About Us
FACTS ABOUT HULA
- HULA has re-homed many thousands of animals since it was founded
- The average length of stay at HULA is one to two months before being re-homed
- HULA has a non-destruction policy and never put an animal to sleep unless for physical or psychological health reasons
- All animals are neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, vet checked and wormed
- HULA receives no Government funding and is an independent charity
THE CHARITY'S WORK
- The aims of the Charity are to relieve suffering and distress, by providing refuge and care to unwanted domestic animals until suitable permanent adoptions can be found
- To provide help and advice to pet and animal owners or their families, who are unable to cope due to a change in their circumstances for example the absence of a family member, disablement or poverty
OUR HISTORY
HULA Animal Rescue is a small registered charity (registration number 1094115) that has been helping animals and their owners since 1972. The charity has had a few names in the past such as the South Midlands Animal Sanctuary (charity number 268545) and the Bedfordshire Home for Unwanted and Lost Animals, but as this was rather a mouthful has been shortened to HULA.HULA was founded by a concerned vet, his wife and other animal lovers, because a lady brought her young puppy into their veterinary surgery and asked for it to be put down “as I’m going on holiday and can’t afford to put the dog in kennels”. At that time, there were no animal rescue centres in Bedfordshire. The vet refused and Blackie became the first rescued animal.
So HULA was started in a back garden in Luton but due to the rapid increase in the numbers of animals needing help moved to its current site in Aspley Guise in 1978. A decision was taken by the then committee to plough all raised funds into the welfare of the animals at the centre and not keep back any funds for maintenance and building. Most of the animal houses and portacabins that you see now have been donated over the years.
HULA takes in unwanted and abandoned small animal pets (cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs etc.) for re-homing, but also rescues large animals and has goats, pigs, Shetland ponies, chickens, ducks, geese and sheep as well as two very lively cows (1 x steer and 1 x heifer to be strictly correct) who will stay with us for the rest of their lives.
Animals come to us in various ways and for a variety of reasons, including domestic break-up, death or infirmity of the owner, hospitalisation, imprisonment, emigration, change of job, moving to new accommodation where pets aren’t allowed and sometimes because they have been abandoned.
- Our policy is never to put an animal to sleep unless under medical advice for physical or psychological health reasons. We try to place them in caring homes with people who will really love them
