Devon homebuilder lends a hand to animal shelter to support animals in need

Volunteers from local homebuilder Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter have recently supported RSPCA Little Valley Animal Shelter, an independent RSPCA Brand dedicated to helping Devon’s animals in need.

The charity received an extra twelve pairs of hands from the local developer, and they got stuck in to transforming a shed into a winter wonderland for their Christmas Fayre using donated decorations. They also painted entrance gates and fences ready for visitors to the shelter during the winter.

RSPCA Little Valley covers an area stretching from Okehampton to Honiton and Tiverton to Kingsbridge, helping to rescue and rehome animals which have been badly treated or abandoned, or because their owners can no longer care for them. The charity’s goal is to find the perfect home for every animal they care for regardless of their age, species, or behaviour.

Since they opened their current shelter outside Exeter in 1991, the charity has been giving veterinary treatment to animals in need, and caring for them until they can find them a safe and happy new home. Their trained staff also give advice to owners and, if necessary, help with the cost of veterinary treatment. Little Valley currently houses 125 animals in the shelter, 44 of which are looking for homes.

The cost-of-living crisis has sadly seen a rise in the number of people being forced to give up their pets, with financial struggles being given as one of the main reasons animals have been taken into the branch in recent months.

Little Valley is independently funded and relies on 95% of its income coming from generous legacies and gifts in wills, and their six charity shops around Devon. Their fundraising efforts also see them running raffles, events, and sponsored challenges throughout the year.

Last year volunteers from Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter helped to transform the shelter’s dog sensory garden into a colourful new space with more enrichment activities and a quiet area for dogs to go when they are nervous or recovering from medical treatments. The homebuilder also donated items including paint, railway sleepers, tyres, plants, and a ball pool.

Emily Mayer, Shelter Manager at RSPCA Little Valley Animal Shelter said, “Volunteers are so important to Little Valley as we are a very busy shelter with all our time being devoted to animal welfare and operational support. There is so much more to do than we have time for, so having volunteers like Barratt David Wilson Homes come in to help is a godsend.”

Evie Tucker, sales graduate at Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter, who organised the volunteering at the animal centre, said: “The team really enjoyed volunteering at the RSPCA Little Valley centre last year, transforming their sensory garden. We were delighted to continue our support by decorating and helping set up the centre for their winter fayre. We hope that our volunteering supported them through this difficult winter and we strive to continue to make a positive impact within our communities.”

Nicki Reid, sales director for Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter, said: “Community is at the heart of our developments, so we were delighted to lend a hand to RSPCA Little Valley, a local charity that work incredibly hard to give animals in need the opportunity for a better life. We are proud of our volunteers’ efforts at the shelter in the past twelve months.”

Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter are building high-quality and energy efficient homes across Devon, including Hampton Mill in Okehampton,Fairfax Heath in Tiverton and Victoria Heights in Alphington. Wherever you are in your new home journey, Barratt Homes is here to support you and offers a range of schemes including Part Exchange Guarantee and the Key Worker Deposit Contribution Scheme