00:00A lifeline for animals is under threat.
00:02Ashford Garden Cattery faces an uncertain future with losses of up to £50,000 this year,
00:09putting it at risk of closure.
00:11So for cats like this one, the Cattery gives them safety, security,
00:15and a place to stay until they find a new home.
00:18But with things like the cost of living crisis and rising bed bills,
00:22charities are struggling to keep up with demands.
00:25The RSPCA takes in 42% more animals than it re-homes.
00:30Meaning without emergency fostering or adoption,
00:33these cats could be left without a safe place to go.
00:36It's not been great because over the last few years, the cost of living crisis,
00:42everything, all the costs of everything have risen.
00:45Vet costs, utilities, pet food, and it's just risen so much.
00:54And we're having cats in with more complicated illnesses and medical problems,
01:00which is costing more.
01:02So last year we ran at a £30,000 deficit, and this year we're heading to a £50,000 deficit.
01:11The branch has raised almost £12,000 through a GoFundMe appeal,
01:15which is enough to keep the Cattery open until next year.
01:18But Ashford isn't alone.
01:19At the Leybourne Animal Centre, rising demand has forced staff to transfer small animals
01:25like guinea pigs to other branches.
01:27At the moment, though, the demand we have, the pressure for space is higher than ever.
01:32And we are at a point where we're almost at that kind of bursting point where,
01:36what do you do next other than close your doors, which we can't do.
01:40But what's driving these growing struggles that charities across Kent and Medway are facing?
01:45We've seen a 10 to 15 percent drop in the amount of donations being given to charities.
01:49We also, of course, have a real pullback in state funding.
01:55So lots of charities, I know, here in Kent and Medway,
01:58in particular, receive grants from Kent County Council and Medway Council.
02:02And whilst those bodies have tried to maintain some sort of giving and funding,
02:08actually that has dropped significantly. And we see charities now having to compete
02:13far more aggressively to try and get what little funding there is left.
02:16With demand continuing to rise and the cost of living showing little sign of easing,
02:21the pressure is only growing for these charities.
02:23Without more support through donations, fostering and adoption,
02:27many fear the challenges will only get worse.
02:30Maisie Walker for KMTV, Ashford.
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