Heartbroken wife's tribute after sudden death of Doncaster animal sanctuary founder

Winston Tate died earlier this week at the age of 61 and together with wife Sue, helped save and care for hundreds of guinea pigs at the couple’s Cavy Corner animal sanctuary.

Announcing her husband’s passing on the sanctuary’s Facebook page, she wrote: “I have devastating news.

“Yesterday my lovely husband Winston, co founder of Cavy Corner died suddenly aged 61.

“Winston was a kind and generous man who adored the piggies.

“He saved so many guineas with his skill and care and spent many hundreds of hours advising owners on the Cavy Corner helpline.

“Winston was brave beyond words. He was my soulmate. The world will be a sadder place without him and my heart is truly broken.”

Set up in 2008, Cavy Corner rescues abused, abandoned, neglected and unwanted guinea pigs.

In addition to taking in guineas with special needs either because of poor health or behavoural issues, the sanctuary nurses them back to good health and either provide a loving forever home at the sanctuary or to find the perfect family for them.

In the summer of 2014 Cavy Corner became a registered charity and in December 2014 it won the Doncaster Free Press Community Group of the Year award.

Two years later, the sanctuary was also awarded the prize for the Most Inspiring Organisation of the Year at the annual Doncaster CVS awards event.