Animal-loving Speaker fights off urge to adopt Battersea’s rescue pets

Sir Lindsay Hoyle was on a tour of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home when he was introduced to the tiny trio, dubbed Dot, Dennis and Derek - and had to resist the urge to take the siblings home.

"I am a sucker for a sad story - and hearing how these little creatures were found was heartbreaking," said the Speaker, who has a cat, dog, parrot and tortoise, all named after political heavyweights.

"I had to fight every instinct I have not to add them to my menagerie of pets, they are so cute and adorable.

"But with faces like theirs and with such lovely natures, I have no doubt they will be snapped up very soon."

The two boys and a girl were only two weeks old when they were discovered by a passer-by in a group of old warehouses.

With no sign of a mother, the rescuer brought them into Battersea, where they have been bottle-fed and weaned by staff for the last four weeks. 

"Without a mum to feed them, or help from us, they would have been unlikely to survive,’ said Michael Webb, the charity’s head of policy and public affairs.

The story of the kittens is one of many heard by staff whose mission is to never turn an animal away. 

"Often it is a change of circumstances, like the owner is moving abroad or to a rented property where pets are not allowed, or they are simply unprepared for the challenge a pet will bring," Mr Webb said.

Another Battersea animal to catch the Speaker’s eye was Quincy, a four-month old Labrador cross, who was given up by his owners due to ‘behaviour issues’ - just five weeks after he was purchased online.

But within weeks of arriving at Battersea and the efforts of staff, the boisterous puppy can now ‘sit’, ‘lay down’ and ‘wait’.

"What a pleasure it was to see a young dog so full of excitement and energy,’ said Sir Lindsay, who played ball with the four-month-old mongrel. ‘He’s one heck of a happy dog – he won’t be hanging around here for long - and I am in awe at the work that has gone in at the centre to turn this little pup’s life around."

The Speaker was invited to Battersea after his 11-year-old ginger Maine Coon cat Patrick was crowned Westminster’s top cat – Purr Minister 2020 - in the charity’s annual competition among MPs and peers. 

Battersea’s most famous resident was a brown and white tabby cat called Larry - currently chief mouser at No. 10 Downing Street.

Image credit: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor