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2024-12-31-accounts

SOUTH BUCKS

Charlie Finds Her Forever Friend

Annual Report 2024

SOUTH BUCKS Charity No: 243352 her,

Your Branch Committee 2024 (appointed at AGM June 2024)

Chair: Steven Edwards (resigned November 2024)

Useful Contacts

Branch General Enquiries:

Secretary: Lynne Warren

Treasurer: Lydia Kinnear

Trustees:

Elaine Barry Steph Okell Carla Rivero Jane Chaney (resigned October 2024)

Email us at: info@rspca-southbucks.org.uk Leave a voicemail at: 07340 445936

Cat Enquiries: Elaine Barry cats@rspca-southbucks.org.uk 07464 712260

Small Animal Enquiries: Jane Chaney smallanimals@rspca-southbucks.org.uk 07748 307869

Veterinary Financial Assistance: welfare@rspca-southbucks.org.uk

RSPCA National Society:

Wilberforce Way, Southwater Horsham, RH13 9RS

SOUTH BUCKS

Charity No: 243352

Animal Cruelty & Emergency Helpline: 0300 1234999

Please keep in touch!

Visit our website: www.rspca-southbucks.org.uk

Follow us at:

@South.Bucks.RSPCA @RSPCASouthBucks @rspca_southbucks

Registered address: RSPCA Buckinghamshire South, 47 High Street, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1BW

SOUTH BUCKS

Charlie Finds Her Forever Friend

When Charlie was rescued by an inspector, she was wet, dirty, and her feet were bald and bleeding from urine burns.

For days she was reluctant to move, due to the pain from her feet, but with care from her fosterer, she made a full recovery and became one of our most active and mischievous rabbits.

When a rabbit owner came looking for a

companion for her bereaved rabbit, Charlie was chosen to be his new partner. Charlie was delighted to meet and cuddle up to Wabbit, and after supervised introductions, they formed a strong and affectionate bond. This meant that Charlie’s adoption could go ahead and now she and Wabbit are living happy and fulfilled lives together.

In 2024 we successfully rehomed the following animals In 2024 we successfully rehomed the following animals
Cats 122
Rabbits 23
Guinea pigs 20
Aviary birds 7
Hens 15
TOTAL 187
In 2024 we helped the following animals In 2024 we helped the following animals
Financial veterinary
 Neutered Microchipped
assistance
Dogs 91 40
 0
Cats 74 121
 105
Rabbits 3 15
 15
Others 2 11
 0
TOTAL 170
 187
 120

Chair of Trustees Report 2024

In 2024, the Branch continued to deliver on its charitable objectives of promoting kindness and preventing cruelty to animals. We achieve this by rehoming animals, providing veterinary assistance to those in financial hardship, and raising awareness of responsible pet ownership.

The Branch rehomed over 180 animals in 2024 including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, thanks to the amazing and tireless work of our volunteer animal fosterers and coordinators. We also provided financial assistance to local pet owners facing financial hardship, supporting 170 animals in 2024 and helping to neuter over 180 animals, thanks to our dedicated welfare volunteers. The requirement for all cats to be microchipped was introduced in June 2024, which we support for both our fostered animals and those through our welfare scheme. As highlighted in the animal report sections, we continue to see a growing need for our services, and we remain committed to meeting the challenges to look after animals in the coming years.

Our shops continue to be an important source of income for the Branch to help support our critical work, and extensive refurbishments have been completed in both our Burnham and Chesham charity shops to reconfigure the layouts and enhance the customer and staff experience.

The very difficult decision was made to close the Princes Risborough charity shop, as the existing lease came to an end and it was no longer financially viable. With the shop closing its doors in April 2025, we would like to thank everyone involved for ensuring a well-organised closure. The operation of our charity shops would not be possible without the incredible hard work of all our shop staff and volunteers, and the amazing support of the local communities where they are based.

June 2024 marked the 200th anniversary of the RSPCA, which is an amazing milestone in the protection of animals. To celebrate, One Fun Day events were held across the country, including incredible events being held at our three charity shops to raise money and awareness. Thank you so much to everyone who took part in making the day so special!

There were several changes amongst the Branch trustees in 2024, including the departure of the Chair of Trustees, Steven Edwards, in November 2024 and the Branch Secretary, Lynne Warren, in March 2025.

In addition, Jane Chaney stepped down as a trustee, but we are very happy that she continues to do an exceptional job as Small Animals Coordinator. All three were integral to the Trustee Committee for several years, dedicating a huge amount of time and energy to supporting staff, volunteers and trustees, and focusing on future-proofing the charity to ensure it could continue our important work for years to come. We are all incredibly grateful for Steven, Lynne and Jane’s amazing contributions as trustees and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for everything.

A recruitment drive was launched at the end of 2024 to find new trustees and I am pleased to report that over the last few months five new trustees have joined the Branch, bringing with them diverse skills and experience which will help drive the charity forward. A huge welcome to Emily Bell, Gianna Burns, Steven Horder, Joanne Livesey and Amanda Max!

The Branch recruited a CEO in March 2025, Maxine Mitchell, who brings a passion for animal welfare and over 25 years’ leadership experience across the public, non-profit and private sectors. She has already had a huge impact since joining, focusing on operational efficiencies, compliance best practice, and building a collaborative culture across staff, volunteers, and all our amazing supporters.

A strategy event was held in April 2025, to review current operations and agree the five-year strategy for our Branch. Our vision is that no animal should suffer because of financial hardship, neglect, and ill-treatment. To support this goal, we are focused on our people, fundraising, communications and education. Following the trustee strategy session, a celebration event was arranged which was attended by over 50 staff and volunteers. This was a fantastic opportunity to discuss some of the achievements across the Branch and thank everyone who could attend for all their amazing contributions.

To conclude, I want to again thank everyone involved in the RSPCA South Bucks Branch including volunteers, staff, members, and supporters. Our work would not be possible without your remarkable and unwavering support, and the trustees are incredibly grateful. I am really excited for the future of the Branch and our mission to ensure that animals have a good life. The trustees look forward to discussing our strategic plans with you at the AGM.

