It is the Duchess of Sussex’s favourite animal charity – praised by her for its ‘commitment to animal welfare and community wellbeing’.
The Mayhew Trust’s pet experts are now on the offensive like cats and dogs over allegations of mismanagement, low standards in animal care and bullying.
Its very future, bosses have warned, could be ‘in jeopardy’.
A favourite charity of the Duchess of Sussex (pictured during an appearance on talk show ‘Ellen’ this week) now fighting like cat and dog over claims of wasted money, falling standards of animal care, and even allegations of bullying, racism and homophobia
Meghan is Patron of the Charity and speaks often about the importance diversity and mental wellness.
She is so keen on the Mayhew that she undertook a ‘secret’ trip to the sanctuary for cats and dogs last January before leaving the UK for Canada.
In 2019, she also visited the hospital as a pregnant woman with her son Archie. She has sat with the animals and talked to staff members and volunteers at its facilities.
But union reps from Mayhew in London run kennels and are considering strike action to protest the Mayhew’s careless treatment of its staff.
The charity had a total income of £3.1million last year, almost half in donations and a similar sum from wills. According to some, the staff has seen a reduction in their numbers from 58 to 49.
Bitter employees point out that at the same time as it is cutting jobs, the charity has been advertising for an £80,000-a-year ‘head of engagement’.
Pictured: The Duchess of Sussex meets Maggi, a Jack Russell, during a visit to Mayhew, an animal welfare charity supports as patron, at its offices in north-west London (file photo)
One former member of staff told the Daily Mail: ‘That money would pay for four staff actually to care for animals. It’s such a kick in the teeth.’
The whistleblower also claims that one senior staff member referred to a junior worker who wore glasses as ‘Speccy Four Eyes’, called an Asian woman ‘Old Slitty Eyes’ and scoffed at a gay man’s talk of his husband, as well as a lesbian couple’s plan for a child.
According to the whistleblower, this same individual was alleged to have ordered steak provocatively in front of vegetarian and vegan workers during work social events. The whistleblower added: ‘This person was racist, sexist, homophobic. I reported it but nothing was done.’
Volunteer Judy Stapleton, who has helped out there for seven years, claimed ‘bullying’ had driven out key workers.
Meghan is the patron of this charity. She often talks about diversity and mental well-being. She is so keen on the Mayhew that she undertook a ‘secret’ trip to the sanctuary for cats and dogs last January before leaving the UK for Canada
She added: ‘The atmosphere there is just so sad. These dedicated employees are being fired. I think there is an element of the Mayhew getting caught up in celebrity instead of focusing on being a small, local community charity.’
In 1886, The Mayhew was founded and finds homes for pets and operates an animal clinic in Kensal Green.
A charity spokesman said it had carried out a necessary restructure and added: ‘Any staff strike action would significantly affect the charity’s ability to care and treat the sick animals.’ The charity ‘refutes any allegations of poor animal welfare’.
In June, Meghan wrote an introduction to its glossy annual review, saying: ‘Mayhew continue to meet us where we are as a society and foster the healing connection between animal and human.’