RISING numbers of abandoned animals and a shortage of funds will mean Burton’s RSPCA centre will close in just 18 months unless it urgently finds cash.
This bleak forecast was made by the centre’s chairman, Stella Downs, who said more unwanted pets were being brought into the centre every day to be re-homed.
She said: “We have only 18 months of running costs left. We have to do everything we can to raise funds otherwise the centre will have to close.
“People in the Burton area are very, very generous but the levels we run at now cannot be sustained in the long term. We have to pull out all the stops and raise a lot more money.” The centre, in Hillfield Lane, Stretton, celebrated its 21st birthday this year and has had spiralling running costs for several years.
Expenditure rose by 12 per cent from 2008 to 2009 and the waiting list for accepting unwanted pets is now at a record length.
Mrs Downs said: “Because of the number of animals we are taking in, it costs more in terms of vets’ bills, buying food and the amount of time our officers have to spend caring for the animals.
“Every day an abandoned animal is brought in. Many people turn up with animals they can no longer keep and expect us to take the animals in, but there is a waiting list simply because we cannot Animal centre ‘just 18 months from closure’ By Joshua Taylor joshua.taylor@burtonmail.co.uk take them all in there and then.
“The number of abandoned pets in Burton is still rising.” Fund-raising efforts are being stepped up to help the centre, which receives no funding from the national society.
Mrs Downs said: “We have received some more donations recently. Many people have popped down to the centre or sent in cheques.
“We are organising a charity ball as well.
We held a ball in 2007 and raised £15,000.
We are looking to raise as much money at the next ball.” Anyone wishing to donate should send cheques to RSPCA Burton Animal Home, in Hillfield Lane, Stretton, Burton, DE13 0BN or contact the branch on 01283 569165.
