November 19th 2024.
After surviving the worst night of her life, Kate made the brave decision to start an animal sanctuary. She felt a deep sense of purpose in giving a second chance at life to the 150 rescue dogs, cats, and farm animals under her care. Kate's sanctuary, Deathrow Unchained Animal Rescue, was located on a sprawling property in Burbank, Queensland and was run by Kate and her dedicated team of almost 200 volunteers.
Despite the sanctuary's noble mission, it faced a significant threat. Mounting debts caused by the cost of living crisis were putting the animals' home at risk. Kate and her team were struggling to keep up with the staggering costs of running the sanctuary, which included a hefty $250,000 a year in vet care alone. The ongoing crisis had caused a slowdown in donations from the public, leaving the sanctuary in a dire financial situation.
To make matters worse, the sanctuary received a notice stating that it owed $27,569 in arrears and needed to pay by the end of November or face losing the property. This was a daunting amount of money that the sanctuary simply did not have. As Kate explained, "We spend around $10,000 to $12,000 a week to run this place, and unfortunately, we just didn't have the funds to cover this unexpected expense."
The sanctuary had always relied on the generosity of sponsors and regular donations from the community, but the ongoing cost of living crisis had taken a toll. Kate received countless emails from loyal supporters who had to cancel their donations due to their own financial struggles. As she expressed, "The majority of people that help us are everyday people, and right now, they're struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Unfortunately, places like ours are often the first to suffer in times of crisis because we're not considered essential."
As donations slowed, the sanctuary began to accumulate debt. Kate and her volunteers did everything they could to keep the sanctuary afloat, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Team leaders were paying for vet bills, and volunteers were covering the costs of medications, but it wasn't enough. Kate felt the weight of the pressure and the devastating effect it was having on the sanctuary and its animals.
Then, the sanctuary received an incredible outpouring of support. After starting an online fundraiser with the goal of raising $10,000 towards the debt, they received over $14,000 in just six days. Kate was overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of strangers, and she felt unable to put into words what it meant to her and the sanctuary.
With the deadline to pay the arrears fast approaching, Kate increased the fundraising goal to $19,000. She hoped that with this amount, they could pay off the debt in its entirety and secure the future of the sanctuary. Once the debt was paid, the sanctuary could turn its focus to its new program, NDIS Compassion Connect. This program aimed to provide animal care services to individuals living with disabilities, fostering community participation, and creating meaningful friendships.
Kate was hopeful that this program would provide a steady source of income for the sanctuary and secure its future. She said, "We're so close to having a program that will give the sanctuary a regular income, and we're hoping that this will secure its future." After dedicating ten years of her life to DRU and saving the lives of over 5000 animals, Kate couldn't bear the thought of losing the sanctuary. It was her passion, her purpose, and her way of healing from a traumatic past.
In just a few weeks, the deadline to pay the debt would arrive. Kate was determined to reach her fundraising goal and keep the sanctuary running. She was grateful for the support she had received so far and remained hopeful for the future of Deathrow Unchained Animal Rescue.
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