Lydia Kinnear

SOUTH BUCKS

Cats and Kittens Report A Look Back at 2024

This year has been an eventful one, with nationally 30% more cats being abandoned than in the previous year, as reported by the National RSPCA through media outlets. We ended 2023 with 30 cats and kittens in our care. During the year we took in 129 cats and kittens and successfully rehomed 122. This meant we ended 2024 with 37 cats and kittens in the branch.

Kitten season started late, hitting us in May, but then went right through to the end of December, with 20 out of the 23 cats coming in during December being kittens.

In 2023, we took in 167 cats and kittens, and the reason we have been unable to take in as many again in 2024, is because three of the four outdoor pens that one fosterer has have rotted, and need to be replaced. This means that since August of 2024 these three double pens have not been able to be used and are in the process of being demolished, ready to be replaced with new pens. In addition, as we are taking in a lot more cats now, we are seeing cats needing a higher level of support over time before they are ready to be rehomed, particularly the highly nervous/anxious cats, and cats with medical conditions.

We have tried to keep pace with demand by increasing our number of cat fosterers, which has now reached 23, and they have all worked very hard throughout the year, sometimes using additional bedrooms to help. I have also worked tirelessly with the other local cat rescues, to ensure that cats that have needed help in our area receive it.

We did have 10 cats that were in long term foster homes and some of them had been with us for quite a few years. Sadly, this year we have seen all bar three pass away due to old age, with them reaching between 19 and 22 years old. I would like to express my thanks to these long term fosterers for their dedication in looking after and loving these very elderly cats, to ensure they had a happy life.

As per last year, we have had to prioritise how we take in cats to the rescue. We took in cats from the inspectorate, police, adult social care, and the local council first, then strays living outside, then cats handed into vets, and lastly from owners that wanted to surrender their cats. Some owners had to wait several months before we could take their cats, and I was constantly checking spaces with other local rescues to try and get them in sooner.

During January, we took in five cats, compared to eleven the previous year. Two were rehomed within two weeks as they were five-month-old tabby kittens, and we received a large number of applications for them. However, one of the cats taken in was Betsy, who is still with us. Although a young cat (she is two at the end of December 2024) she has been quite poorly with what we first thought was a flea allergy. After some unsuccessful treatment, we paid for her to have an allergy test, and found she is allergic to most normal cat food. She has to be on a special diet, which is expensive, and have steroid tablets each day, and she has to have regular blood tests. She is a very happy cat, although she does not like wearing the special fabric collar her fosterer bought for her to stop her from causing damage to herself from scratching. Due to her allergies, it has meant that we have struggled to find an owner to take her on, with the food and medical costs. As I write this, she is still in the rescue waiting for her new home.

This year (June) it became law that all cats and kittens over the age of five months had to be microchipped. Although it was advertised in the media, it is still quite rare for a cat to come to us already microchipped. However, we were asked to trap and bring three cats into the rescue where the person feeding them had died, but they were apparently strays. We do not have the capacity to trap at present, so I had to call on a rescue that I work quite closely with to help us. The three cats were trapped over a seven day period, but when I scanned them, as I do with every cat that comes into the rescue, all three were microchipped. The first owner couldn’t believe it, as his cat had been missing for five years, and came the same day to collect him. We traced the second owner, but sadly they had died the previous year, so we went on to rehome the cat. The third one was previously owned by a stables as an outdooronly cat and must have travelled quite a distance. He had also been missing for several years and the owner assumed he had died and replaced him. They no longer wanted him, so signed him over to us, and we were able to successfully rehome him to a local stables where he is very settled.

In September, an appeal came out from the national RSPCA regarding a hoarder situation where a lot of cats and kittens had to be put into private boarding, as all the local rescues were full and couldn’t take them. Our branch helped, by taking a mum cat and five kittens, a mum cat and four kittens, and two six-month-old kittens. This took up three foster home placements. They all had issues with eye infections and parasites, which we had to deal with before we could start vaccinating them and getting them ready to be rehomed.

In December, we started the month with one cat and nine kittens coming into the rescue which had been dumped in boxes in the woods in High Wycombe. On Christmas Eve, an inspector contacted us about three kittens that were in a poorly state. The kittens were only five weeks old, and they had urine burns and dried diarrhoea stuck to them, they had eye infections, large tummies due to worms as they were actually underweight, and all three had broken tails. We ended December with a call on New Year’s Eve regarding a fiveweek-old kitten that had been mauled by the family dog and had arrived at a local vet with one of its eyes hanging out. The eye had to be removed as it could not be saved.

As you can see, we have had an eventful year, and I would like to express my thanks to our amazing team of fosterers who work tirelessly giving their love and care to ensure that the cats and kittens can leave us socialised, healthy, and ready for their new forever homes.

I would also like to thank all the vets that have worked with us this year from Temple End, Crossroads, Wheelhouse, Hampdens, and Pets Practice. A big thank you to the other local rescues that we have worked together with this year too, from other local RSPCA branches to Marjorie Nash, Alley Cats, and the local Cats Protection.

If I have missed anybody out, I am sorry, but rest assured that myself and all the cats and kittens are extremely grateful to everybody who helped out in 2024 and hope we can count on your continued support in 2025.

Cats continued...

Successful Rescue/Rehoming Stories From 2024

Olivia

Olivia came in to the rescue in April, as her owner could no longer afford to fund her diabetic care. She was ten years old, and as can be seen in the photo with her fosterer, she is a very loving, gentle cat.

Olivia settled quickly into our care, but was being looked after in one of our pens, as that was the only space available at the time. She hadn’t received insulin for a little while and her blood/sugar levels were all over the place to start with. But after a couple of trips to the vet, she was doing really well.

We wanted to find her a lovely forever home, but knew this would be hard with the costs of the insulin, needles and special diet. We put her up for adoption as an

assisted adoption which means we will continue to fund her medical care relating to her diabetes. A lovely couple came forward who are used to working with people that are diabetic, and Olivia ~~went off to her forever home at the end of June.~~

We have regular contact with her new owners and know how loved and pampered she is in her new home.

Pearl

Pearl came in to the rescue at the beginning of May as one of the many strays we take in during the year. The vet said she was no more than one year old. She was very nervous and anxious when she first came in.

