Limavady animal charity supported by community after mounting bills sparks crisis

A Limavady animal charity was recently forced to appeal to the public for help after soaring veterinary bills left the organisation fearing for the future of their services.

Mel McKee, founder and manager of Dog Leap Animal Charity, revealed that the rescue charity, which has rehomed and supported countless animals, had reached a crisis point due to overwhelming costs and a shortage of volunteers.

Mel was stunned when the response to their call for help was swiftly answered by the kind-hearted Limavady community, offering donations and volunteer support from local residents moved by the charity’s plight.

She expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to clearing vets bill and pet food but warned that financial challenges remain an ongoing concern.

Mel also spoke proudly of the vital work Dog Leap continues to provide in the community.

“We do a bit of everything, we’re a bit different from your normal charity,” she said.

“Recently, we have been helping the homeless with their dogs and their vet’s accounts, we help people who can’t feed their dogs that week, we will send them to the pet shop and get their food on the account in an emergency situation.

“We do rescue rehoming, a lot of time we don’t have foster space, so we will do home checks for that.

“We do catch and release, we were out saving dolphins recently.

“We can’t help everyone, we can only do what our budget allows, but if we have it in the bank, we will help you.”

Mel explained the problems which the charity currently faces which led to their recent appeal.

“Veterinary prices are a massive thing, daylight robbery in my eyes at the minute,” she continued.

“We had to do an appeal as the bills were not coming down.

“It’s only myself who handles the rescue side and the prices are shocking.

“To spay a female German Shepherd would be around £398, it’s a lot and we do spay three or four times a week.

“Also, animal welfare is not good, we had to lift a dog out of a garden last December, which ended up dying.”

Dog Leap Animal Charity, which operates a well-stocked charity shop in the heart of Market Street, is appealing for more volunteers to assist with shop duties, dog walking, joinery work, and administrative tasks.

Mel warned that unless additional support is found before the New Year, the charity could be at risk although despite the challenges, she remains determined to help animals at risk in Limavady.

“I don’t appeal very much for funds because the shop helps a lot, but when I do, thank God, people do help and our vet’s bill was cleared although it is back up again,” Mel said.

“If you own a joinery business or another trade business, we are in big need of electricians and joiners at the minute.

“Up here, where I keep the animals, we have funds to build but we cannot find tradesmen.

“My ground is all artificial grass, which got destroyed in the storm and I keep doing posts appealing for someone to come and see it and get it fixed.”

Mel noted that animal charities across the Causeway area were facing similar challenges and continued to support one another through difficult times.

“The charities up here on the North Coast are all good friends – us, Causeway Coast Rescue and Rainbow Rehoming Centre, we chat most days and are close.

“We need to team up together, we need a joint protest to change laws, Causeway Coast Rescue are currently fighting in Stormont to change laws.

“I only started a year or two ago and it has soared as Limavady doesn’t have any rescue but they have a lot of cruelty cases, a lot of neglect and a lot of people who love their dogs but need help.

“Often people cannot afford to pay us back but they will come and volunteer in the shop or walk dogs instead.

“I am only fresh to the charity although I have been rescuing for about 10 years.”

Mel also appealed for the general public to consider their pets’ needs more.

“With the public, I just really want them to be more patient with their animals.

“Some people get animals and think that they are ready made, at the minute, people are giving their animals in because if they get a puppy, they are not giving it a chance to progress to adulthood, they are not training it and researching their roots.

“My message is to research your breed and make sure that you can provide for the animal and pay the bills, at the moment most of our messages are to help with bills and while we can help some, we can’t help everyone, so some animals are lying in pain and cannot get help.

“Breeders just need to stop until we have everything under control, Christmas is coming and we are all on edge because as soon as the Christmas boom is over, we are hit like a hammer with dogs.

“Education is my plan for the charity in the next three years, to go into the schools and educate people how to look after their animals.

“If people would research their breeds and get pet insurance, there wouldn’t be as much need for rescue; you would know that Doberman as a cute puppy wasn’t meant for your flat or that a Collie needs to run miles every day not one lap around the garden.

“Make sure that you can afford a dog and have time for a dog, because they are wee souls at the end of the day, they are not a toy,” added Mel.

If you are interested in volunteering for the charity, contact Mel at dogleapcharity@gmail.com, message the Facebook page or call into the shop at 41 Market Street, Limavady.

Donations can be made to the charity via the PayPal link