Animal sanctuary closes after eight years

An animal sanctuary has closed its doors after helping thousands of animals.

Pennines Animal Sanctuary in Northumberland opened eight years ago but now owner Tony Johnson is rehoming his animals following the landlord's decision to sell the land.

Unable to find another rental to take the animals with them, Mr Johnson said he and his wife Ute were "sad" to be moving on.

But the former soldier said he believed they had "done our bit", adding: "We've saved a hell of a lot of animals."

The sanctuary has largely been running off Mr Johnson's army pension and donations and it had to stop running the wildlife rescue operation at the beginning of 2024.

Monthly vet bills could be anywhere between £600 and £1,000 and Mr Johnson said he often found animals abandoned on the land.

Once he found a kitten dumped in his parcel box at the main gate.

"People don't realise the cost of the thing," he said, adding he and his wife had not been on holiday in more than a decade.

Among the rescues is Ollie the oystercatcher, who returns to the sanctuary every spring after his migration.

He was picked up off the road when he was a day old and stayed for two years.

They also had eight pet lambs that used to follow Mr Johnson everywhere "like dogs", but they have already been rehomed.

"We haven't had a Christmas really," he said, but Mr Johnson thinks it has all been worth it.

He spent 20 years in the army and suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but said he had "controlled" it with the animals.

"Working with animals is better than working with a psychologist," he said.

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