We had to place her on a seven day hold whilst we tried to find her owner. We go on national sites to see if anyone has posted their cat as lost/missing, as well as all local residents’ social media pages, as we have found that people often post on Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor, but rarely contact local rescues.

After the seven day hold, we started with getting her vaccinated, microchipped and neutered. The fosterer started a socialising programme with her to increase

her confidence. During this time, we continued to watch social media in the hopes of finding her owner but to no avail. In August, she was ready for a new home and she went up for adoption. Within a month she had found her new abode and is very settled.

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Cats continued...

Pumpkin

Pumpkin came in to our rescue when a member of the public heard some meowing coming from her car in Marlow. Pumpkin had got trapped in the engine and needed help from a car mechanic to get out. She then came to us very dirty and scared, but still purring. She was taken straight to the vet to find that there was nothing medically wrong with her. The vet said she was about eight weeks old.

She was placed on a seven day hold while we tried to find an owner. During that time she had to have a special bath to get the oil and grime off her so that she didn’t lick herself and ingest anything harmful. As no one came forward to claim her, we then proceeded to get her vaccinated and microchipped. Eight weeks later, she went off to her new home with a spaying voucher so she could be neutered when she was big enough. It is a policy of this branch that all of our cats and kittens have to be neutered and we check to ensure this happens.

Bert and Ernie

This lovely picture of Bert and Ernie was given to us to use with permission from their new owner. Bert and Ernie were born in our rescue, as their mum was heavily pregnant when she came in. Initially they were in an outside pen and as soon as a foster home became available, they were moved.

They were typical playful, cheeky kittens, so imagine our shock when they went to the vet to be vaccinated and we found out that Ernie had a grade 4 heart murmur. Kittens are quite regularly born with a grade 1 or 2 heart murmur,

and this usually disappears by the time they are an adult cat. However, a grade 4 heart murmur is very different. Our vet referred Ernie to The Ralph, a special veterinary hospital. There he underwent a heart scan and he was found to be fine and that his heart was working normally. It was felt the grade 4 heart murmur would decrease as he became an adult cat.

We had lots of interest in adopting the kittens, and they eventually went off to a lovely home with children. However, the new owners were unable to get Ernie’s heart covered by insurance as he needed to have no heart issues for two years for insurance companies to consider him. Fortunately, the trustees of our branch agreed to cover his heart for the first two years. We receive regular updates on how well they are both doing from their new owners.

Cats continued...

Boi and Boson

Boi and Boson came to us separately. Boi was picked up by an inspector, and we took him in when he was only three days old. Two weeks later, another rescue approached us about Boson, who was just three weeks old and needed to be hand reared and they asked us if we could help. Obviously we took him in as well.

We currently have three hand rear fosterers. It is a very time consuming job, as they have to become the kittens’ mum. This means they have to prepare special formula milk and feed the kittens every 2-3 hours, day and night, until they are 4-5 weeks old and they slowly start to wean them. They also have to clean them and toilet them until they are old enough to be shown how to use a litter tray. Tiny kittens that are hand reared have to be weighed every couple of days as they need to put on 15-20g in weight every day. If they stay the same weight or start losing weight it is a sign something is wrong and an urgent visit to the vet is then needed.

Weaning them, as you can imagine, is a very messy affair until they get the hang of it. These kittens stayed in the rescue for 12 weeks until they were big enough to be rehomed. Their owners then used the castration vouchers just before Christmas as they were big enough to be neutered. We loved receiving the photos of them in their new home.

Mimosa and Noelle

Mimosa and Noelle came to us as six-monthold kittens at the beginning of September. Their owners had moved away and left them to fend for themselves on a very busy road in High Wycombe. Fortunately, a neighbour caught them and put them in a room where I went to collect them. They were very flea infested and were taken straight to the vet to be checked over.

They were lovely, affectionate cats and settled

into their foster home very quickly. The fosterer’s children spent hours playing with them, and a month after, they had been neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and were ready to find their new home. We had over 50 applications for this pair. They finally went off to their new home in October, and as you can see from the picture here, they are very happy.

SOUTH BUCKS

Cats continued...

Nelson

Nelson was our last intake of 2024, coming into the rescue on New Year’s Eve. He was a Christmas gift at only five weeks old, too young to have left his mum. The owner had a dog and unfortunately the dog caused an awful injury where Nelson was left with one eye hanging on his cheek. The owner rushed him to the vet, but was unable to afford the cost of the surgery. They signed him over to the vet and we were contacted. The surgery was difficult for a kitten so young and his eye had to be removed. He also suffered with PTSD in that he would only eat, sleep and use a litter tray if it was in his crate, as that was the only place he felt safe.

Cats and dogs can live together quite happily, so long as the introduction is slow and supervised. We have a few fosterers that have dogs as well as taking foster cats and this helps our cats become more re-homeable. Plus, before a cat goes off to its new home, we conduct a home check and give advice on how to settle a cat into the new home. At the time of writing, Nelson has just been put up for adoption and we are looking for a home where he can be with another cat that is quite docile so he can settle.

When we are looking to rehome a cat, we consider what the cat needs and look for a home that is best for them. Sometimes this means that although someone might like a particular cat, they may not be best suited to the individual cat they have gone for. In these circumstances we will look to rehome a cat that is suitable for that owner.

If you, or someone you know, would like to become part of our fostering community, please contact Elaine, Cat Coordinator at cats@rspca-southbucks.org.uk

Elaine Barry Volunteer Cat Coordinator

Small Animals Report

We continually work to end animal suffering, and to do this our main objective in 2024 has been to increase capacity for foster animals and to keep our equipment up to date. This work continues into 2025, but by the end of December 2024 we had taken in 59 small animals. These comprised 19 rabbits, 18 guinea pigs, seven aviary birds, and 15 chickens. 14 animals came in from the Inspectorate and others were taken in because of welfare concerns that were identified by our branch.

One of the more harrowing collections was four budgies that had been rescued from an overcrowding situation and only had five good legs between them. Our fosterer, Dave, adopted all of them and gave them all the care that they needed.

Mr and Mrs Cockatiel were most definitely the noisiest intake. They were reported to us by a housing officer in Hemel Hempstead and fortunately we were able to help, so they made the 40 minute journey to their new home where they quickly settled in.

