Huge difference - exotic animal rescue charity needs help to move into new home at Clays Garden Centre
A Washington charity that rescues exotic animals who are unwanted or discarded by their owners are appealing for help to fund their new rescue centre after securing a home.
Richmond Exotics currently operates out of the Washington house of founders Becky and Chris Richmond and provides a home for around 80 exotic creatures including Zig and Zag the meerkats, Bob the red iguana, Cuddles the royal python and a range of other snakes, spiders, including tarantulas, tortoises, scorpions, and lizards.
As the only known exotic rescue centre in the area, and with a waiting list of animals owners want to rehome, the couple simply do not have sufficient space, with Becky’s parents also currently providing a home to some of the discarded creatures.
The charity has at long last managed to secure the opportunity of a permanent new home at one of the outbuildings owned by Washington’s Clays Garden Centre.
However, to cover the initial costs of building and transferring new enclosures, installing facilities as well as the first month of energy bills, the charity is hoping to raise around £5,000 “to help become established in our new home”.
Becky said: “This new premises will make a massive difference to our charity. We simply don’t have enough space in our house and we currently have 30 animals on our waiting list in need of a home.
“It will also enable us to expand some of our current enclosures, giving the animals such as our meerkats, Zig and Zag, more space and it will allow volunteers to get involved with the charity and to come and work with the animals.
“It’s the moment we’ve been working towards through every late‑night feed, every emergency intake, every heart-breaking surrender, and every tiny victory. This new space means safety, stability, and a future where we can help even more animals who desperately need us.”
Becky and Chris hope in time to open up their new site to expand their education programme and to help generate additional funds for the charity.
Becky said: “We are really grateful to Clays Garden Centre who once they knew about our search for a new home approached us and said they had a space we could use.
“Hopefully in time it will become a great partnership where people visiting the centre can also come and see our animals. There won’t be an entrance fee, but there will be an opportunity for people to donate to the charity.
“We currently take animals out into schools, but hopefully in time we can allow local schools to come and visit the animals onsite.”
Any money raised will cover the costs of building new enclosures, transferring the animals and covering the first month’s energy bills.
Becky added: “We have created a GoFundMe page with an initial target of £2,500 but to really get ourselves established, we need to raise around £5,000. Anything anyone can donate will be really appreciated.”
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