Somerset based animal rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming charity, Ferne Animal Sanctuary, has launched an urgent hay appeal to help replenish its depleting feed stocks.

The charity needs to raise £5,000 to purchase an additional 1,000 hay bales to restock its food reserves following a particularly challenging summer and winter period. The long dry summer reduced growing yields in the meadows at the sanctuary, followed by a wet winter where the land has been too soaked for grazing animals to stay in the fields. The combination of weather conditions has left the charity relying on its hay supplies for much longer period than usual.

Nikki Haddock, Animal Care and Estates Manager at Ferne Animal Sanctuary, comments, "The mix of a long and dry summer followed immediately by a wet autumn and winter creates the most challenging conditions for our grazing animals. Hot and dry weather stops the grass growing and when this is followed by prolonged wet conditions as we have had this autumn, natural grazing and foraging becomes impossible across two consecutive seasons. This pairing of conditions forced us to rely on supplementing natural grazing with hay much earlier than usual. This year, we began using hay in July, whereas we would normally wait until October or November, when the growing season naturally ends.

"Over the course of an average year we buy 2,000 bales of hay and this year our bill is around £10,000. This winter we have already used 1,000 bales and we need the additional 1,000 bales to take us through to the next harvest in late spring. This puts a huge pressure on our reserves, as we can't leave the animals without basic nourishment."

Since January 2025, the price of hay has more than doubled, with many farmers across the UK reporting yields of 50% less than their usual expectations. These conditions have not only doubled the price of Ferne's hay bill, but have also made it more challenging for the working sanctuary to source good-quality hay for the more than 300 animals in it care, as local and national suppliers have been hit with unprecedented stock shortages.

Nikki, continued, "We currently have over 106 animals who rely on hay for sustenance, including horses, cows, pigs, goats and guinea pigs. Please help to refill our barn and buy the forage our four-legged residents need over the coming months. Every single donation will make a difference and help keep those bellies full."

Financial donations can be made via Ferne's dedicated JustGiving page, or donations of clean and untouched hay bales can be delivered directly to Ferne Animal Sanctuary, Wambrook, Chard, TA20 3DH. To arrange a hay donation, please contact [email protected].

To support Ferne Animal Sanctuary's Hay Appeal, please donate here: https://justgiving.com/campaign/helpfillthehaybarn

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Ferne Animal Sanctuary is a non-government funded charity that has provided refuge and rehabilitation to its animals for more than 85 years. Located in a National Landscape area nestled in the Blackdown Hills near Chard, Somerset, Ferne Animal Sanctuary houses and cares for circa 300 animals on its 72-acre site.

For more information about Ferne Animal Sanctuary, visit www.ferneanimalsanctuary.org.