PETE and Gayle Foggon have never taken a penny in donations for their animal rescue centre.

The couple has run Sompting Animal Rescue and Rehab near Lancing for more than 15 years, entirely funded by their own wages.

The charity takes in injured wildlife in need of long-term rehabilitation, often with serious injuries like broken bones.

Naturally, this is time consuming and expensive.

But since the coronavirus lockdown began in March the number of animals Pete and Gayle have had to take in is four times that of the same period last year.

The couple now has 100 animals in its care but only one month of food reserves left.

“I’ve always felt uncomfortable taking donations,” Pete said.

“We’ve run the centre on our wages alone for 15 years now.

“But given the significant increase in animals being brought to us during lockdown, we are having to turn to the public for help for the first time.

“With larger charities closing their doors to new intakes, our inbox has been flooded with local requests for help.

“We extended the rescue centre’s capacity by a third to help accommodate the requests.

“But we are now full and the cost of housing so many animals at once really takes its toll.”

Pete recently had to fork out £235 for a small incubator for use when collecting small injured animals.

Now a crowdfunder page for the rescue centre is the only barrier between life and death for the injured animals needing the centre’s help.

Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital in Sidlesham near Chichester is in a similarly perilous position.

The 50-year-old charity also takes in sick, injured and orphaned animals.

The health risk of coronavirus means it can no longer rely on volunteers to help out around the hospital.

So the dedicated staff are working long summer hours to save hundreds of birds and hedgehogs.

And as more people spend time in their gardens, more animals have been injured in cat attacks or by lawnmowers and strimmers.

With fewer donations, increased costs and the closure of its shops in Worthing, Selsey and Bognor, the charity is eating through its reserves.

So now it has launched a £4,000 crowdfunder so it can keep up its vital work.

“We care for more than 3,500 animals per year, and our mission is to continue doing so for many years to come,” said Asha Park of the charity.

“However we can’t do this without the help of our local community

“We have seen the cost of running the hospital through the coronavirus pandemic go through the roof as we have been forced to cancel fundraising events and educational talks and put a pause on volunteering.

“The number of animals we are taking in increase day by day.

“Our work is incredibly important to the local community, and we want nothing more than to continue serving and protecting our beautiful wildlife.”

Twenty miles away in Petworth, Springwood Mindfulness Sanctuary is under similar threat.

The centre doubles both as a home for nine rescued horses, donkeys, and ponies and a retreat for people hoping to escape the daily grind.

But donations and sponsorship have dried up and the sanctuary desperately needs help, owner Jacqui Howe said.

“We are home to nine rescued horses, ponies and donkeys, many of which have been saved from being put down,” she said.

“It is a privilege and honour to help rehabilitate them and ensure they lead a happier and healthier life than they have previously been accustomed to.”

Now the future of the sacntuary is at risk if it cannot raise the £6,000 it needs to continue running.

The One Voice for Animals UK Appeal campaigns to draw attention to sanctuaries like these in dire need of funding.

Founder Val Green says the impact will be devastating if any rescue centres go under.

“These centres need our support more than ever at the moment,” she said.

“Without support there is a real risk many of Sussex’s local centres won’t survive.”

To find out which charities near you are in need of help, visit the website helpanimals.co.uk.

To support Sompting Animal Rescue and Rehab donate at gofundme.com/f/8abr4-wildlife-rescue-and-rehab.

To donate to Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital visit crowdfunder.co.uk/help-wildlife.

And to help Springwood Mindfulness Sanctuary go to springwoodsanctuary.com/fundraising-appeal.