Chickens were some of the liveliest and messiest intakes. Three beauties were found as strays in High Wycombe and handed in to the vet. We were surprised that we couldn’t find their owner, so these have now been adopted. Shortly after rehoming these hens, we received a request from a family whose father was in hospital and the chickens were home alone. He signed over the hens to us as he recognised that he could no longer care for them and wanted them to go to a good home. Most of his flock of 12 were young and still laying and we were pleased that we could rehome them in two groups.

SOUTH BUCKS

Small Animals continued...

Our rabbit intake came in all ages. Elsa was already ten years old and going blind. She was living alone in a hutch with just her cuddle toy monkey for company. Her owners no longer had time for her, so we agreed that she could live out her days with our long-term fosterer, Anne. Here she has the company of other rabbits living alongside her, as her blindness makes her too nervous to bond with them.

In contrast, we took in some young bunnies who were not yet fully grown, but who had a poor start in life. Ziggy was found by police accompanying a housing officer, as he was abandoned and left to starve in a cage indoors when his owner left. He was lucky to be found in time and as he was an extremely friendly and affectionate rabbit, he was soon chosen for adoption to bond with a gorgeous dwarf lop rabbit. His new owners enjoy spoiling him and give him all the love and care that he deserves.

Bonnie was only five months old when her owner decided that she was not suitable for her situation. We wanted to make sure that this little white lop rabbit had companionship quite soon, so after vaccinating, neutering and microchipping, once recovered, we put her on the website as available for adoption and waited for someone to take an interest in her.

All rabbits need a companion, and we assist with this by offering to bond rabbits for owners who do not have the time and extra equipment to do this.

Bonnie was chosen by an owner to bond with her black rabbit Skylar. They looked great together but as both rabbits were quite lively and strong willed, it took a full three weeks and many hours of supervision in our bonding run for them to become a pair.

Small Animals continued...

Some rabbits endure years of loneliness before they come to us and have the chance to make a friend. Baz was four years old when he was taken to the vet after getting himself in a mess with some varnish. His owner was struggling to look after him and so was happy that the vet suggested that she ask us if we had a space for him.

We try to keep a space for strays and urgent cases, so Baz came into our care. It was soon clear that this friendly black rabbit loved attention, and he was chosen for adoption by an owner with a super spacious set up. Baz seemed delighted to have the attention of his new lady love and now that they are bonded, he has the constant companionship of his devoted wifebun.

Another rabbit bonding that has been enabled through our branch work has been Rufus and Lilibet. Rufus came in from the Inspectorate and is a gentle and friendly rabbit, so as soon as his hormones had subsided post neutering, we introduced him to Lilibet.

Poor Lilibet had twice been chosen for adoption, but was rejected by the owner’s male rabbit on each occasion. The wait for the right partner had been long for her, so we needed to get it right. Rufus took some time to get used to her, as he is a chilled out fellow and Lilibet loves to run, but every rabbit has a snuggle time, and after a few weeks this pair were side by side, grooming each other.

We were thankful that we had made a successful bid to the regional board for a grant enabling us to build four new outdoor rabbit units. The specification for the hutch and run met welfare standards, measuring 3m x 2m and are 1.8m tall with a sloping roof. Lilibet and Rufus are now being cared for in one of these new foster placements before they find their forever home.

SOUTH BUCKS

Small Animals continued...

When we came across Alice and Benjamin, they were kept in cramped conditions surrounded by

turkeys. Fortunately, we had just finished building a new placement in Holmer Green and now Alice is thriving in her new environment. We hope that Benjamin will join her soon now that they are both neutered.

Sometimes rabbits just find the right match, in the right home in the most unexpected ways. Sandy was one of our very shy rabbits, and was the only female rabbit available when an owner came looking for a partner for his male rabbit. Being an indoor bunny, Gilbert needed his new wifebun to enjoy being indoors and once she was with him, she did just that.

Ollie was a small black and tan harlequin rabbit that came to us in a terrified state, after his brother was killed by dogs. We allowed him plenty of time to settle and then began to help him socialise, before we asked the vet to neuter him.

Once recovered, he gradually became more relaxed and started to play with his ball and other items in his hutch and run. We decided to partner him with a slightly older, more experienced, and calmer female, and it was an absolute delight to watch how they were so excited to have each other for company.

Ollie and Lottie became friends almost instantly, and she gradually coached him on the grooming duties that would cement their partnership. We hope that this pair will find a loving forever home to complete their story.

Small Animals continued...

Fleur came in from the Inspectorate and was immediately spotted sneezing so had to be housed in our isolation unit, until her condition could be identified and treated. At only five months old, we believe that her previous environment had meant that she succumbed to a contagious respiratory condition called Snuffles. After treatment she is healthy overall, but still has resistant bacteria in her nasal passages so will always carry this infection.

Little Fleur is a very affectionate rabbit and

will make a super pet for a family who already has a male rabbit with Snuffles. So far, she has been waiting for three months for a companion and forever home but with no luck yet.

By the time December came, we were just hoping for a quiet time, when we had an intake of four rabbits whose owner was too poorly to look after them anymore. They were all large and beautiful, comprising Mum and Dad and two of their sons.

Housing four large rabbits together was beyond our present capacity, but fortunately the boys were already functioning as a pair and Mum and Dad (Dahlia and Bonsai) were very content together, so they became two pairs.

Once prepared for adoption we will be looking for spacious homes for them and in return adoptive owners will get super friendly, gentle rabbits that love you to come and sit with them.

In addition to birds and rabbits, we were also kept busy with guinea pigs. The year started with an intake of four males from one household, so we said hello to Cadbury, Bourbon, Oreo and Cookie. All four were neutered and each was rehomed to live with females.

Post neutering it is necessary to wait at least six weeks to ensure that the males are no longer fertile, but by the end of this time we already had homes lined up for all of them. Cadbury, now renamed Harry, was particularly lucky as he has three females to keep him company.

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Small Animals continued...

We are always mindful that guinea pigs are such social animals it is unnatural for them to live alone. Miya was on her own for a year, with little stimulation, before she was surrendered to us, and was extremely nervous. Our guinea pig fosterer, Tina, has a few guinea pigs of her own, just to provide company for a lone guinea pig, so introductions were arranged. Miya was immediately excited and remembered all her guinea pig social skills. This was a great help to her, as shortly afterwards she was chosen for adoption, and went off to live with a lonely, neutered male guinea pig.

