PHOENIX — A local rescue that has spent years advocating for animals in the community is now in need of help because of inflation.
For the past five years, Denise Mccawley has taken in abandoned and neglected animals at Freed Spirits Animal Rescue. But caring for them has gotten costly.
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“Our hay bale used to be about $900 a month,” Mccawley said. “Now it’s like $1,400.”
It’s an issue ABC15 has covered for over a year now.
Local business owners say the cost of fertilizer has tripled and because of water cutbacks, less hay is being grown. Other countries are also buying more hay from the US, which is leading to higher prices.
Overall, prices have gone up for just about everything. Bankrate reports there’s been a 20% increase in consumer prices since February of 2020.
At Freed Spirits Animal Rescue, it’s not just hay and food but medications and vet bills.
“If we don’t get some help, we won’t be able to make it for another year,” Mccawley said.
It’s a heartbreaking reality as volunteers not only give hours of love to the animals there, but the animals give that same love in return.
“Animals are the most vulnerable beings on the planet,” Mccawley said. “They all just deserve to have a good home and safe place to come and be cared for, just like anybody. And we’ll do whatever we need to do to help take care of them. But we definitely need help from the community to financially support them.”
If you would like to help Freed Spirits Animal Rescue, you can sponsor an animal or volunteer. For more details, click here.
