Kate lived on a very modest pension. Neighbors feared she was going hungry, but she always found money to feed her charges. She collected bones from butchers and accepted donations exclusively for dogs.
The police would give her a warning in the morning for disturbing the peace, and then bring in more stray animals in the afternoon.
When local officials proposed restrictions on dogs in Camberley, Kate wrote a letter to the King.
When she was wrongly accused of beating a dog, she turned to Queen Elizabeth II for explanations.
Apparently, on the occasion of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding, she also received a leash that previously belonged to one of the royal dogs.
Quiet charity
Few people knew that Kate helped more than just animals.
Despite very limited resources, she anonymously supported the poor and sick in Camberley. She financed the purchase of hymnals for the local Baptist church, wooden rocking horses for children with disabilities, and donated £100 to a fund for Vietnamese orphans.
She made all donations anonymously through other people.
As one of the residents recalled:
“She preferred the company of animals to people, but she quietly donated the money she had almost nothing to help the poor and sick.”
Recognizable all over the world
By 1975, at the age of 80, Kate had already rescued over 500 dogs. The BBC filmed a documentary about her, showing her leading 24 dogs through Camberley and telling each one’s story.
Among them were dogs thrown out of cars, left in bags, animals with three legs, and those that no one wanted due to their advanced age.
Kate’s story gained international attention. She was featured in Time Magazine, the American network NBC produced a feature on her work, she received an award from Dog’s Life magazine in 1967, and was photographed by Lord Snowdon.
Despite her growing popularity, she never sought publicity.
When asked why she dedicated her life to dogs, she replied:
“I was a woman from Yorkshire living in the south. I was quite lonely. Living on the main road, I saw so many dogs tied up and run over. I just devoted my life to them.”
She also said:
“I always say they are His. I just take care of them. I love the thought of being an unknown hand preparing the stable for His coming to earth.”
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