TAG History
In 1988, after hearing about abandoned or abused animals that were flooding the local rescues who were unable to cope with the sheer numbers of these unwanted and abandoned pets, a small group of local animal lovers and animal rights campaigners got together and decided to start a group called TAG (Thanet Animal Group) - which Founders and Trustees, Debbie Channing and Chris Kiddell are still actively involved in today.
The group set out to build a base of kind-hearted people who would be willing to help, and soon pens and foster homes started popping up all across Thanet in the gardens and homes of like minded animal lovers.
Both Chris and Debbie, had themselves converted the majority of their homes into animal pens so that they could care for the numerous animals they rescued. However, they weren't just looking out for dogs, cats and rabbits - between them they rescued chinchillas, rodents, fox cubs, gulls, ferrets, feral cats, cats with kittens and any other injured wildlife in need of their help. The group worked hard to care for all the animals, carry out home checks, vet runs (which included a reduced rate spaying collection service) and also run a little shop at the bottom of Chatham Street in Ramsgate to help raise much needed funds.
As the workload increased, space was becoming an issue and the time had come to look at expanding.
In 2002, Thanet's very first pet rescue centre was built.
It was almost as if we had an invisible helping hand guiding us straight to local farmer, Rex Goodban and his lovely wife Ann at Lydden Farm. While mowing his small caravan park, Chris and Debbie stood on the other side of the chain link fencing trying to get his attention. They didn't know him from Adam and on top of that they didn't even have a pot to pee in, but somehow they felt that Rex may be able to help or at least point them in the right direction. It turned out that the land they were standing on was the very piece of land that Rex and Ann gave to TAG to build their very first pet rescue centre.
Both Rex and Ann, and their extended family are such wonderful, kind and caring people who have always supported TAG throughout the years. Rex has also now become one of our valued Trustees.
It is thanks to the hard work and dedication of our supporters, volunteers, trustees and kind animal lovers that TAG has become the animal rescue it is today.
