Animal charity 'only has funding for eight weeks'

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary provides care for over 100 rescues at any given time

A Lancashire animal sanctuary has said it only has eight weeks' worth of funding left as donations have dropped significantly as households continue to feel the pinch.

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary in Holmeswood, Ormskirk, is the only multi-species animal sanctuary in the west of the county.

Founded in 2005, it provides care for over 100 rescues at any given time, but numbers are increasing as people struggle to afford their pets.

Vickie Blackburn, from the charity, said they are facing "challenges".

'Left in a sack'

"The daily cost of running our facility is £1,000, and we receive about £4,000 in regular monthly donations," she said. "This leaves us with a £26,000 funding gap to fill each month."

She said vet and drug bills have also increased "massively", and it is not just pets they care for.

In the past few weeks alone they have rescued eight cats from one household and been called to rescue three kittens who had been left in a sack on a building site.

"We need every bit of help that we can get," Ms Blackburn said. "We have some fantastically loyal and passionate supporters who have helped to keep saving animals lives, but the fact that there are more animals than ever in need of help means we also need more helpers."