Shropshire dogs charity only has a few weeks' funding left
A charity which cares for unwanted greyhounds said it is facing closure if it can't raise money in the next few weeks.
Hector's Greyhound Rescue says the Covid pandemic has crippled all its fundraising efforts.
Hayley Bradley, who founded the Oswestry based charity, said animal shelters had received no government help during the pandemic.
Now the rescue centre only has enough money to continue operating for eight weeks and has launched an appeal to raise £10,000.
The charity was set up by Hayley 22 years ago, finding homes for abandoned greyhounds or those their owners can no longer look after.
Many greyhounds are cast aside when they are too old or slow to race.
During the pandemic it has cared for and found homes for three dogs whose owners have died from Covid.
Hayley said the last 18 months had been very hard.
'Crippling'
She said the charity had been unable to fundraise at events or in shops and had to rely on social media to appeal for help from the public.
"It has been crippling," she said.
"Up to now we have never turned a dog away – we’re a non-destruction rescue centre.
“We’ve got through to this point by the skin of our teeth, but it has massively taken its toll.”
The charity, which helps around 200 dogs per year, operates with monthly costs of between £6,000 and £10,000, which included vets bills.
But Hayley fears that without a major boost to its funds the charity will have no option but to close which she said would be devastating for the dogs it helps.
“The dogs we take in have nowhere to go. They have often found themselves abandoned or discarded from the race track," she said.
“They can sometimes be from homes in which a couple have separated.
“During the pandemic, we took in three dogs whose owners had died of Covid-19. We are a lifeline for a lot of these dogs.
She said the pandemic has also led to a cut in the number of volunteers helping the charity.
"I have been rescuing desperate dogs from desperate situations for 22 years now, and this has been the one time that we have been really scared that we might finish," she added.
Anyone who wants to support the charity should visit Hector's Greyhound Rescue on Facebook, or its website at hectorsgreyhoundrescue.org.
There is also the opportunity to sponsor a dog through the website.
