Teckels Animal Sanctuary at risk due to drop in donations

The manager of an animal sanctuary says they are at breaking point due to the cost of living crisis.

Teckels Animal Sanctuary is an independent charity based in Whitminster which takes in abandoned cats and dogs.

Fewer donations and increasing costs means they need to find an extra £11-12,000 a month to survive.

Centre manager Sarah Johnson, said: "It's a matter of urgency in getting those funds in to get us to stabilise."

"We just want to be there for all those animals that need us now and in the years to come," she added.

The centre is aiming to raise £100,000

Like many people throughout the country, Ms Johnson said the sanctuary has experienced a "massive increase in costs" with wages, vet bills and food.

Ms Johnson said the organisation has also witnessed an increase in people bringing in their pets to be rehomed.

She said many owners cannot afford the cost of owning animals now, and some people are giving up animals that they adopted during the pandemic.

Ms Johnson said: “It would be an absolute disaster if we weren’t here to continue helping all those people and animals in need”

She said it was the worst she had ever known it for animals being given up, in her 10 years in animal rescue.

The charity, which was established in 2003, relies on donations from the public but Ms Johnson said the amount donated has decreased due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The animal sanctuary costs £45,000 a month to run and the charity is unable to get financial help from the government.

"We're relying on the kindness of the public, the support from our volunteers that we have, and even our staff are doing everything they can," Ms Johnson said.

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