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Our RSPCA is facing closure over financial issues. UD post 33- anyone able to help?

Sky-O

Wise Old Thumper
I'm fed up of bad news this morning.
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Martlesham: RSPCA rescue centre under threat over fears money will run out in 80 days

By Jonathan Barnes Thursday, February 10, 2011
9:00 AM

SUFFOLK’S only RSPCA rescue centre is facing a funds crisis that may threaten its existence, it emerged last night.

The centre, at Martlesham, has rehomed thousands of sick, mistreated and injured animals over the past 40 years, but the charity’s Suffolk East and Ipswich Branch, which runs the centre, is battling a chronic funding shortfall and cutbacks are already having to be made.

It costs the branch £1,000 a day to run the centre and its animal clinic in Ipswich – but its operations only bring in half that amount.

The charity relies heavily on donations and legacies from the public to pay for its services.

But committee members say that, on current levels of income, the branch’s money will run out in just 80 days.

The centre is licensed and regulated by the RSPCA, but only receives minimal financial support from the national body and is almost entirely self-funding.

In 2008-9, the charity had a shortfall of £15,000 – but that funding gap widened to £60,000 in 2009-10.

Jean Short, honorary chairman of the branch, said: “We are running out of money and we cannot carry on like this. There is a constant threat against the future of the centre and our clinic. If we go, it is the animals that will suffer.”

The centre, which was established with money from a legacy in 1970, generally always has more than 100 animals on site waiting for new owners.

The majority are cats and dogs, but there are also rabbits, ferrets, parrots and guinea pigs.

It is open to the public six days a week, but RSPCA inspectors can bring in injured or sick animals at any time.

The branch also runs a clinic in St George’s Street, in Ipswich – which treats nearly 2,000 animals a year – and has two charity shops in Ipswich and Felixstowe.

It employs 14 full-time staff covering the animal centre and two charity shops, and has more than 250 volunteers. The centre is managed by Kieron Adams and Rebecca Fox, who both have to live on site.

Mrs Short said the centre would never turn away a sick animal, but the demand for services was putting huge pressure on the branch’s budget.

The number of sessions offered at the clinic, for which the branch has to employ a vet, has already been cut back from three a week to two.

“We have had puppies abandoned in boxes on the driveway at Martlesham, dogs tied to the gates and cat baskets left outside,” she said.

“We are seen by people as the fourth emergency service, so what will happen if we are not here?

“Some of the animals are in a terrible condition when we first see them. We do our best to get them back to health and find new homes for them.

“We offer a unique service. We are the only animal charity with inspectors, so where do all the animals go that are being mistreated and need a place of safety?”

She said she would love to increase participation in the branch’s Safe Havens scheme, where donors give a certain amount of money each month. It currently brings in £8,000 a year. The branch would also welcome corporate sponsorship.

THE ANIMAL CENTRE

In 2010, the centre took in 110 dogs, 93 of which were rehomed. The others are waiting for new homes.

It also saw 289 cats (253 of which were rehomed) and 265 other animals (220 of which were rehomed)

The centre can be contacted on 01473 623280 or the branch’s website address is www.ipswich-rspca.org.uk

HOW YOU CAN HELP

For more information on ways to donate or for sponsorship enquiries, contact Kate Grimwood, branch administrator, on 01449 614057 or 07745 771129 or e-mail on katebranchadmin@talktalk.net
 
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I dont understand, are all RSPCA branches individually funded? I thought the RSPCA had central funding? :?

Yet another blow to the poor animals :(
 
Ah Okay. I see West Hatch (our 2nd localest) is a centre.

Thats just so random, i never realised the RSPCA worked like that.
 
How awful :(

But thats really interesting that Branch's are different. I know that Bath Cats and Dog Home dropped the 'RSPCA' from its name a fair few years ago due to differing opinions and is now almost entirely seperate from it and is hugely popular in the local area.
 
I help with street collections for our local RSPCA, Worcester and Mid Worcestershire. A few years ago I was told that if people leave money to them in their wills, it all goes to the central body of RSPCA. They do not in turn, help the local areas which basically have to fundraise for themselves. If you want to leave money to them, you have to stipulate in your will which area you wish to benefit.

This did shock me, and I am sure that other people will feel the same.:shock:
 
This is the branch with lots of guinea-pigs just in - they'll be looking for homes for them in the next few months.

Yes, they have the mitful of guineas, but also their ferrets and rabbits are not shifting at all (all rabbits can be found on the forum and on RR too), they also have cats (loads of them), dogs, chichillas, birds, gerbils and all sorts of looking for homes.
 
Wont the Head Office bail it out?

Its such a shame that the branches suffer.

I really don't understand it, why doesn't the Head Office give them the money they need, they have millions of £££££'s sitting in Coutts bank accounts, it makes me so angry when branches are struggling like they are
 
I really don't understand it, why doesn't the Head Office give them the money they need, they have millions of £££££'s sitting in Coutts bank accounts, it makes me so angry when branches are struggling like they are

I still dont understand why local branches bother operating under the RSPCA label. If they truly get no help at all from HO why not just become a 'private' Rescue :?
 
I still dont understand why local branches bother operating under the RSPCA label. If they truly get no help at all from HO why not just become a 'private' Rescue :?

I've always thought that, sadly the RSPCA has got such a bad name that I really don't think I would want to be associated with it
 
I've always thought that, sadly the RSPCA has got such a bad name that I really don't think I would want to be associated with it

Maybe local Branches would get MORE public support if they were NOT associated with the RSPCA :?

It's so sad to think that many local branches are likely to go the same way given the current financial climate. Rescues are needed more now than ever but one by one they are closing due to lack of funds :cry:
 
Sadly a rescue close by in Waltham Abbey was due to close around Christmas due to similar circumstances. I'm not sure if they did or not :(
 
I hadnt realized that Bath Dog and Cats, was formerly RSPCA.

What can be done to help this branch with fundraising?????
 
I'm unsure what we can do, but I am still pretty involved in them so will hep in any way (my brain is too fuzy right now to think of anything, but I don't mind co-odinating stuff if anyone thinks of anything).

I think a large part of the issue is that our local Blue Cross was going to have to shut due to lack of premises and lack of funds to relocate. The money of our area has been going into them and Martlesham have been missing out.

The Blue Cross are in the process of getting the most wondeful place and facilities now and likely the RSPCA is going to suffer massively that way.
 
When there was the threat behind the Blue Cross shutting the public really got behind them and helped to keep it open.

Maybe if this gets as much publicity as their campaign did then fingers crossed it can be saved.
 
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