don't ask Derek! 😂

It's hard work being a donkey! 🫏

Chanel your inner hen to get your week off to a clucking good start! 😁

What do you do to get your week off to a good start? Lets share a feel good vibe for a monday...

18/10/2026

Sunday Supplies shopping list 🛍🛒👛

We all have a weekly shopping list - this is just a part of ours.

The simple yet vital bits that help everything run smoothly here;
🐾Washing up liquid - for many many things!
🐾Royal Canin Mother and Baby Mousse, because the right nutrition can make the impossible possible
🐾Sardines in Tomato sauce - because some of our cats need medications and know every other trick in the book to give it to them - but they LOVE sardines, has to be in tomato sauce though!
🐾Mesh bags because we have that much washing and disenfecting to do daily, we need to look after our washing machines and little additions like this can save so much money on repairs!
🐾Cotton wool pleats (Lilets) are an essential piece of our handrearing toolkits to help keep vulnerable babies clean and toileted.

If you are able to contribute in any way to any of these items, we and more importantly the animals, will be incredibly grateful 💚

You can buy these things locally or from our Amazon Wishlist> https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/EC8M8N6H7MZJ/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist

16/10/2026

We are entered into the next My giving Circle draw and we need your help to have any chance of being in the top 20 and winning between £500 and £4000!

We're currently #110 which is quite good, only need to climb 90 places at least! 😂 Money is tight for all of us at the moment. We are no different, but this is a way you can give us a big boost, without spending any money yourself.

It takes less than 1 minute. Just follow the link here pretty please>
https://mygivingcircle.org/woodlands-animal-sanctuary?affiliate=mgcEMD

15/10/2026

🚨URGENT APPEAL FOR HELP⏰🚨
Six kittens. No mum. Left in a bin bag yesterday.

They’re tiny, and they were clean and well looked after, which tells us they were somebody’s litter. Our team is now hand-rearing all six, feeding them day and night.

They’re not a one-off. Compared with last year:

Total admissions up 42%
Mums with kittens at foot up 168%
Kittens without their mum up 71%
Pregnant cats up 25%

This October alone, we’ve already taken in 25% more cats than in the whole of October last year.

We’ve become a kitten rescue almost overnight, and the demand for our help is now growing faster than our income. These six alone will cost around £2,400 to care for.

Please help us keep saying yes: https://www.woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk/kittencrisis/

Can’t give? Sharing this really does help.

Address

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary
Ormskirk
L401UE

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	11am - 5pm
Sunday	11am - 5pm

Telephone

+441704823293

Website

https://www.woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk/donate/donate-online/, https://app.donorfy.com/form/SOK1GM5P83/Urgent-Appeal

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