Evesham’s Axolotl and Reptile Rescue is nearing its limit, only accepting emergency cases as demand surges in 2025
Evesham: The Axolotl and Reptile Rescue is currently looking after about 250 animals. They’re only taking in emergency cases after a hectic start to 2025.
Since the year kicked off, they’ve been asked to take in over 50 animals, including snakes, geckos, and turtles, from all over the UK.
This center, which snagged the title of best animal rescue in the UK at the Animal Star Awards last year, thinks the extra pressure is due to other rescues closing down because of the cost of living crisis.
To add to the challenges, Facebook has rolled out new rules about animal posts, making things a bit trickier for the rescue.
They’ve just launched a new website dedicated to animal adoptions, hoping it will make the process easier for everyone involved.
Gareth Costellow and his wife Tara have been running the center for nearly a decade now.
Gareth mentioned that they serve the whole UK, but the new Facebook regulations have made things tougher.
He added, “We’ve got a new website just for adoptions, which should help simplify things.”
“We’re definitely feeling the pressure. Just this year, we’ve been asked to care for 50 animals in just a few days.”
“We have a lot of volunteers who help with fundraising, but the more animals we take in, the more vet bills, food, and heating we need. It’s a lot to handle, but it’s great to know people trust us.”
Right now, they’re nearing capacity with around 250 animals, so they’re really only taking in emergencies.
The center also trains students and vets and takes in animals from the RSPCA and the Vale Wildlife Hospital nearby.
Since they started, they’ve helped over 9,000 animals, which is pretty amazing!
