For months we have been unable to rely on our usual supply of harvested rainwater to clean the kennels and animal facilities. Instead, we have been forced to use mains water, resulting in our water bill increasing by around £30 every single day.

That equates to approximately £210 extra every week, or around £900 a month, simply to maintain the essential cleaning and hygiene standards needed to keep the animals safe and healthy.

We normally collect rainwater, which we use to clean our kennels and facilities. It’s an important way for us to reduce our environmental impact and keep our running costs as low as possible. We have already found ways to reduce our water usage to the bare minimum and closed 2 kennel blocks as we can’t afford to fill them with rescue dogs due to huge increase in our costs even before this drought. But with no meaningful rainfall for months, our recycled water supplies have run dry, so we have no choice but to use mains water. We are already struggling to make every pound count, so this is a significant additional expense we didn’t see coming.

The situation is particularly challenging during long periods of extreme heat, when animals require additional care and attention. The air conditioning costs to keep the animals cool have already stretched our finances.

We are now appealing to the public for support to help cover these unexpected additional costs. Every donation, no matter how small, can help us continue to provide the clean, safe and comfortable environment our animals deserve.

Gables Dogs & Cats Home does not receive any government funding so we totally rely on donations given by the public. Those unable to donate can still make a huge difference by sharing the appeal with friends, family, and on social media.

If Gables is lucky enough to raise more money than is needed for this appeal, the excess will go into general funds to help all the animals in our care.