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Rescue centre campaign to ensure no animal is left behind Credits: Social Media
By Laura Kelly

Rescue centre campaign to ensure no animal is left behind

By Laura Kelly

A Merseyside rescue centre for animals is campaigning for funds to make sure no animal is left behind during the pandemic.

Freshfields Animal Rescue has centres in Liverpool and Wales. It cares for animals ranging from cats and dogs to horses and pigs.

While zoos and aquariums are receiving �14 million in government funds to help with costs during the pandemic, rescue centres rely on donations to stay alive.

Debbie Hughes, PR and communications officer for Freshfields, says: Their costs [zoos and aquariums] are almost identical to ours, with vets bills and maintenance.

We expect to lose 40% of our income as, over the summer months, people do a lot for us, fund-raising through skydives and bake sales. This usually raises around �23,000 but, with all this cancelled because of covid-19, we will have a shortfall.

Charity shops

Freshfields has seven charity shops across north west England and North Wales. The funds raised through them make up a quarter of its income. This source has also been lost due to lock-down.

The Merseyside centre is home to more than 450 animals, including 27 dogs and 65 cats. During the 40 years the centre has been open, it has cared for more than 90,000 animals.

Hughes says: We dont want the animals to be forgotten about  we want to get rescued animals higher on the agenda.

Therefore, we want people to send pictures of their pets with a sign saying #NoAnimalLeftBehind so we can make a video and collage and send it far and wide. We want animals to be the face of the campaign, to show how they are great friends to us.

We will send it to councillors and ministers to get the message out.

Work continues

Although the rescue centre is closed to visitors and adoptions are on hold, work at the centre continues.

Three weeks ago the charity received a call about a one-day-old Staffordshire bull terrier born with a cleft palate. The owner was concerned about the puppys survival and knew it needed specialised help.

Keeping the public updated on its work, Freshfields wrote on its FaceBook page: Sadly the survival rate for cleft palate puppies is low and most vets euthanise them on arrival. But Connie is a real fighter and deserves a chance.

Connie needs to be tube fed every two hours and monitored closely

Connie needs to be tube fed every two hours and monitored closely. She is in foster care with one of our staff, who has more than 20 years of experience hand-rearing puppies.

Connie is now three weeks old and is getting stronger every day.

Hughes added: This is what Freshfields is all about.

To take part in the campaign, you can donate here or email pictures of your pets to [email protected]