Norah's Ark

09/06/2024

We had an amazing day yesterday at Dave Day. Rode down to Burton in Kendal Services to join thousands more bikers for the ride into Barrow. It was like being in a Carnival, people lining the streets, sitting on verges and fields, standing on motorway bridges, clapping and waving. People seemed to appreciate two oldies on a fabulous trike blaring out Status Quo. Caught the speeches from Si and Liliana before setting off home. A long day but marvellous experience.

01/04/2024

These are our own spoilt babies, Belle, Kimmi and Puzzle. They are all very different in their ways, one liking a particular food, the others hating it and so forth. One has a lifelong tendency to cat flu so sneezes, her sister has asthma so has a coughing fit if offended, two demand Dreamies while the other ignores them. Taking them to the vet invariably entails blood being spilt, ours and the vet's. I'm telling you this to show all cats have their own personalities, likes/dislikes, strange traits and food preferences and these are all taken into account when we are out and about feeding cats for clients. Our client cats range from posh, expensive kitties to bog-standard scruffy moggies but all get the same degree of care, attention and respect. Please remember us if you are planning a short break or long holiday and need your feline friends fed.

01/04/2024

Our next venture to raise money for local animal causes. If you want to join us for this hopefully fun-filled evening please contact via the methods on the poster as we need to know how many are coming, in order to make enough scrumptious sandwiches and yummy cake for you all. We have asked various local cafes and shops for donations, fingers crossed there are some generous businesses out there who will help us.

17/03/2024

Most of today was spent sprucing up the Ark in readiness for what I hope will be a busy Spring and Summer. Floors mopped, cobwebs swept from the ceiling, hutch tops and worktops wiped, generally tidied and cleaned. While I was doing this I thought about what I can offer owners and their precious pets. I don't have any fancy pens or qualifications in looking after animals but I have safe, clean accommodation and a lifetime's learned knowledge and experience in caring for all kinds of animals - as I'm 71 that's a lot of learning! If something new or different comes to stay I make sure that I know as much as possible about them, I'll ask all owners if their pet has any particular problems and always take contact details for their vet. Top of my list is that I care about them which is most important.
I hope to see all our regular "guests" again this year plus any more gorgeous creatures that may grace the Ark in 2024.

17/03/2024

14/03/2024

Rabbity issue number 2 was a friend asking me for advice with Snowy who wasn't eating and looked in pain. This had just started and as Snowy is usually very active and healthy I advised her to take him straight to a vet, even though it was Sunday. There was a strong possibility that he had gut stasis whereby the gut just stops working properly and there is a build up of food stuck inside. This is a very dangerous condition and can't be left until the next day to see if it goes away. Luckily Snowy was seen quickly, given injections of anti-inflammatory and painkillers and some special food to encourage his gut to get working again. Within a short time he was tucking into his hay again, thank goodness. Please do as Snowy's owners did and seek help right away if your rabbit's behaviour changes and they go off their food. Being prey animals, rabbits leave it very late to show symptoms because, if they were wild, any sign of being ill would make them much easier for predators to enjoy them for lunch.

14/03/2024

I've had a couple of rabbity issues these last few days, both potentially very serious so it's good to know what to watch out for and how to sort it.
First of all our last remaining personal pet rabbit, Loki, had a clarty bum - for the uninitiated this means that his back end was messed up with p**p, sticking together and making him very uncomfortable. Not only that but if it's left like that it causes very sore skin and if it happens in warmer weather it can potentially cause flystrike. Flies lay their eggs in the p**p, the eggs hatch out into maggots, you can imagine the rest. So, Loki had to bear the indignity of being upended with his bum in soapy water and having the mess combed out. He was very good in fact and only splashed me in the face once. I'm now keeping an eye on his bum as, to be honest, he is the shape of a rugby ball and as he's 6ish now he possibly isn't able to clean his bum himself.

13/03/2024

I would be very grateful if those of you who have used our services, albeit boarding in the Ark or having their pets fed at home, would give us a good review, either on the Reviews on FB or as a comment and shared. Obviously "natural wastage" occurs when animals are concerned (thankfully very rarely on my watch) so we constantly need new clients. Thankfully most of our long-standing clients do end up getting new furry or feathery friends and come back to us and we're always very happy to meet our new holidaymakers. Thanks to all x

13/03/2024

Norah's Ark has been welcoming precious pets to spend their holidays with us for over 14 years. We have had numerous rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, degus, chinchillas, ferrets, parrots, budgies, dragons, tortoises, skink, chameleon, lovebirds, chickens, the list is endless. We have had to downsize slightly with the cost of electricity so only have limited availability for reptiles and we have no facilities for chickens BUT we CAN come out to feed your immovable creatures. These include poultry, fish, cats and we have even cared for a turtle in its own tank.

Please support our small business by booking in your bunnies, guineas, almost anything other than your cats, dogs and kids!
Get in touch if you need us to come out to you, we'll be glad to do so.

07/03/2024

We've all seen those movies where all seems lost, the plan is going to fail, disaster looms but then along come all the friends, rallying round like the heroes of the hour. YOU could be that one of those heroes - come along to Flora's Fund's inaugural event, Quiz Night, tomorrow in Hensingham Rugby League Club, 7pm.
Please have a look at Flora's Fund FB page for all the details, you could find yourselves walking with Alpacas as well as having a laugh

22/02/2024

These are just a tiny few of the guests we have had in Norah's Ark over the years. We have had some of them on holidays with us from when they were just babies to when they finally grew their wings. We knew their personalities, some cuddly, some less so. Some fusspots with eating, some wolfing down whatever came their way. Some spotless re their litter trays, some scruffy little monsters but we cared for them all as though they were our own.

