A fundraising appeal to bring a well-known cat back home to the Isle of Man after he was discovered in a van in Tavistock has raised more than £1,000 in just a few days.
Dusty, a much-loved feline often spotted roaming the grounds of Noble’s Hospital in Douglas, the island’s capital, vanished earlier this month, sparking concern among staff and regular visitors.
She was last seen on Friday, June 13, climbing into a white van parked in the hospital’s overflow car park.
To everyone’s surprise, Dusty was later discovered safe and well – more than 400 miles away in Devon.
It appears the curious cat had hopped into the van of a visitor to the island’s famous TT Races without the driver’s knowledge and taken on an unexpected trip across the Irish Sea.
The van owner, who travels the country, apparently dropped Dusty off at a cattery after making the discovery and her owner was alerted.
Now, thanks to a fundraising campaign from an islander, efforts are under way to cover the cost of getting Dusty safely back to the Isle of Man.
Any additional funds will be donated to a local animal charity.
The campaign has attracted widespread attention and support, with donations quickly surpassing the £1,000 mark.
At the time of writing, the exact figure raised stands at £1,106 – more than £300 over the initial £750 fundraising target.
Adding a playful twist to the story, news website the Isle of Man Today has received a light-hearted postcard, not believed to be written by Dusty herself, but by someone close to her, which has since been shared with island residents on social media.
It reads: “Sorry for the scare but I’m having a great time here in Devon.
“I hear you’ve all been worried sick about me.
“All the madness at Nobles over TT made me need a “stowaway” holiday… I’ll be back at the hospital for cuddles and Dreamies again soon.”
It added a thanks for the amount of money raised so far to ensure Dusty’s safe return to Manx shores.
Those wishing to contribute to the fundraiser can visit: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nicola-walton-1.