Many of our guinea pigs throughout the year were Inspectorate animals that were networked to us via Logistics, and came to us in multiples. Girls, Lavender (seen left), Jasmine and Madelyn were next to arrive, and after waiting to make sure none were pregnant, they were soon chosen for adoption.

A group of four males of various ages were quite a handful, and needed a lot of space to explore and exercise. After watching their behaviour for some time (some of it by webcam) we worked out their relationships, in order to decide if they could be rehomed together. All four were neutered and eventually they settled into a pair and two singles, and so we were confident about what type of homes we were looking for. Callum and Dougal were best buddies, so were rehomed as a pair. Kenny was chosen to live with a young female, and lucky Murray was adopted to live with two females, one of whom was Jasmine.

A group of three brothers followed. Ralph was black and tan, but ginger and white twins, Ronnie and Russell, were almost identical. They were all neutered, but Ronnie did not get on with his brothers and was rehomed to live with two lovely females. Ralph and Russell were very well bonded, and were adopted as a pair to live in a lovely spacious set up where they could have the benefit of living indoors and also outside on warm weather days.

Small Animals continued...

Guinea pigs on average are rehomed much sooner than rabbits. The reason for this is that they do not require so much space, and there is suitable equipment available commercially in which to house them.

Alfie and Leonard were surrendered to us when their owner could no longer look after them, and Alan was an abandoned guinea pig collected by an Inspector. All three were neutered, as this ensures that they can live with female companions, and each handsome boy was adopted as a companion to female guinea pigs.

By the end of 2024, we had rehomed 23 rabbits, all of the aviary birds and chickens, and all but one of the guinea pigs, whose adoption ran over into January. 65 adoptions were completed in the year, and this is a great achievement for the whole foster team who have channelled their energy into turning the lives around for the small animals in their care.

In addition to our rehomed animals, we have continued to care for long term foster animals who are no longer suitable for adoption but nonetheless need our support. These are seven rabbits, three tortoises and 15 aviary birds.

My thanks goes out to all the fosterers who have given up their time to dedicate it to the care of their foster animals. This work is the backbone of all that our branch achieves in our mission to end animal suffering. Volunteering is such a fulfilling way to help animals, and each and every fosterer makes a huge difference to the lives of the animals in their care.

It was a great delight when our bid for regional funds for building new rabbit housing was successful, and this enabled us to begin a campaign to recruit more rabbit fosterers. We have grown from a team of 15 fosterers, and I am pleased to welcome Selina in Holmer Green, Rebecca and Jodie in Marlow, and Claire in Walters Ash. We enter 2025 as a team of 19 and are making every penny count for the benefit of rabbits.

We are also extremely grateful to all of the local vet practices that work so well with us to treat branch animals and others in need. Whether it is for routine health checks and vaccinations, or for spaying and castrations, their services are vital to our rehoming programme. Our work for the well-being of animals is greatly supported by all who work at each practice.

Together we can end animal suffering!

Jane Chaney Volunteer Small Animals Coordinator

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Veterinary Financial Assistance Report

In 2024, we managed to help 92 dogs and 74 cats with veterinary treatment, and have assisted with 40 neuterings for dogs, 121 for cats, and 15 for rabbits.

2024 has been another challenging year for the branch. The cost of living is affecting many pet owners who are struggling to meet the costs of taking care of their pets, especially when they become unwell and need veterinary assistance.

Our veterinary financial assistance scheme supports those pet owners who may not be able to pay for veterinary treatments. Working with the pet owner and the vet ensures that a suitable and cost-effective treatment plan is in place which supports the needs of the pet.

Unfortunately, we cannot help everyone, we need to raise awareness on responsible pet ownership which we are aiming to do in other areas of our branch through education in schools and at community events. It is important to educate pet owners on the importance of neutering and microchipping.

The veterinary financial assistance team has done an amazing job of assisting as many pet owners who need financial support for their pets as they possibly can. Thanks to the dedicated work of our fundraising volunteers and our shop staff, we are able to generate the income we need to do this.

A huge thank you to Kathy, Vanessa and Dorothy, our Volunteer Veterinary Animal Treatment Coordinators, who have worked tirelessly to help as many pet owners as possible with financial assistance.

Veterinary Financial Assistance for Small Animals

When we get a call for veterinary financial assistance for a small animal, it is frequently urgent that the animal sees a vet. Prey animals are very good at hiding an injury or illness, so often they are very poorly by the time the owner recognises a problem. Sometimes an owner has put off taking their animal to the vet because they cannot afford it, and this is where we can make a real difference. Only a vet can give advice as to the best treatment options, so for owners that meet the eligibility criteria for financial assistance, our first priority is to make sure that the owner takes the animal to the vet for a consultation. Over the course of 2024, we helped a rabbit who was not eating, a rabbit with a urine condition, a gerbil in a collapsed state, and a hamster that had fallen and appeared to have a broken leg.

We are frequently asked to give advice about neutering rabbits, and are keen that owners understand the health benefits that come with neutering, as well as preventing accidental litters. Not all owners are willing to agree to surgery and in some cases will only agree to neuter males. Throughout the year, for owners on means tested benefits, three rabbits were neutered, though we would have liked to have done more. Our thanks goes out to all our local vet practices who so kindly work with us to promote neutering rabbits.

Thames Valley Inspectorate Team 2024 Report

The Thames Valley Inspectorate team covers an area of 2221 square miles over the three counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, with an approximate population of 2.47 million.

The Team consists of a Chief Inspector, six RSPCA Inspectors and four Animal Rescue Officers. We are also supported by a small contingent of Animal Rescue Volunteers who provide vital assistance with collections and transfers.

2024 was a significant year for the Inspectorate in which we saw a determination by the Society to align more closely with our 10-year strategy. Therefore, the Society took a difficult decision to implement a new ‘scope of service’ plan to move away from providing a first response to some species of smaller wildlife to free up more time for our teams to focus on domestic cruelty and neglect.

