The owners say they have been overwhelmed with public generosity
Jamie’s wife and co-owner Michelle Mintram with their children Josh and Chloe (Image: Ark Wildlife Park and Exotic Animal Sanctuary)
Owners of a wildlife park and animal sanctuary say they have been overwhelmed by public support throughout the coronavirus crisis.
The Ark Wildlife Park and Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Stickney near Boston says it was inundated with donations during lockdown, as supporters of the park set up go fund me pages to raise thousands of pounds.
Co-owner of the family-run park Jamie Mintram, said: “We survived by a lot of people setting up just giving pages and raising funds.
“We were absolutely blown away and just want to say a big thank you.”
Staff say since the park reopened on July 4, they have seen a huge increase in rescues and had to call on public support n a bid to save four raccoons from being euthanised.
One of the racoons already at the park (Image: Ark Wildlife Park)
Jamie said: “We got a phone call from a friend of ours who runs an animal place in Shropshire about four raccoons who were at an animal college which had shut down.
“They were going to be euthanised if we couldn’t find a home for them, but we didn’t think financially we were in a situation where we could take them on.
“Our finances were stretched and racoon enclosures are quite expensive due to the amount of space they need.
“We put a call out on social media and were just overwhelmed with the response, again.
A Serval cat at the park (Image: Boston Target)
“All in all I think we received around £3,000 in donations, and were able to save the raccoons and get them the enclosure they need.
“CJM Plumbing said to us they would cover the cost and before the evening was up they had transferred the money. We also had a wood yard contact us to donate the wood for the enclosures.”
Jamie says the park was ‘consistently busy’ throughout the summer period once they were able to reopen, which will sustain them through the winter.
He said: “With coronavirus restrictions, we were running at around half capacity but we did okay and its really helped with the rescues.
“We’re hoping for a good winter and of course encourage people to still come to visit us.”
Article Credit: lincolnshirelive