The Deeping St James Exotic Pet Refuge on Station Road finishes off a good year with their final open day of 2019
The weather didn’t dampen the spirits of some hardly animal lovers at a refuge open day.
Home to about 300 animals, the Deeping St James Exotic Pet Refuge on Station Road held their sixth and final open day for the year on Sunday (October 13).
Pam Mansfield, 69, co-owner along with her son, Darren, said: "It was a bit of a wash out which was such a shame because we had spent so much much time making it look nice and buying food.
"That's all we can say really.
"You can't expect the animals to come out when the weather is like this.
"It just poured all day but I would like thank the people who did turn up.
"They are the people who come most times although we did have a few new visitors.
"You can't expect them to come in the rain."
As the refuge can only be open to members of the public for six days a year as a result of it not having a zoo licence, it relies heavily on the open days and the generosity of the public.
Pam, who founded the refuge alongside her late husband Mel in 1984, added: "We are having a Christmas coffee morning on Saturday, December 7 from 10am to 3pm to try and raise a bit more money.
"We have got to last from October to April and we need about another £5,000.
"If we can hold a reasonable coffee morning, that should make some of it up.
"We spend about £5,000 a month buying food and bedding and that sort of thing.
"Our electric bill is £2,000 a month.
"We have got about £15,000 so far so if we raise that £5,000, we should last.
"I think from the first open day alone in April, we raised £11,000.
"It lasted from November to the end of April and was an extra three or four weeks but Easter falls a bit earlier next year."
Pam said she didn't want to get a zoo licence as she would 'rather spend the money on the animals'.
"I don't think the animals would like it with people coming in all the time," she added.
"We want to keep it the way it is."
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