In the Rescue we have been focused on raising funds as we have found our vet costs escalating, though our vets are kind to us and offer us charity rates. Our kennelling costs also, although we only pay for just over half of our dogs, it is a hefty amount to raise. Fund raising should always be fun raising. I do believe many have had a good time encouraging people to help us cover our costs. As a Rescue we have always been pure hearted; all are volunteers and no one draws a salary. Expenses are only the dog-mobile diesel, vital equipment and our special wormers and shampoo.
We have had a drive on Standing Orders (the online form is here), ideally set up into our bank account (and associated Gift Aid means we raise 25% on top). If you have set up a standing order please fill in our Gift Aid online form as some haven't.
Our target, if I can be so bold, is £10,000 a month. This would mean it covers a quarter of our costs. It is so heartening to build this up by everyone just donating a little every month and it feels like from the many .... and it feels like so many are invested in our dogs and cats...our mission.
In January 25 we had £3,900 committed. This is made up of so many names... wonderful people most of whom have either surrendered a dog or cat out of need; homed a dog or cat, have volunteered in the past or decided to support us financially in admiration of our work. What truly heartens me is one of our past walkers set up a standing order for £1 a month 15 years ago... I always remember him when I glance through the statements each month, as I do the many people and indeed past dogs mentioned. Recently that dear person had upped it to £10 a month: This is wonderful as I realised he hadn't just left it running, he has been following us as a Rescue and understood he was part of our work. I thank the many... we think our total has risen to £5,600 but we need to see October's to vouch the new donors are shown again in the second month.
Many have been worried at how our trajectory looks like we are just about to fall off a cliff. We do need a better foothold of certainty. Our fundraisers have busy lives and can only do so much.
I may seem unrealistic to many who are worried about our finances. I have been running the Rescue for 22 year when my husband paid for all the vet bills, and as we helped more dogs the homing donations helped cover the increased costs. This was me retired at 48, with my husband a busy GP supporting my endeavour and coming home each night to another new dog in the pack, or me travelling back from Derby or Wales having seen a dog into its home. We had 19 dogs in the house at one point. As a Rescuer you have such empathy and hear of such tragic circumstance and know a dog's life is at grave risk. We had 9 dogs we had adopted. Somehow the Rescue evolved. We have been helped by the many and have been able to help the many many!
I have always been a positive person who has been gifted lots of energy and drive and enthusiasm. My motto for many many years has been a short period of stress for me is nothing compared to a dog losing their life: They have as much right to stay on this earth as me.
So deluded as I may be, I am trying to maximise our effort, and save/support as many as we can. I estimate there are 100 dogs to every Rescue place at the moment. Cats: its infinite so many are breeding on the streets and back gardens +++. The dogs and cats we save are so very very lucky. I am always puzzled when people imply and say we have too many dogs or too many cats. Are they truly on our mission? We are privileged to help so many. We are proud we are helping so many. We always work at full capacity because we stretch to accommodate animals at grave risk. Meanwhile we are trying to bring numbers down especially now as we are over capacity and we hope to address this over the next 2 weeks.
We always take in one emergency a week. This week we took 2, found together but not to be homed together. This was the email I received from the Dog warden today thanking us for taking Denim and Norman.
IF you can "up" your Standing order a little if you can afford to do so, or if you haven't started one please join us, to help us meet our bills. Calculate how much a dog costs to keep in kennels at £19.80 a day.... when a bitch spay costs from £171.21 to £246.21 dependent on size (and we take some big lassies in), even at charity prices. You can see how much our Charity work costs. Please don't take it for granted... our current dogs and cats and future dogs and cats need funds to survive to enter and get through their rescue journey.Oh, Lynne, that’s brilliant news! I just want to say, again, a massive thank you to you for taking these boys as I know, for a fact, that they would not have gone any further in other rescues. If you need anything else from us, then please let me know. You are a STAR!!!!
On another note, I happened to bump into one of your fosterers who was out walking Narli. Such a handful but a beautiful girl. Had some hugs (until my girl got jealous!! )
Take care and kind regards,
Lisa
Standing up for the Rescue is setting up a Standing order.
I thank the many who have already, are already supporting us...it is really appreciated by us all but especially our homeless boys and girls.