Of course, we love the animals within our care and could keep every single on of them forever. By rehoming, we can help even more animals who need us.
Sometimes, we have animals arrive in our care that - sometimes unexpectedly - turn out to be so unwell that they cannot be rehomed. This not only puts a huge strain on our finances, but on our facilities and resources available too. Offering an animal sanctuary status means that spot that was originally used to take in more animals is now occupied for days, weeks, months, sometimes years. It means that £100 a month we set aside for general upkeep of the rescue is now reserved to treating the unwell animal.
These scenarios are unavoidable. We love to help the most vulnerable animals. We're more than happy to offer sanctuary to an animal if we know it's within their best interest.
As a fundraising opportunity, we've decided that you, the public, can be given the opportunity to sponsor those animals who, sadly, will never leave our facilities.
First things first, let's meet the animals we're referring to:
Sometimes, we have animals arrive in our care that - sometimes unexpectedly - turn out to be so unwell that they cannot be rehomed. This not only puts a huge strain on our finances, but on our facilities and resources available too. Offering an animal sanctuary status means that spot that was originally used to take in more animals is now occupied for days, weeks, months, sometimes years. It means that £100 a month we set aside for general upkeep of the rescue is now reserved to treating the unwell animal.
These scenarios are unavoidable. We love to help the most vulnerable animals. We're more than happy to offer sanctuary to an animal if we know it's within their best interest.
As a fundraising opportunity, we've decided that you, the public, can be given the opportunity to sponsor those animals who, sadly, will never leave our facilities.
First things first, let's meet the animals we're referring to:
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Meet Maize,
Sponsored Maize arrived as part of a large intake of males and females who were born in their previous owners care due to a breeder selling them missexed mice. Many of the mice have since been neutered and rehomed, but Maize had to stay back with some companions due to having chronic respiratory disease. She is quite the lively jumper, so getting her medicine into her when her disease flares is somewhat challenging. It is unclear if her disease is the result of poor husbandry, being genetically predisposed to it, or if it is simply because she is a mouse that are generally prone to respiratory disease - probably all 3! |
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Meet Tarquin,
Sponsored Tarquin the striped skunk arrived in our care due to his owner being unable to keep him. A big reason why we wanted to help Tarquin was due to the severe levels of aggression his owner had reported. As soon as he established his territory his aggressive behaviour peaked and he was acting exactly as his owner had mentioned. We started with surgical castration which appears to have helped quite a bit, this combined with a new 100sqm peaceful outdoor enclosure has started to help with building his confidence. Skunks are no easy undertaking at the best of times, never mind adding his temperamental behaviour into the mix. Taquin will stay with us as a resident and is an ambassador as to why "domesticating" skunks is something we wholeheartedly disagree with. Keeping wild animals wild is something we are very passionate about, but of course, we always want to help those who find themselves trapped in the pet trade. |
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Meet Morrison,
Sponsored
Morrison arrived in our care from a severe hoarding case. He was anorexic upon arrival and had painful overgrown nails. Morrison suffered from lingual molar spurring on his mandible arcade. Despite our attempts to manage the spurring, Morrison continues to need frequent dental work. At his worst, he can drop over 1kg in body-weight, needs strong painkillers, and sometimes needs to be force-fed with a syringe Morrison will most likely never fully recover from his neglect.
Sponsored
Morrison arrived in our care from a severe hoarding case. He was anorexic upon arrival and had painful overgrown nails. Morrison suffered from lingual molar spurring on his mandible arcade. Despite our attempts to manage the spurring, Morrison continues to need frequent dental work. At his worst, he can drop over 1kg in body-weight, needs strong painkillers, and sometimes needs to be force-fed with a syringe Morrison will most likely never fully recover from his neglect.
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Meet Edie,
Sponsored Edie arrived in our care due to a change in circumstances with her owner. Unfortunately, Edie's companion, Eileen, passed away from a cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure at just a few months old. Edie was bonded to a new group of friends and was originally up for adoption. She then started to show signs of chronic respiratory disease. Managing Edie's symptoms at present requires daily nebulising sessions, and occasionally antibiotics when signs of infection are present. |
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Meet Haze,
Sponsored
Haze arrived into our care after she'd been a poor working ferret. After that, her owner tried to breed her unsuccessfully which resulted in many stillborn babies. After that, Haze was of no use to her owner and discarded at the bottom of their garden until someone would collect her. When she arrived here, she had a very poor body condition and was very lethargic. Within a few weeks, she started to show other concerning symptoms such as a swollen vulva, further weight loss, and generally seemed out of sync with the seasons.
Haze was admitted to the vets for x-rays which showed an abdominal mass. Cytology was inconclusive but the tumour was suspected to be lymphoma. Further tests are required for a confirmed diagnosis (explorative laparotomy and attempted removal of the mass to send for histopathology). Haze was introduced to corticosteroids and has shown an enormous response over the last few months. By sponsoring Haze, you'll be contributing to her high medical bills and ongoing care.
