Charity that saves paralysed dogs facing closure due to cost of living crisis
A charity which saves paralysed dogs is “terrified” they will have to close down because of the cost of living crisis.
Flori's Friends Rescue has seen 50 per cent of their direct debits cancelled as donors struggle to pay their own heating bills. Now they are in danger of collapsing in just six months unless they can find more monthly donors. They are pleading with the public to help them with a £1 a month donation.
The rescue centre based near Canterbury, Kent currently has 40 dogs on their books, many who’ve faced “horrifying and unthinkable” cruelty. Patsy, a cross breed, was saved from certain death in Romania by the charity. She'd followed a schoolboy to classes, who then asked his mum to help. Her legs had been chopped off.
Another saved pet was shot in the spine 12 times with the bullets still inside and a third was paralysed after being thrown off Brighton pier. Natalia George, 32, who founded the charity in 2015, told The Mirror: “This whole thing is terrifying because if we close there’s no future for paralysed dogs.
“Ten of our dogs can never be rehomed and have to stay with us because their problems are so severe. It’s horrific. People have been cancelling their direct debits, we’ve lost about 50 per cent. Mostly people cancel their direct debits from their bank and we get the email through. Most people don’t message because they are embarrassed and that’s okay because he don’t want people to feel bad.
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The have taken in injured dogs (Flori's Friends Rescue)“We’ve got enough to keep going for six months and then it will be closed down I guess. We are a mobility rescue so our overheads are way higher and we rely on these monthly direct debits. We are having to stop intake now because we can’t afford to take in any more dogs.”
Explaining what has caused the cash crisis, she said: “It’s 100 per cent because of the cost of living crisis, people can’t afford to put the heating on so the first thing they do is cut the charities. We’ve got two full time members and loads of volunteers who rely on us for their mental health. We are like a community lifeline for a lot of people to come and sit with animals.”
The charity began after Natalia saved a dog called Flori three years ago, who'd been beaten then dumped in the bottom of a skip. "She still lives with us and it's taken all this time for her to allow us to pet her," Natalia said. They now have 40 dogs at the centre with a massive waiting list of 50. Ten of their dogs are completely paralysed.
“I dread to think what’s happening to the dogs we can’t help," Natalia said. "We are urging people to donate a pound a month, that’s the same price as a chocolate bar. If everyone who reads this donates, we could carry on saving the animals that no other charity wants to touch.”
They only have enough cash to keep going for six months (SWNS)She says on their books at the moment is three-year-old Elle, a Brown Shepherd with just one leg. “She’s actually our most active dog, she walks two hours a day on her one front-prosthetic and with a wheelchair on the back. She’s a lunatic. We found her after a traffic camera saw her get hit by an HGV lorry. She was on the road for six days. She’s a sanctuary place and can’t go to a home because her needs are so severe. Dogs like Elle need us forever. “
Another of their residents is Winnipeg, a four years old two legged Staffie, who was thrown off Brighton pier and left with no back legs after its spine was broken on the rocks. Another is Summer, a Shepherd-mix from Peterborough, who was beaten with a baseball bat which damaged her spine.
Lurcher-mix Susan, she explains, was shot 12 times and still has "loads of bullets still left in her spine and have left her paralysed". “It took us ten weeks to be able to touch Susan but now she’s amazing. She’s a real cuddle-monkey now.”
But arguably one of the most heartbreaking and shocking stories is a new dog due to arrive at the shelter from Romania any day. Patsy, a dishevelled and shaggy white wolf hound cross, was found by a Brit in Romania with its legs chopped off.
"I can't wait to help her. We're going to get her measured up for a custom-made wheelchair and get her walking," Natalia said. "These wheelchairs cost around £1,000 but you can't put a price on giving her complete freedom and normality. She will be a normal dog again and able to chase a ball and play with the friends she makes here."
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