Whitby sheep sanctuary makes 'desperate' appeal for help

Sharon Lawlor says she "desperately" needs help to save the Sheep Sanctuary

The owner of a Whitby animal sanctuary has made a "desperate" appeal to raise funds to keep the centre running.

Sheep Sanctuary owner Sharon Lawlor warned it only had enough money to cover the next "couple of months", having lost some of its "best supporters" in recent years.

The centre is home to 300 sheep and is struggling after a hard winter.

Ms Lawlor said: "If the funds dry up I will have to sell up and downsize, which would break my heart."

She opened the sanctuary in 2009 after giving away her dance wear manufacturing business to her daughter.

Sharon Lawlor's sanctuary is home to 300 sheep

She said: "I never felt satisfied. I always felt like there was a purpose in life.

"I saw a short clip of an animal being mistreated and it was at that point I decided to give my business away to my daughter, uproot and start rescuing animals."

She moved from Scarborough to Malton to start a small holding, and looked after unwanted sheep and orphaned lambs.

She said, "A lot of the sheep I have got here now have been raised from babies. We rehabilitate them."

Ms Lawlor says the sheep - including resident Ben - are her family

Ms Lawlor has launched a crowdfunding appeal in an attempt to save the sanctuary.

She said: "I have used all my reserves so I am trying to get some support just to get me through this summer so that I can get up and running, see what I have got at the end of the summer and put my reserves back.

"To actually keep the sanctuary going it literally costs me around £70,000 a year. I do not draw a wage from the sanctuary funds."

Ms Lawlor said the wet winter brought mud and increased the cost of animal feed and bedding.

The former fashion designer is using fleece from her sheep to make rugs - and is also inviting people to attend sheep-walking sessions.

She said: "Without my sheep I just would not have a purpose to be honest with you.

"It is my sheep that keep me going, this is more than just a business, it is more than just a sanctuary, they are my family, they are my cloud puppies."