Cat rescue fights to stay afloat as donations fall

A Surrey charity has said the budget has "offered little relief" as the volunteer-run organisation continues to fight to stay afloat.

Byfleet Cat Rescue said with income tax thresholds remaining frozen and the cost of living pressure continuing to mount, it was "worried for its future".

"We know everyone is struggling, but sadly, that also means more cats being surrendered and fewer people able to donate," a spokesperson said.

A HM Treasury spokesperson said the government "recognised the pressures that charities faced".

"The tax system provides significant support to charities, including business rates relief, alongside more than £6bn of charitable tax reliefs," they added.

They said the government had more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500 to help smaller charities meet higher employment costs.

Founder of Byfleet Cat Rescue, Nicola Tait, said: Every day we are dealing with another cat desperately needing help."

She added in the last two weeks, rescues included four five-week-old kittens found abandoned in a bag in Addlestone, a stray cat rescued from the Robin Hood Roundabout, and two heavily pregnant cats.

The charity has saved more than 300 cats since opening in 2024, but adds relentless demand is placing increasing pressure on its resources and sustainability.

It said volunteers had taken in double the usual number of cats over the summer.

Tait said the charity did not have a rescue centre and relied on people opening their homes as fosterers, volunteers and donations to sustain its operations.

The charity said it had fundraised "tirelessly", but rising veterinary costs, food bills and day-to-day care had drained a significant portion of its funds.

Recently, Byfleet Cat Rescue announced its backing a petition calling for a national strategy to tackle cat overpopulation and ease mounting pressure on volunteer-run rescue centres.

The campaign recommends affordable neutering, greater support for animal charities, better education on responsible pet ownership and action against irresponsible breeding and abandonment.

While the government has set out animal welfare commitments through to 2030, the charity says the crisis requires more urgent action.

Tait said if smaller charities closed, it would mean thousands of vulnerable animals would lose a "vital safety net".

A Defra spokesperson said: "We are working with animal welfare groups and local authorities to promote responsible pet ownership and protect animal welfare in both regulated and unregulated sales.

"Animal welfare groups, including Cats Protection and the RSPCA, support owners through community neutering programmes and subsidised services."

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