Hope Rescue, a dog rescue charity based in Rhondda Cynon Taf, was only just starting to recover from the impact of the February flooding when the River Taff burst its banks and flooded their Pontypridd charity shop. However, the financial fall-out from the current Covid-19 crisis is now putting their charity at risk.
Vanessa Waddon, founder and Transformation Manager explains:
“Our services have never been more needed as they are now. We’ve always been here to support the most vulnerable dogs in our local community. We have several stray dog contracts and the strays continue to arrive daily. Many of them are in a very poor condition, such as Clive, a Rottweiler with sore skins and an eye infection. We’re also being asked to help dogs in emergency situations, such as Peaches the pregnant English Bulldog who gave birth a couple of days ago and Nancy and Nellie, two little dogs belonging to a 94 year old man who needed to move in to palliative hospital care.
Along with many other charities, we have lost almost all of our income overnight. Our income sources included our charity shop, boarding business, letting out our paddock and fundraising events – it’s all disappeared.
Realistically we only have enough funds to keep running for a couple more months – as a small charity we don’t have much in the way of reserves. Our staff and volunteers are soldiering on still but it’s a huge strain.”
The charity has launched an urgent appeal for donations at www.hoperescue.org.uk in the hope that animal lovers from across the UK will respond with a gift. Kind donors can also call the charity on 01443 226659 to make a donation over the phone.
