Charity Review Q3 2024

From July to September, we donated £189,000 to 41 charities, helping dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, parrots, and even ferrets – as well as a variety of different wildlife. Of our donations this quarter, 56% went towards paying for vet bills, energy bills, food bills, and other critical running costs.

This remains our primary focus for 2024, as charities across the country continue to struggle with the rising cost of living. Soaring energy costs have made it increasingly difficult to heat kennels and catteries, operate essential equipment, and maintain suitable living conditions for animals. Similarly, the rising costs of food and veterinary care add to the strain of already stretched budgets of rescue centres. 

By supporting these essential needs, we’re helping charities continue their vital work in rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming animals, big and small. 

Here are just some of the charities we’ve helped in the last three months…

Angels 4 Dogs

Angels 4 Dogs reached out seeking help to set up a charity shop, which would bring much needed funds to the rescue. This would be their first one and after 12 years of fundraising themselves, it would help ensure they had regular income.  

They’d been able to secure some bits for free, but with vet and kennel bills totalling over £81,000 so far in 2024, they needed a helping hand to get it finished. 

We made a donation of £3,000, to help towards a portion of their vet costs, so they could free up other funds to support their shop. 

 Founder abd Trustee Yasmine Moss said: "Your donation paid a significant amount of our vet bill off at the time and enabled us to keep saving lives! We have had a number of dogs this year needing expensive surgery from cruciate repairs, cherry eye surgery, hernias, very emaciated dogs who had to stay in on drips and plenty of spay and neuter surgery!"

Morndyke Parrot Sanctuary

Morndyke Parrot Sanctuary is a charity that exists to provide a permanent sanctuary for unwanted parrots in the UK. This charity helps birds live the healthy, happy lives they’ve often been denied in captivity, including values such as: Freedom of Choice, Freedom of Flight, and Freedom to Flock.

An application was submitted by the charity, asking for support with paying for food for the 160+ parrots currently in their care. They told us that it currently costs around £17,000-18,000 a year to feed the parrots, approximately £1,500 per month. 

We provided a donation of £3,000, to help with these costs for two months.

Happy Paws Puppy Rescue

We also provided a donation of £5,000 to Happy Paws Puppy Rescue, who told us about an urgent situation unfolding in Turkey. Legislators approved a law aimed at removing millions of stray dogs from the streets, which many believed would lead to dogs being killed or ending up in neglected, overcrowded shelters.

Happy Paws is working to create more space at their partner centre, to help save the lives of innocent souls by offering sanctuary and the chance of a happy life. 

The grant we provided will help them expand their kennel area and provide a sanctuary for dogs who need it most.

The Littlest Wildlife Hotel 

Due to the largest local animal charity closing its doors after 23 years, The Littlest Wildlife Hotel expect to become busier as they take on more of North Devon’s wildlife. 

To prevent some animals having to be transported large distances to other rehabilitation facilities, the charity wanted to build three large enclosures to house fox cubs, badgers, and birds. The stress of moving wild animals can kill them. So, a short journey to a rehabilitation and release site helps provide a smooth transition, giving rescued wild animals their best possible chance of survival. 

We gave £3,000 to help Littlest Wildlife Hotel build their new enclosures.