My team still carry out specialist rescue of large animals such as deer, badgers and foxes but by working with our partners in the veterinary profession, police, local authority and members of the public, a lot of the smaller wildlife collection work has been passed back for them to assist the RSPCA with.

A direct benefit has been a dramatic reduction in response times to priority 1 calls of neglect. My team is now fully focused on providing a first-class response to concerned members of the public where animals are potentially suffering.

We are providing more direct financial assistance to owners in an attempt to get them to provide a good level of welfare for their pets. We are dealing with a costof-living crisis so keeping animals with their owners when appropriate is hugely beneficial to both pets and owners. It also means we are not placing animals into boarding which is expensive and detrimental to animal welfare over long periods of time.

In 2024 my team completed 2702 incidents including the following tasks:

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of my team to thank the South Bucks Branch for all their hard work, help and support provided in 2024 and we look forward to working closely with you throughout 2025.

Rob Hartley

Chief Inspector Thames Valley Team

SOUTH BUCKS

Education Report

Raising awareness of animal welfare topics is an important area of work which our branch is keen to promote. It is also relevant to meeting our vision of living in a world where all animals are treated with compassion and kindness.

Supporting pet owners by simplifying what is needed to ensure an animal lives a healthy, secure and enriched life includes the five animal welfare needs:

Animals often suffer as a result of ignorance, with owners being unaware of their animal’s needs – nutritional, medical, social and emotional.

With education and knowledge, a lot of suffering can be prevented, and at the heart of our workshops we have the opportunity to share and educate on the needs of all animals – pets, domestic, or wild.

Our two education volunteers, Pat and Elaine, can go to schools, clubs, or any organisation, to present a 30–45 minute workshop which includes interactive games (for young and old) and give a fresh perspective on how we can all play our part in animal welfare.

We would love to hear from anyone who would like to book a workshop or find out more.

Pat Bryant and Elaine Richardson

Education Speakers

Please contact:

education@rspca-southbucks.org.uk or info@rspca-southbucks.org.uk

Income Generation

Shops – Burnham

Another busy year in our Burnham shop, which saw the back room being upgraded to include a much needed work bench, new lights and shelving. We also had new lights fitted in the main shop and removed some old fixtures and fittings. The rear work area is very much improved and appreciated by all the staff. A lovely new shop sign, along with new internal signage, have lifted the shop’s appearance too.

Burnham Fair at the end of May raised £650, which was amazing, a big thank you to everyone who helped on the day and with preparation.

There was no Christmas Fair this year, which was a huge disappointment. We usually stay open late that evening and raise a large amount of much needed funds. We did, however, run a raffle in the shop throughout December.

Our volunteers are the key to our success. I cannot thank all our volunteers enough, Pat, Tracy, Karen, Janet, Terri, Joanne, Ines, Lin, Steph, Mel, Sue, Diya, Rob, Karen S, and Kain, Steve who checks our watches, and Andrew who does portable appliance testing, for the effort and time that they provide to our shop, in order to raise funds for the animals in South Bucks. Once again, I must also thank Paul Springall from the jewellers in the village, who gives us the benefit of his experience for our donated jewellery.

Our first complete year of the new gift aid system has been very successful in Burnham, raising extra funds when people sign up with us.

A huge thank you to my staff Lyn, Sarah and Pam, who work hard and make it all possible.

Most of all, a big thank you must go to all our fantastic customers, who regularly donate and purchase from us.

Jacqui Leishman Shop Manager

SOUTH BUCKS

Income Generation

Shops – Chesham

As I reflect on my second year as Shop Manager, it’s been a year full of both challenges and accomplishments. One of the highlights was closing the shop for three weeks in August for a much-needed refurbishment. When we reopened in September, the store looked fantastic! The new layout has created more space, and our customers have been thrilled with the changes.

This year also marked a major milestone for us – 200 years of dedicated service to animals. What an achievement! To celebrate, we participated in the nationwide One Fun Day, where we had a wonderful time at our branch. Face painting, thanks to Sarah’s incredible talent, was a huge hit, and Sharon’s delicious cupcakes went down a treat! We also held a tombola stall, a lucky dip, ‘name the cat’ contest, and many other fun activities. A big thank you to everyone in the community who braved the rain to support our cause. Thanks to your generosity, we raised a significant amount of money. I’d also like to express my gratitude to Colton Footwear, Sainsbury’s, Millets, Waitrose, Darvells, Card Factory, Healthright, The Broadway Barbers, and BJ at Tesco Amersham for their kind donations, which played a key role in making this event a success.

In addition to the anniversary celebrations, we also took part in the Chesham Schools Carnival, setting up a stall in the park with a tombola and lucky dip for both kids and pets. The event raised a lot of funds for the RSPCA, and the support from the local community was overwhelming. We also joined in the town’s late-night Christmas shopping event, where we once again ran a children’s lucky dip and tombola, drawing in more donations. It was wonderful to see so many customers enjoying the festivities and supporting our cause.

Throughout the year, we’ve been fortunate to receive generous donations, including gold and silver jewellery, electrical items, and designer goods such as clothing and handbags. The team and I are incredibly grateful to the communities of Chesham, Amersham, and the surrounding areas, for their continued support. I’d also like to send a special thank you to everyone who has donated cat/ kitten food and pet supplies – it’s been invaluable. Additionally, I’d like to express my appreciation for those who have signed up for Gift Aid. For every £1 donated, we receive an extra 25p from the government, which truly makes a difference.

Lastly, I want to highlight the importance of our amazing volunteers. We simply couldn’t do it without you. A massive thank you to Tracey, Chris, Averi, Di, Marion, the Duke of Edinburgh Award participants, and all those who have volunteered with us over the past year. If anyone has a couple of hours to spare in the afternoon, we’d love to welcome more volunteers to join our friendly team. Please feel free to reach out to me or any of our staff or volunteers.

Thank you again to everyone who has supported us – we couldn’t do it without you!

Pauline Patton Shop Manager

Income Generation

Shops – Princes Risborough

This RSPCA shop will close its doors for the final time in April 2025.

Over the years, the shop has raised much needed funds for the hundreds of animals in the care of the branch. However, following a recent review, it was decided the shop was no longer financially viable, and as the lease was coming up for renewal, the sad decision was made to close the store.

