A long-serving Salford animal shelter have said that they are a “dying sanctuary” as the cost of survival continues to pile pressure on their animal and community care.
Animals in Distress, located in Irlam, have issued a number of pleas across the past few weeks for funding donations, pet supplies and people with loving homes to adopt their rescued animals.
After a number of difficult periods, the effects of the cost of living crisis on the community has rippled into a loss of income for the charity. Animals in Distress have been struggling to pay their bills for vet services, property plots and rescue vehicle repairs.
The foundation was first set up back in 1967 by Sylvia Durham MBE. The charity operates across two animal sanctuaries, in both Irlam and Littleborough, along with a charity shop accompanying their Salford sanctuary.
Melanie Dunn, general manager at Animals in Distress, spoke to Salford Now about the current struggles surrounding running the charity.
She said: “Everybody’s struggling now, so donations to sanctuaries just don’t come in very much and we’re spending more than what is coming in. Donations are what keep us running.
“We’ve got everything to pay, from the vets to the fuel bills and everything goes up that you have to pay for in animal food, cat litter, hay and straw. Each week it costs more and more.”
The charity looks after the community’s pets in numerous different ways, including emergency rescue callouts, sanctuary care and careful rehoming schemes to ensure that each of Salford’s animals are well looked after.
As space becomes limited and funds tighten by the day, the pressure grows on the Animals in Distress team, including Melanie and her daughter, Christina Durham.
Since speaking to Salford Now in 2025, Animals in Distress is continuing to face demanding challenges, with vet services still only treating emergency cases as the charity’s outstanding bills rise.
Melanie is currently tasked with a high volume of unexpected cat care due to public neglect. Therefore leaving stray cats finding their way to the sanctuary.
She said: “Cats at the moment are the worst, we have just had two pregnant ones left on the sanctuary car park in boxes. Ione gave birth a few days ago and the other one will soon. We have now gone back to the old days of unneutered, unchipped cats wandering the streets.
“We are a dying sanctuary who has done nothing but free, good work for the animals and public services since the 1960s. I have tried to think of new ideas to raise funds, but it’s not easy, it’s such an expensive time that the public are struggling too.
“For 24 hours a day we are called for one problem or another. Whether it’s wildlife to pets, call outs from foxes to deer, donkeys to chickens, or cats and dogs and smaller pets.”
The sanctuary can spare famous tales from its rich archives of history. Such as, nearly taking in a runaway pair of circus elephants in the 80s.
The team have set up GoFundMe and Crowdfunder initiatives across the past year, in the hope that donations will see a boost as the Christmas period approaches, but extra funding remains scarce.
Melanie, who’s life calling has been working with Animals in distress for over 30 years, still believes that the sanctuary can continue to play a part in providing a lifeline for Salford’s animals.
” I started out as a volunteer, doing some good things and I slowly got into the job and moved up the line until I eventually became the manageress and I’m still here 30-odd years later – I still see the good in the sanctuary.
“You [donors] are supporting the charity to help the unwanted and the lost animals, whether it’s cats, dogs, pigeons or donkeys, they all need veterinary treatment, food and cleaning disinfectants, absolutely everything you can think of we have on our wish list.
“Earlier this year we had a man come round and tell us we needed to pay him now or he would start taking our goods. I said ‘look, I’ll pay you some money’, and I paid him out of my own funds just to get rid of him.”
All donations can be made through either the charity’s website, GoFundMe page.
You can also visit their Irlam charity shop branch, where donations of money, food, animal supplies will help towards keeping the sanctuary running.
