A Ramsbottom animal sanctuary is preparing for tough few months amid the cost-of-living crisis but says the animals will always come first.

Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, which is home to 350 animals, says its electricity bills have doubled to almost £100,000 a year as the price of energy soars.

It expects to take in even more pets as the crisis continues, many with illnesses that require ongoing medical treatment.

The sanctuary, which cares for around 350 animals including dogs, cats, pigs, horses and donkeys, is seeing fewer potential adopters come forward due to the cost of caring for a pet.

Bury Times: Bleakholt cat section workers, Sally Battersby and Amber Walker Bleakholt cat section workers, Sally Battersby and Amber Walker (Image: Bleakholt)

Joint stables manager, Sheila Linley, whose team looks after 39 horses, donkeys and mules says she has been forced to make savings over the past few months.

She said: “There are more applications to come in as obviously looking after horses is expensive.

“If we have a space we go through our list for the most needy.

“We do make our own hay but we have had to switch where we get our shavings for bedding from to somewhere cheaper.”

Applications for smaller animals have also decreased due to the cost of food and medical bills while staff are still seeing lockdown animals being given up.

Sallie Conroy, rehoming supervisor for dogs, said: “We are not getting as many applications for big dogs as they are obviously more expensive to feed.

“We are also taking in a lot more older dogs and that obviously comes with medical costs.

“We are getting more lockdown animals and people are giving up breeds they have paid for.

“We had two Dachshunds brought in recently and a bulldog which is unusual.”

Cat section supervisor Hayley Collins and her team look after around 120 moggies and have noticed a similar difficulty to rehome. 

She said: “We are finding a lot more cats aren’t neutered due to the expense and that brings their own problems.

“Kittens are surprisingly harder to rehome at the moment, people just aren’t adopting animals like they were.”

Bury Times: Sanctuary Manager, Karen Weed with rescue dog Pickle. Photo: Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary Sanctuary Manager, Karen Weed with rescue dog Pickle. Photo: Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary (Image: Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary)

Sanctuary manager Karen Weed says the sanctuary will be looking to raise funds through its charity shops and with fundraising events.

She said: "We have charity shops in Ramsbottom and Bury and have just opened a shop in Bacup, selling furniture as well as the usual charity items.

"It’s always a test when you open a new shop as we are reliant on volunteers to help us but thankfully we have got a good group of volunteers, although we are always looking for more.

“We also hold fundraising events such as our Halloween Spooky Family Fun Day on October 30, we always have our annual Christmas Shoebox appeal which is well-supported and hold our Open Days which are always well-attended but we understand people are struggling too.

"Ways to help the sanctuary without costing anything, are by choosing Bleakholt as your chosen charity through Amazon Smile and Pets at Home VIP Club.

“Like everyone we are having to watch what we are spending” 

“However, the animals always come first at Bleakholt.”