AN APPEAL for £10,000 has been launched by Worcestershire Animal Rescue Shelter to help cover the costs of vets bills.
The shelter, which re-homes and rehabilitates unwanted or abandoned animals, including cats, dogs and ex-battery chickens, has recently launched a JustGiving page in the hope of raising the cash to cover essential veterinary treatments, such as neutering, vaccinating and dental work.
The Newland charity’s vet bills for cats and dogs can be anywhere between £1,000 and £3,000 per month, which can result in their finances taking a hit after a busy month or if there is an influx of animals requiring treatment.
It can cost up to £180 to give a dog basic treatments such as vaccinations, medicine for fleas and worms and microchipping and £120 for a cat.
The shelter receives no funding from the government or lottery and solely relies on donations from the public to keep working to help the county’s animals in need.
Claire Treguna, shelter manger said: “We’ve had an influx of more than 20 kittens this summer which all needed treatment, such as vaccinations and microchipping.
“We fund all the medical treatment ourselves and as a small charity, we’re taking a financial hit. Nine times out of ten stray animals need treatment and it all mounts up. It’s an ongoing problem.
“We’ve never launched a fund-raising campaign before so we’re quite desperate to reach the £10,000 target, as it would cover the costs of treatment for the rest of the year. It’s also a way of raising awareness of the work we do.
“We launched the campaign in mid July and have so far raised £200, which would only be enough to vaccinate two kittens. But we’ve had positive response and I hope we can push on to reach our target.”
Visit www.wars.org.uk for more information on how to donate.
