New home is just magic for animals (From Worcester News)

Couple offered space for their pets after News plea pays off

2:20pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News By Sarah Taylor

LESS than a week after appealing for a new home for their 39 exotic animals, a family has been offered land which they hope to transform into a new attraction.

Lynda and Drew Blake, of Wildside Furry Exotics, made their plea in your Worcester News on Friday, asking someone to come forward who could provide space to house their pets and stop them being scattered around the country.

They were being forced to leave their home in Fernhill Heath, near Worcester, following the death of their landlord.

The next day, they were contacted by Alan Wilkinson, of the Farm Emporium in Holt Fleet Road, Ombersley, near Worcester.

Mrs Blake said: “We have been offered land at the Farm Emporium and are moving up this week. We are going to be doing a new exotic nature walk up there and we will be able to offer it for free.”

The couple and their animals, which include skunks, sugar gliders, raccoons, raccoon dogs, meerkats, a coatimundi, a genet and a kinkajou, are regular visitors to Acorns Children’s Hospice in Worcester.

Mrs Blake, who can now start looking for a new family home, said: “I’m really pleased we called the paper, it was the best thing I did.

“Some of the animals have already been moved to Bristol and Wiltshire but we will be able to move them back to Worcester soon.

“We hope it will be a new attraction for Worcester.”

The couple will apply for zoo status and hope to be open by the end of the summer.

Mr Wilkinson, of the Farm Emporium, said he was looking forward to the animals joining the few they have already.

He said: “One of our customers brought the paper in on Saturday and we called them immediately. We are doing a nature walk around the grounds and the new animals will be ideal here.

“There is a lot of land up here with water and cover so it is great for the animals.”