Donations to a fund in memory of Paul O’Grady for his beloved Battersea Dogs and Cats Home have more than doubled since the Mirror highlighted the cause.
Tonight the total stood at over £200,000 and was still rising as fans gave generously in honour of Paul, who died last week aged 67.
The star became an ambassador for the home in 2012 after the success of his ITV multi award-winning show For the Love of Dogs, 11 series of which were filmed there.
The animal charity set up the fund in his memory and on Saturday we told how it had already raised £90,000 – and then donations rocketed.
Chief executive Peter Laurie said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the letters, calls, emails and messages of support along with the generous donations made by kind members of the public.
"We’ll find a suitably fitting way to remember the profound impact Paul had at Battersea and the rescue animal sector, something that will support the animals Paul loved so much and that would make him proud.”
MLaurie has said Paul’s “real legacy” was to show how lovable rescue dogs are, inspiring people to rehome them – an impact that won him special recognition at the 2018 National Television Awards and an RSPCA animal hero award.
During the first series of For the Love of Dogs, O’Grady rehomed Eddie , a Chihuahua-Jack Russell cross puppy, at his Kent farmhouse.
Eddie was joined by shih-tzu Boycie in 2014, Maltese Conchita in 2015, mongrel pups Arfur in 2017 and Nancy in 2020, and wire-haired dachshund Sausage in 2021.
His pal Amanda Mealing told our sister paper the Sunday Mirror the star would want his funeral to be fun. She said: “He’d hate it if everyone was morose.”
