With 345 animals depending on its care, Cast Aways Animal Sanctuary founder Louisa Rossouw is appealing to the community to help settle an outstanding veterinary bill before the festive season.

Every day, between six and eight people contact Cast Aways Animal Sanctuary in Wilbotsdal AH, hoping someone can help an abandoned kitten, an injured dog or a pet whose family no longer wants it.

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But increasingly, the answer has been one the sanctuary never wanted to give: it cannot take in another animal.

The organisation is battling an outstanding veterinary account of R50 000 and has been forced to close its doors to new intakes while it struggles to provide for the animals already in its care.

“We are not turning animals away because we no longer care or want to help.

We simply cannot responsibly take in more animals while struggling to provide for those already depending on us,” said Rossouw.

Established in 2018, Cast Aways currently cares for 345 animals, including 227 cats, all available for adoption.

Financial strain mounts ahead of December

The sanctuary is run by five employees, Rossouw and two volunteers. Besides veterinary bills, its monthly expenses include animal food, staff wages, electricity, water, cleaning supplies and general maintenance.

With December approaching, Rossouw is particularly concerned about the additional pressure the festive season brings.

Fireworks can frighten animals into fleeing, while some pets are abandoned when families relocate, go on holiday or decide they no longer want them.

Rossouw said the sanctuary urgently needs community support to reduce its veterinary debt and secure essential supplies.

“We are not asking the community to carry this burden alone.

We are simply asking them to stand beside us so that we can continue doing what we have dedicated our lives to – saving animals who have nobody else,” she said.

How residents and businesses can help

Residents and businesses are encouraged to contribute towards the outstanding veterinary account. Even smaller donations can make a difference.

“If 100 people could each contribute R50, that would already be R5 000 towards our veterinary account,” Rossouw said.

The sanctuary also urgently needs dog and cat food, blankets, cleaning products, mops, brooms, black refuse bags, laundry detergent, and tick, flea and deworming treatments.

The longer-term concern is the sanctuary’s ability to remain operational. To consider reopening its doors to new intakes, it needs to reduce its veterinary debt, secure consistent food donations and establish reliable monthly financial support.

“These animals have already experienced abandonment, neglect or suffering.

For many, Cast Aways is the only safe home they have ever known. Where would they go if we could no longer care for them?” Rossouw asked.

“We have the compassion, the dedication and the willingness to continue. What we desperately need are the resources to make it possible.”

For more information or to support Cast Aways Animal Sanctuary, contact Rossouw on 072 812 3333.

Read the full story of Cast Aways Animal Sanctuary’s fight to keep its doors open and care for 345 animals in the Herald’s November 27 edition.