We are enormously grateful to everyone who has supported our work through the Princes Risborough shop, to everyone who has worked there, and all who have given up their time volunteering.

We have been incredibly fortunate to build a wonderful community of supporters in the town. They have donated, shopped, and contributed essential food and supplies for animals in our care. Their generosity has truly made a difference.

The Princes Risborough community can still support the work of the branch, as we have a new pet food collection point in Tesco Princes Risborough.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone in Princes Risborough for their kindness and generosity over the past years – as we have been at this location since 2020 and have had a shop presence in the town for 25 years.

Other Fundraising

Collection Boxes and Fairs

In 2024, we raised £1055.79 from collection boxes.

Pat Miller, together with our dedicated and wonderful fundraising team, including the shop staff, raised £3281.82 from local fairs.

SOUTH BUCKS

People Report

Volunteers

As a branch we simply could not exist without support from a wide range of volunteers, who share a passion to make a difference to the lives of animals across south Bucks.

We currently have around 90 volunteers who support the branch in a wide capacity, many of whom have been working with us for a long time and many that have joined us in 2024. We are deeply grateful for your support in helping animals across south Bucks.

The last year was a busy year for recruitment, with several new trustees amongst the volunteers joining the branch. We warmly welcome all new starters, and of course say a huge thank you to those volunteers who have stepped down in the last year, we wish you all the best for the future.

Volunteer opportunities include:

If you are interested in volunteering for us, please get in touch at info@rspca-southbucks.org.uk

Social Media

I joined the branch as a social media volunteer in May 2023. Since then we have managed to post far more often and more consistently on social media, on average we post four to five times a week, and are increasing our reach into the local community.

Facebook continues to be our most popular social media platform, we now have 3006 followers on our main Facebook page, which is a good increase from last year’s 2806. X is also popular, despite only being able to post shortened versions of the Facebook posts due to character limits – we have 1206 X followers. I would like to increase our Instagram presence in 2025, as this platform is utilised by a younger demographic – the next generation of animal lovers – and hopefully adopters and supporters! We have 639 Instagram followers currently. Please do follow us if you don’t already. We currently also have a Facebook page for each of our shops. We try to post at least once every week on these, mainly with what’s currently for sale, to hopefully grow footfall in the stores.

It would be good to increase the variety of posts next year. I have started putting more videos on and hope to increase the amount of these, as they are popular with supporters. I have also put music on some of the video posts which adds another dimension. We did particularly well with a recent musical video post asking for new trustees. It would be beneficial to get a volunteer photographer on board too, if we can, to get a greater variety and number of shots and videos to use, and to free up time for the fosterers. Great visuals are key to social media posts and can mean the difference between someone pausing and looking, or scrolling quickly past.

On social media, we post on a mix of topics, mainly:

rehoming – advertising animals in need of forever homes

success stories – these are popular with our followers, they highlight our successes with rehabilitation and rehoming – stories with happy endings

pleas for funds – through our lottery, Give as You Live, fundraising, etc

education and welfare – for example, looking after pets in hot weather, or the benefits of neutering

fundraising events – such as fetes and fairs we will be attending

reminders – for example, for upcoming events

special days – for example, Christmas, advertising Christmas fairs we will be at, and also welfare issues such as keeping your pets away from the Christmas chocolates and mince pies!

special weeks/months – such as Rabbit or Guinea Pig Awareness Week, Adoptober, and Volunteers’ Week, where we post about animals needing new homes, education and welfare information, and features on our volunteers

requests – everything from volunteers, to cat food, and Amazon wish list items for our small animals

thank yous – to our volunteers, supporters and fundraisers.

SOUTH BUCKS

We welcome new stories that we can include in our posts, so if you have adopted from us, or fundraised for us, or have any questions or suggestions, get in touch and we can post about it.

Here’s to another year of growing our social media reach, and therefore support from the local community for our vital work.

Michelle Jones

Social Media Volunteer

https://www.facebook.com/South.Bucks.RSPCA

https://www.facebook.com/p/RSPCA-Charity-Shop-Burnham100064916077776/?locale=en_GB

https://www.facebook.com/RSPCA.CharityShop.PrincesRisborough/?locale=en_GB

https://www.facebook.com/p/RSPCA-Charity-Shop-Chesham-100066756787476/ https://www.instagram.com/rspca_southbucks/ https://x.com/RSPCASouthBucks

How You Can Help…

Your generous donations of time, money and support mean we can plan ahead and work out how best to use our resources for animal welfare.

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SOUTH BUCKS

Branch Objectives and Public Benefit Statement

Animals in our care receive veterinary treatment, vaccination, neutering and microchipping prior to rehoming, which help to control the incidence and spread of disease and suffering.

We rehome animals at a modest cost to people who are able to give a home to a companion animal. A companion animal brings measurable benefits to people’s health and wellbeing including mental health, which is a subsidiary and significant benefit to the main charitable aim of the service to reduce animal suffering. The Branch takes in lost cats and small animals and seeks to reunite those pets with their owners, which benefits the local community.

The Branch operates a neutering and veterinary financial assistance programme to assist low income pet owners, to ensure animals are not suffering and they are seen by a vet as required.

Within the terms of our governing document, we support the National Society and other RSPCA branches by providing assistance in connection with homeless animals. The Branch also provides many volunteering opportunities. This benefits local people by providing opportunities to improve skills and experience whilst working for an organisation that promotes greater compassion and understanding of animals.

----- Start of picture text -----
Now with 5 sites across South Bucks,
including our new state-of-the-art
hospital for advanced surgery and
in-patient care at Stokenchurch
VETERINARY SURGERY
Modern Healthcare
Traditional Values
• Friendly and caring service • Ample free parking
• Excellent local reputation • Health plans available
MPLE E
E N
T D
----- End of picture text -----

HIGH WYCOMBE STOKENCHURCH 01494 522956 01494 413333 FLACKWELL HEATH HOLMER GREEN MARLOW BOTTOM 01628 530497 01494 714630 01628 488143

We are a very long established, traditionally owned veterinary practice based in High Wycombe. See what else we offer and details of all our clinics at:

www.templeendvets.com

Financial Review 2024

2024 saw continued cost of living increases across the UK, which has impacted our charity shops and has increased veterinary bills for both the Branch and individual pet owners. In addition, the financial markets have seen some volatility in early 2025, so we must be prepared for potential, unexpected challenges and opportunities.

