An animal sanctuary owner says she is “hoping for a miracle” with less than seven weeks before an eviction deadline.
Amey James, who runs Happy Pants Ranch in Newington, near Sittingbourne, is trying to raise £500,000 to buy the land where she and more than 400 animals live.
“It’s difficult to even put into words because I still haven’t fully absorbed it,” she explained.
“I’m just hoping we can pull something magical out of the bag because I would be devastated if it went under.
“Some days I feel more positive, as we’ve been in this position before and managed it.
“This isn’t the end of the ranch, I do believe something will happen. It has been a constant battle.
“I’m always using the phrase ‘keep calm and carry on’. Sometimes that is all I can do.”
Amey was told by Swale Council in December that she had nine months to move out – with the final eviction date set for Wednesday, September 3.
It came following a three-year battle with the authority to turn the use of the land from agricultural to animal rescue.
After the first planning appeal was refused and Happy Pants was issued an eviction notice, Amey appealed. It was again denied.
The charity cares for a variety of species, most of which have special needs, including an epileptic pig, a blind and deaf dog, and three-legged cats.
In early 2021, the sanctuary moved from its base at Yelsted to the 20-acre site it remains on now.
Since then, Amey has been desperately trying to find different solutions that could help her current situation.
As soon as the eviction notice appeal was refused, she set up a £250,000 fundraiser to pay for a new home for the ranch.
Over the last six months, she and a legal team have been working on a “Plan B” so that she would be able to stay on the land with the correct planning permission.
She said: “It was all going well and looking positive, now everything was being done properly – rather than fumbling through it on my own like I did last time.
“Through all the errors and stress we’ve had over the past four years, we’ve learned about this land.
“We now know what we can do and what we can’t do.”
However, Amey was just recently told that the owner of the plot is planning on selling, which is a “massive spanner in the works”.
This means that everyone would have to vacate the site – regardless of the correct permissions being approved – unless Happy Pants can buy the land outright for £500,000.
“It’s come as a bit of a shock,” she added. “If we had known about this when we first got the eviction from the council, then it would have been a different story.
“We wouldn’t have spent six months on a plan for this bit of land. Now we have less than seven weeks.
“I have to be realistic and be prepared for the worst, but to be handed another lifeline would be nothing short of a miracle.”
If you’d like to donate to the cause, please click here.
At the time of writing, more than £22,000 has been raised.
If she is unable to achieve the target amount, Amey says the money will go towards her purchasing a new plot of land elsewhere or will help to rehome the animals.
She is also appealing to anyone who knows a landowner so that they could relocate temporarily or continue to rent.
“We’re looking at other options as well in case that fails because it is a huge amount of money to have to raise,” she commented.
“We’re only a small charity, but we have to give it a shot.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to these animals. It makes me upset just thinking about it.”
