The animal sanctuary, based near Chepstow, rescues a wide variety of animals including miniature Shetland ponies, Exmoor ponies, donkeys, pigs, sheep and ex-battery hens. However, the pandemic has made fundraising extremely difficult since the first lockdown. Yet, the cost of basic necessitites such as feed and bedding has gone through the roof. Straw and hay prices are close to double what they were last winter.
Petplan Charitable Trust recognised this emerging crisis early on and acted quickly to launch our Covid 19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund. Aimed at smaller charities, we are delighted to have been able to support the vital work of rescue centres such as Dean Farm Trust. Many of these organisations are totally reliant on volunteers, many of whom have had to stand down during the pandemic. This has left a skeleton staff continuing to battle on to meet the needs of their animals in very challenging circumstances.
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“Your Emergency Fund with our vets bills for our equines has really helped and meant our ponies that have needed further treatments have received them,” says Mary Frankland, Dean Farm Trust Founder and Director.
“We have also had delivery of more straw and hay to help us through these very challenging winter months. Straw this year is extremely expensive so your emergency fund was so much appreciated. All of our equines are having hay and again your funds have helped these essential costs.
“We are still not open to the public due to COVID -19 and are currently applying for funding to help us through these months.”
Other rescue centres that have benefitted from our equine emergency fund include Crosskennan Lane in Northern Ireland and Oak Tree Animals in Carlisle.
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