As shown in the financial statements, the overall income for 2024 was down 45% from £637,564 in 2023 to £353,326 in 2024. Excluding the incredibly generous legacies in 2023 that amounted to £298,465, the equivalent income year to year shows an increase of 4.2% from £339,099 in 2023 to £353,326 in 2024. The income in 2024 was driven by shop revenues, donations, bank interest, and animal rehoming.

The income from our three charity shops in Burnham, Chesham and Princes Risborough fell by 7% from £290,334 in 2023 to £269,967 in 2024. This reduction in income included the temporary shop closures in Burnham and Chesham during the refurbishment work in 2024, which was an important investment in the future of the Branch. The very difficult decision was made to close the Princes Risborough shop in April 2025 due to financial considerations. Following the installation of new tills in 2023, the shops have been collecting gift aid on donations which has generated increased revenue in 2024. Thank you to all the customers who signed up!

In 2024, we were very pleased to receive a grant from the RSPCA Regional Board for rabbit pens. This helps increase our capacity to foster rabbits while ensuring we can provide suitable accommodation to keep our rabbits happy and healthy during their time with our volunteers. Expenditure was up 1% from £408,554 in 2023 to £413,031 in 2024. While shop expenditure was up 13%, there was a reduction in veterinary fees, and legal, professional and consultancy fees which balanced out this increase.

Overall, due to the reduced income and slightly increased expenditure, the Branch made a loss of £59,705 for 2024. As you read in the Chair Report, discussions have been held in April 2025 to review the Branch’s five-year strategy, including the new trustees, and there will be a renewed focus on alternative sources of income from fundraising. A new CEO has been appointed who will help drive the Branch forward to achieve this strategic vision.

We ended the year with strong reserves of £618,998, which allows us to continue our important work supporting animals and enables us to continue to invest in the future of the Branch. Our Finance Manager resigned in April 2025. We thank her for all her efforts and wish her well for the future. We are so grateful to Lynne Warren, our prior Branch Secretary and Trustee, for stepping in to help while a new bookkeeper is appointed. Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank all volunteers, employees, members and supporters, without whom none of this work would have been possible.

Lydia Kinnear Treasurer

SOUTH BUCKS

Financial Statements

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS South Bucks Branch - Registered Charity No. 243352

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2024

2024 2023
£ £ £ £
INCOME
DONATIONS & LEGACIES
Reimbursed vet/board costs 14,557 1,185
Subscriptions and collecting boxes 1,527 928
Donations and fundraising events 33,300 29,967
Gift Aid 759 -
Legacies
 75
______		 298,465
______
50,218 330,545
INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Rehoming income 11,365 13,045
INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS
Interest receivable 20,542 3,640
INCOME FROM TRADING ACTIVITIES
Shops income
 269,967 290,334
OTHER INCOME 1,234 -
TOTAL INCOME 353,326 637,564

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2024

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2023
2024 2023
£ £ £ £
EXPENDITURE 2023 2022
DIRECT CHARITABLE EXPENDITURE £ £ £ £
INCOME
HQ quota		 551 551
Animal boarding & equipment 10,032 8,449
DONATIONS & LEGACIES
Veterinary fees		 62,242 74,911
Subscriptions and collecting boxes
Veterinary supplies		 928
4,489		 1,609
5,588
Donations and fund-raising events
Depreciation		 29,967
3,932		 34,224
2,472
Legacies
 2~~98,465~~
__
____
81,246		 ~~1,50~~0
__
____
91,971
EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS 329,360 37,333
INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS
Advertising & fundraising		 2,855 3,591
Interest receivable
Telephone
2,341		 3,640
2,285		 814
Van expenses 3,018 3,704
INCOME FROM TRADING ACTIVITIES
Equipment		 2,017 1,415
Re-Homing income
Storage		 13,045
3,720		 8,180
3,319
Shops Income

Printing, stationery and postage		 290,334
748		 271,534
754
Bank charges
Shops expenditure		 __
~~19~~2
221,197
____
303,379		 __
~~188~~
195,529
____		 279,714
OTHER INCOME
1,185
236,088		 2,304
210,785
GOVERNANCE & SUPPORT EXPENDITURE
Wages & salaries 74,647 76,881
TOTAL INCOME
Pension contributions		 1,954 637,564 2,210 320,165
Staff uniforms & ID 1,892 _ 347 _
Depreciation 545 535
Meeting costs 1,297 819
Data processing 948 649
General expenses 772 597
Travel expenses 2,793 3,031
Insurance 176 281
Legacy administrative expenses - 7,396
Legal, professional and consultancy fees 7,808 11,154
Annual Report expenses 1,185 598
Accountancy 1,680
______		 1,300
______
95,697 105,798
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 413,031
______		 408,554
______
Fund movement for the year (59,705) 229,010
Unrestricted funds brought forward 736,292 507,282
Restricted funds 8,338 -
______ ______
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 684,925 736,292
______ ______

SOUTH BUCKS

Balance Sheet
as at 31 December 2024
2024
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
65,506
Current assets
Stocks
2,074
Debtors and prepaid expenses
24,255
Cash at bank and in hand
618,998
__
645,327
Creditors: amounts falling
due within one year
(25,908)
_
Net current assets
619,419

Total assets less current
liabilities
684,925

Unrestricted funds brought forward
736,292
Restricted funds
8,338
Fund movement for the year
(59,705)

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
684,925
___		 2023
£
1,444
20,343
708,652
__
730,439
(13,416)
____		 £
19,269
717,023
__
736,292
_
507,282
-
229,010

736,292
___

RSPCA South Bucks Shops

BURNHAM CHESHAM 68 High Street 47 High Street Burnham Chesham SL1 7JT HP5 1BW 01628 663040 01494 810118

Shops are open Monday to Saturday: 9.30 to 16.30

Donations welcome at both our shops

Registered address: RSPCA Buckinghamshire South, 47 High Street, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1BW Registered Charity: 243352