Sponsored
Haze arrived into our care after she'd been a poor working ferret. After that, her owner tried to breed her unsuccessfully which resulted in many stillborn babies. After that, Haze was of no use to her owner and discarded at the bottom of their garden until someone would collect her. When she arrived here, she had a very poor body condition and was very lethargic. Within a few weeks, she started to show other concerning symptoms such as a swollen vulva, further weight loss, and generally seemed out of sync with the seasons.
Haze was admitted to the vets for x-rays which showed an abdominal mass. Cytology was inconclusive but the tumour was suspected to be lymphoma. Further tests are required for a confirmed diagnosis (explorative laparotomy and attempted removal of the mass to send for histopathology). Haze was introduced to corticosteroids and has shown an enormous response over the last few months. By sponsoring Haze, you'll be contributing to her high medical bills and ongoing care.
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Meet Elijah,
Sponsored
Elijah was originally rehomed, but his adopter had to return him back to us due to struggling to manage his deteriorating health issues. Elijah had a case of of EC (encephalitozoonosis) which can cause renal and neurological disability. Elijah's symptoms seem to be mostly neurological (incontinence, dizziness, hind-leg weakness, nystagmus, and a head-tilt). Elijah is likely on lifelong medication as his symptoms seem to be mostly permanent, but manageable. We've been sourcing insight from the head RWAF vet alongside our own veterinarian to try and ensure Elijah will have a good quality life, albeit different to most rabbits. Despite his illness, with small adaptions he appears to live well and is still extremely social and bubbly.
Sponsored
Elijah was originally rehomed, but his adopter had to return him back to us due to struggling to manage his deteriorating health issues. Elijah had a case of of EC (encephalitozoonosis) which can cause renal and neurological disability. Elijah's symptoms seem to be mostly neurological (incontinence, dizziness, hind-leg weakness, nystagmus, and a head-tilt). Elijah is likely on lifelong medication as his symptoms seem to be mostly permanent, but manageable. We've been sourcing insight from the head RWAF vet alongside our own veterinarian to try and ensure Elijah will have a good quality life, albeit different to most rabbits. Despite his illness, with small adaptions he appears to live well and is still extremely social and bubbly.
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Meet Donkey,
Sponsored
Donkey was spotted roaming an estate in Congleton. As a rodent from South America, he was very out of place in the gardens of Cheshire. For weeks he was sighted in gardens and kept returning to the same places. We decided to intervene and place humane traps full of favourable degu-treats in the areas Donkey was frequently seen. Within days, we successfully captured the degu - then named Donkey. He was underweight and absolutely petrified. We put out an appeal to find his owner, but no one ever claimed him. We believe he was intentionally released.
Sadly, the trauma Donkey went through has left him with permanent behavioral issues; so severe he has to be handled by expert trustees with full protective gear. The charity has helped Donkey find a friend in a degu named Dave. It is heartbreaking to know Donkey will never recover from the undeserved trauma humans inflicted upon him.
Sponsored
Donkey was spotted roaming an estate in Congleton. As a rodent from South America, he was very out of place in the gardens of Cheshire. For weeks he was sighted in gardens and kept returning to the same places. We decided to intervene and place humane traps full of favourable degu-treats in the areas Donkey was frequently seen. Within days, we successfully captured the degu - then named Donkey. He was underweight and absolutely petrified. We put out an appeal to find his owner, but no one ever claimed him. We believe he was intentionally released.
Sadly, the trauma Donkey went through has left him with permanent behavioral issues; so severe he has to be handled by expert trustees with full protective gear. The charity has helped Donkey find a friend in a degu named Dave. It is heartbreaking to know Donkey will never recover from the undeserved trauma humans inflicted upon him.
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Meet Anakin,
Sponsored
Anakin arrived in our care as an extremely timid rat who for the longest time would flee in fear if a human so much as entered the room. His fear of humans hasn't disappeared and likely never will. His eye was enucleated after the eye itself became enlarged. Treating Anakin for any issue, even parasites typically results in biting and extreme stress. For that reason, he is unable to be rehomed. He has also since been neutered in the hopes he will live amongst females
Sponsored
Anakin arrived in our care as an extremely timid rat who for the longest time would flee in fear if a human so much as entered the room. His fear of humans hasn't disappeared and likely never will. His eye was enucleated after the eye itself became enlarged. Treating Anakin for any issue, even parasites typically results in biting and extreme stress. For that reason, he is unable to be rehomed. He has also since been neutered in the hopes he will live amongst females
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Meet Hunter,
Sponsored Hunter is a ferret/EU polecat hybrid who arrived in our are due to his aggressive nature. EU Polecats are typically solitary and are known for their stubborn behaviour - making them challenging to tame. Hunter can and will give a nasty bite to even our experienced workers, meaning protective gear must be worn to prevent injury. Hybridising the two species is not something we agree with as in many cases they do not make desirable or easy pets, and are extremely challenging to find homes for - most polecat sanctuaries won't work with hybrids due to conservation efforts. Here with us, Hunter's bond with our workers is a relationship of respect (respecting his boundaries and limitations, whilst providing him with the love and care he requires). Despite his quirks, we love him for who he is. |
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Meet Autumn,
Sponsored
Autumn arrived in our care as a stray who had been dumped and handed into Congleton Veterinary Centre. As you can see by the second picture, she was skinny, lonely, and in a lot of pain due to untreated dental disease. After many dental procedures, it has been determined that she has chronic dental issues that have likely been untreated for some time. Autumn suffers from buccal and lingual spurring of both the maxillary and mandibular dental arcade. She requires a higher frequency of dental procedures, so she is staying with us as a permanent resident to ensure she gets the treatment she needs.