If you have a cuddly, grumpy, easy-going, fusspot or whatever kind of rabbit or guinea pig, hamster or rat, degu or whatever small furry you have, please let us look after them when you next go away. Just send a message and we'll do our best for them.

21/02/2024

August diary is filling up, if you're planning any time away during school holidays and need your small furries boarded or your cats, poultry or fish fed in their own homes please get in touch asap and see if we can help. We have years of experience and love of animals plus vet nurse advice on the end of the phone and we do our best to keep your beloved pets happy until you come back refreshed.

19/02/2024

Not long until Easter now half-term has gone. If you're going away, need someone to look after your small furries or get your cat fed while you're away, please get in touch.

We can take rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, most small pets and have been doing so for longer than I care to remember. We give them the same care we would give our own pets, in an insulated custom built shed and we provide all fresh food, nuggets, hay and cleaning materials.

Thank you to all our existing and past clients for allowing us the privilege of having their precious pets to stay. Please continue to support us.

03/02/2024

Slight amendments to the Quiz Night Poster. Please come along and support our first event. Free nibbles, bar is open, come and test your animal knowledge.

26/01/2024

The first event for Flora's Fund - please support it .

11/01/2024

Hello 2024, where does the time go? It will soon be half-term then Easter so people are planning their holidays, weekends away and short breaks. If you need your small furries, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters looked after then bring them to Norah's Ark. We have 12+ years of experience tending to numerous family pets, from gerbils to continental giant rabbits. We have limited availability for reptiles and no longer take ferrets but for anything else just send us a message.

If you need someone to pop in and feed your cats or fish or even poultry then contact us and we'll try to help.

Here's to a happy, healthy and exciting 2024 to our existing clients and hopefully some new furry friends.

16/11/2023

Pirate ships anyone?

16/11/2023

Dragons, dinosaurs, transformers, we have them all for sale on Saturday at RSPCA Christmas Fair.

14/11/2023

4 days until we have RSPCA Cumbria West Christmas Fair. We have sweet jars, toys, Christmas goods, too much to mention. Come along to United Reformed Church Hall in Market Place Whitehaven 2pm till 5pm and help local animals in need.

10/09/2023

Still tables left at RSPCA Cumbria West Christmas Fair on Saturday 18th November.

If you are a crafter, small business, baker etc looking for somewhere to sell, test out new stock, then book a table for just £5.
Set up 1.30pm, Fair open to public 2pm until 5pm.
Please message me direct if you want to book.

26/06/2023

Still plenty of numbers left for the raffle - £1 could win you a Ride All Day Ticket for 2 adults and 2 children on the wonderful Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. All money raised will go to help RSPCA Cumbria West with their work with local animals.

Just pm me for PayPal details, good luck
😻🐕🐈‍⬛🐁🐇🐍

04/03/2023

Come and join us for a fun bingo session with great prizes and a fab tea, help us raise money for all the animals in our care. Message to book or for more information.

29/01/2023

All my Ark clients and all animal lovers, we all know how much the cost of living is climbing but did you know the effects this is having on our local animals? RSPCA Cumbria West are receiving abandonment, neglect and cost of living animals every week and trying our best to give them all the care they need in terms of kennels, foster homes, veterinary care and food. YOU can help by supporting our fundraising events, this is our latest plan to help raise funds. Please message me or the RSPCA Cumbria West page to book your tickets as booking essential and places limited. Thanks for reading x

04/01/2023

Seeing people come to buy fish and handing the owner, money, this cat went out and got a leaf to pay for her fish. On the first day, the owner of the shop thought this was very cute, so he gave her a small fish. Now everyday this cat comes in to buy a fish with a leaf.

06/12/2022

Structured the day so that two large hutches were ready, food and all, for a new client to bring his two rabbits at 4pm. Messaged him at 5pm to ask when they would be here but no reply. Just checked his page and he's asking for recommendations for a pet sitter for the rabbits. Manners cost nothing, a one line reply would have taken no time out of his day, unlike the swapping round and cleaning out I've had to do. Grrrrrr

19/11/2022

⭐️⭐️RSPCA'S CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR⭐️⭐️

Here are just a few of the fabulous prizes you can win in our raffle this weekend! If you haven't bought any tickets yet, don't panic. You can pop along to our Whitehaven shop to get some or purchase them on the day.

This Saturday from 13.15 until 17.00 at the United Reformed Church Hall, Market Place, Whitehaven.

30/09/2022

WE'LL BE PACKING OUR CARS WITH GOODIES AND HEADING TO Mitchells Sunday Market THIS SUNDAY 2nd OCTOBER!!!!
POP ALONG AND GRAB A BARGAIN!!!!
💕Pet coats💕Bric-a-brak💕Pet carriers💕Clothing💕Pet accessories💕Ornaments💕Horse rug and kit💕Books, CDs, DVDS💕Hair styling equipement💕Gifts💕Aftershaves💕Jewellery & MORE!

POP ALONG AND SAY HULLOOOOOO!!!!!