James Ryder raises €25,000 for animal shelters in eight-hour fundraiser

Comedian James Ryder has closed his fundraiser for Carers for Stray and Abandoned Felines (CSAF) after an overwhelming show of public support raised €25,000 in just eight hours.

Announcing the achievement on social media, Ryder said he was "absolutely speechless" and thanked everyone who contributed following the shelter's ordeal during Malta's recent nationwide power cuts.

The appeal was launched after CSAF was left without electricity for around 20 hours, putting hundreds of cats at risk during one of the hottest weeks of the year. Among the animals affected were cats recovering from surgery, with shelter operators warning that the prolonged outage posed a serious threat to their wellbeing.

The fundraiser's original aim was to purchase a 10,000-watt generator to safeguard the shelter against future blackouts. Ryder revealed that the official quotation for the generator totalled €11,426, meaning donations far exceeded the amount required.

Rather than ending the campaign once the target was reached, Ryder announced that the remaining funds will be used to help smaller animal shelters across Malta better prepare for future power cuts and extreme heat.

Each participating shelter will be allocated a budget based on its needs and will be able to choose whether to install air conditioning or invest in a generator. Any remaining funds will be spent on cooling pads and other equipment designed to protect animals during Malta's increasingly intense summer temperatures.

Ryder said further updates will be shared in the coming days, outlining exactly how the funds will be distributed.

He also thanked everyone who donated, while giving special recognition to veterinary nurse Yaz Mirabella of Mirabella's Vet Nursing & Pet Sitting Services, who has already begun contacting animal shelters across Malta to assess where support is needed most.

"Guys, thank you all. Once again, you have no idea what you have done towards sheltered animals across the country during times like these. Hearts of fucking gold. The lot of you," Ryder said.

The fundraiser became one of the fastest-growing community appeals in recent weeks, with thousands of people coming together to help ensure vulnerable animals are better protected when future power outages occur.