Animal sanctuary in urgent appeal after devastating floods
AN URGENT appeal has been made for financial help to stop a Swansea charity from closing.
It comes after torrential rain resulted in the worst flooding the charity had seen for 11 years. And the impact is still being felt now.
Woodfield Animal Sanctuary, based in Gower, explained how its barns were “totally flooded” in December, putting it in a “very serious financial position”.
It resulted in the use of numerous bales of hay each day as the animals could not graze in the waterlogged fields, and existing bedding having to be removed. As well as the barns, the bays and outside stables were also heavily water-damaged.
Now, four months later, the sanctuary, which rescues all types of animals, from horses, to ponies, sheep, dogs and cats, remains in dire straits.
Woodfield Animal Sanctuary is run by Robbie Bartington with her husband David. It all started back in 2013 after 20 ponies arrived in one night, and it became apparent that a safe haven needed to be created.
In an urgent appeal for help, the sanctuary wrote: “The financial situation is extremely serious now, if only enough people could send £1 that would save this sanctuary from closing.
“There are so many desperate ponies on our waiting list, and we have just taken in two mares from the local area. Our numbers are at breaking point. Every one of our rescued ponies, horses, cows and sheep are on bales and bales of hay and haylage daily.
“We are waiting for the farmer to let us back on the grazing we rent every year, but the fields are still too wet.
“So for the time being our rescued animals are still in stables, barns, shelters on an open plan arrangement munching hard feed and haylage.”
The flooding in December was followed by several months of heavy rain, which prevented fields from drying out and allowing animals to return.
Robbie said at the time: “After we thought things couldn’t get any worse financially, then this happened. It’s been the worst year ever for flooding problems. This is the fourth time we have been flooded out.”
If you wish to donate towards the animal sanctuary’s appeal, you can do so at www.justgiving.com/campaign/veryurgentappealspring2024