Sponsored
Autumn arrived in our care as a stray who had been dumped and handed into Congleton Veterinary Centre. As you can see by the second picture, she was skinny, lonely, and in a lot of pain due to untreated dental disease. After many dental procedures, it has been determined that she has chronic dental issues that have likely been untreated for some time. Autumn suffers from buccal and lingual spurring of both the maxillary and mandibular dental arcade. She requires a higher frequency of dental procedures, so she is staying with us as a permanent resident to ensure she gets the treatment she needs.
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Meet Kelvin,
Sponsored
Kelvin arrived in our care due a change in circumstances with his previous owner. He arrived with obvious issues with his eye including infection and blocked tear ducts. After investigation we discovered Kelvin's issues were due to elongated tooth roots - not surprising with a brachycephalic rabbit. Unfortunately, his condition isn't curable but with ongoing treatment it can be manageable. Kelvin requires topical antibiotics, painkillers, and tear duct flushes at present. He is significantly more prone to eye and dental issues. He will likely require ongoing monitoring too.
Despite only being two years old, Kelvin's already struggling almost certainly due to poor breeding. We hope we are able to make his life much more comfortable from now on.
Sponsored
Kelvin arrived in our care due a change in circumstances with his previous owner. He arrived with obvious issues with his eye including infection and blocked tear ducts. After investigation we discovered Kelvin's issues were due to elongated tooth roots - not surprising with a brachycephalic rabbit. Unfortunately, his condition isn't curable but with ongoing treatment it can be manageable. Kelvin requires topical antibiotics, painkillers, and tear duct flushes at present. He is significantly more prone to eye and dental issues. He will likely require ongoing monitoring too.
Despite only being two years old, Kelvin's already struggling almost certainly due to poor breeding. We hope we are able to make his life much more comfortable from now on.
Why Sponsor an Animal?
Some of our permanent residents with chronic health issues are expensive and time consuming to say the least. Your financial donations can help us continue to fund the high-quality care we expect all our residents to have - permanent or temporary.
Your contributions can quite easily save a life.
We are a non-profit rescue. The funds raised will go straight back into caring for our sanctuary residents.
Your contributions can quite easily save a life.
We are a non-profit rescue. The funds raised will go straight back into caring for our sanctuary residents.
How Sponsoring Works:
We will be dividing sponsoring into 4 tiers:
- Tier one (£2 a month): to sponsor an animal for £2 a month you will receive a welcome certificate of thanks and 2 Bacchus Resident Rescue stickers,
- Tier two (£5 a month): to sponsor an animal for £5 a month, you will receive a welcome certificate of thanks, 2 Bacchus Resident Rescue stickers, and a Bacchus Residents Rescue mug.
- Tier three (£10 a month): to sponsor an animal for £10 a month you will receive a welcome certificate of thanks, 3 Bacchus Resident Rescue stickers, 2 Bacchus Residents Rescue mugs, and an optional social media shout out.
- Tier four (£20 a month): to sponsor an animal for £20 a month you will receive a welcome certificate of thanks, 3 Bacchus Resident Rescue stickers, 2 Bacchus Resident Rescue mugs, an optional social media shout out, and a card from your sponsored animal.
Terms and Conditions
- You will be expected to set up a monthly direct debit for a minimum of 6 months into our charity bank account.
- You will be unable to change tiers until after 6 months of sponsorship.
- Each individual animal can be sponsored by more than one person. We will label these animals as co-sponsored.
- If you wish to cancel from any time after 6 months, your direct debit can be terminated immediately.
- You will only receive your welcome gifts once your first payment has been made.
- We guarantee 100% of your payments will go towards costs of animal care.
- You can decline specific welcome items if you do not wish to receive them.
- You cannot ask for welcome items above your payment tier.
- Your sponsorship will no longer go ahead once the animal you're sponsoring is deceased (unless you're less than 6 months into sponsorship). We will contact you with the details you've provided to inform you your sponsored animal is deceased and sponsorship payments for the animal you've sponsored will no longer be required.