90-year-old who’s saved over 10,000 animals has no plans to retire

By Katie Pearson

A 90-year-old who owns a rescue sanctuary and has saved over 10,000 animals says she has "no plans" to retire.

Barby Keel has dedicated 54 years to running the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary in Bexhill, Sussex, after it opened its doors in 1979.

She started out with three animals - two dogs and a bushbaby - and now looks after more than 600, including 160 cats, 16 pigs, eight dogs, six horses, 100 chickens and 80 rabbits.

The 12-acre sanctuary provides a refuge for hundreds of abandoned or abused animals – many are re-homed but most of them live permanently on site.

Barby says she wakes up at 7 am every day to tend to the animals and "never" takes a day off.

She ran the sanctuary alone for nearly 20 years, but now employs up to 14 volunteers to help out each day.

Despite having battled cancer three times, the animal-lover says she has "no plans" to slow down or retire.

She credits her spritely energy to "staying busy" and a "breakfast of beans" every morning.

Barby said: "I'm always told that I don't seem like I'm 90 years old.

"Hard work and a breakfast of beans every morning keep me going.

"Some days I am shattered - it's hard work.

"But then I get a little nose boop or a face peer up at me, and I remember why I'm doing this.

"I don't have plans to stop any day soon.

"My animals come first and always will."

Barby bought a four-acre plot of land in Bexhill, Sussex, with her ex-partner in the 1970s, where she intended to build a home.

She said she "never planned" to run a rescue centre, until a local soldier - who was stationed in Northern Ireland - asked her to take care of his dog while he was away.

She said: "His dog - named Cat - was so lovely.

"She was so attached to me, she never ended up leaving.

"A charity called the Bexhill Cats Club asked me take in some cats, and my animals just grew from there.

"I lived in a caravan so I could dedicate most of the space to the animals."

The relationship with her long-term partner came to an end but Barby continued taking in more animals.

She bought more land from her neighbour and continued to expand the sanctuary, taking up 12 acres in total.

She said: "My ex-partner said 'it's me or the animals' - so I packed his bags for him.

"The animals were everything to me, and they still are.

"Before long I had about 40 cats, and started taking in farm animals like sheep, cows, pigs and goats."

Now Barby cares for over 600 animals at any one time.

She cares for a mixture of animals - the majority of which have been given up to her or rescued from the farming industry.

Barby tends to the animals daily, and only leaves the sanctuary every few weeks to do a food shop or play for the local male darts team.

"Some of the animals are re-homed, liked the cats, dogs, and some rabbits," she said.

"But the majority of them will stay on the farm and live out their days here.

"I want them to live the best lives they can.

"We have lots of farm animals, like battery hens, that finally feel safe and have space.

"We also run a shop on site, and I buy bulk food with my pension money and sell it for cheap, so people can afford to feed their pets.

"I have 10 cats living in my house at the moment.

"Poppy is one of them, she's 24 years old and still going strong."

The Barby Keel Sanctuary is a not-for-profit organisation and runs entirely on donations.

It has recently re-opened to the public and will be free to visit every Sunday until October 2025, where guests can see the animals, or visit the café, souvenir shop, plant stall and tombola.

Barby said: "I'm so grateful to my motley crew of volunteers - they keep everything running - and the generous public.

"It was packed for the reopening, which was amazing.

"I know I'm getting older so I know my limitations.

"But I keep myself moving and caring for the animals gives me focus.

"I don't deal with the big animals anymore but I still get up every morning to feed all the cats and see them all.

"It's a good life.

"It's tiring, but it's all worth it for the animals."