RESCUE Dogs Sligo are currently at capacity. The volunteer-run rescue centre currently has reached its capacity for rescued dogs. Another problem for the centre is the mounting bills which the centre has due to vets fees to keep the dogs healthy.
Dorothy Kilgallen, a volunteer with Sligo Animal Rescue, explained the most pressing issue the organisation is facing.
“It is a case of having a problem paying for what we have in. We have to continue to pay boarding fees and veterinary bills and that is a problem at the moment. There is no money coming and in and there are no dogs going out so there are no adoption fees,” she said.
The rescue lives off the adoption fee, €100 per dog, and the good will of others to survive. The approximate cost of running the rescue each week is in the region of €400.
Aside from that, the resuce makes money from the sale of cards and calenders at Christmas, money which has now been spent on vets bills and other running costs.
“There is nothing in the bank at the moment. The more behind you are with bills the harder it is to play catch up,” Dorothy said.
In terms of dogs currently under the care of the rescue, Dorothy says there are 19. Some of those dogs have been there longer than others and it is hard to put a time frame on how long it will take for a dog to be adopted.
“How long is a piece of string? We have two sibling puppies who came in to us at two weeks old and they are eight months now. Some dogs are luckier than others, they may only be here two or three weeks before adopting,” Dorothy commented.
Although Dorothy is eager for the 19 dogs to find homes, she is also eager to stress the commitment involved with having a dog.
“Think really long and hard about it because we have had a really bad run in the last month of people booking dogs and then unbooking them. Think long and hard about it because it is not fair on the dogs,” she said.
Dogs for adoption and more details on the rescue dogs in Sligo can be found on the Facebook page “Rescue Dogs Sligo” or on the website sligoanimalrescue.com.
