The owners of a business supplying exotic animals for kids鈥 parties fear they might have to put some of them down after taking a financial battering from the pandemic.

Amanda and Lee Richardson, who run The Party Animals, in Leicestershire, said they had lost a year鈥檚 worth of bookings due to the virus.

They said they have had limited government support and have been forced to live on their son鈥檚 disability payments.

The business, based in Desford, has skunks, alligators, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, armadillos and cockroaches in its 200-strong menagerie. Many are from endangered species.

It also hires animals out for films, and one of its foxes was due to appear in a Hollywood movie that has also been delayed.

In a normal year it would also do school shows and talks, corporate events, animal therapy, weddings and face-your-fear sessions.

To try and find money for rent and animal feed they have launched a 鈥 which has raised more than 拢5,000.

But Mrs Richardson said despite that they are still unsure about the futures of all the animals.

She said: 鈥淲e can鈥檛 sell them, we can鈥檛 move them to somewhere else, so they would have to be put down.

鈥淚 have had my racoon, one of the invasive species, since she was 10 days old. She鈥檚 nearly five, and that would be my worst nightmare.鈥

The company is still getting bookings for later in the year, and Mrs Richardson said it is still a 鈥渧iable business鈥.

But she said she does not qualify for the Government鈥檚 coronavirus support measures because she is a limited company director. Instead she relies on a small amount of Universal Credit from her husband as well as her son鈥檚 disability payments to make ends meet.

Ms Richardson said 2020 was forecast to be their most successful year yet, but the pandemic has now left them contemplating closing entirely.

She said: 鈥淟ast year was going to be our big break.鈥

Ms Richardson said she received a 拢10,000 Government grant at the beginning of April last year and was later forced to take out a 拢16,000 loan.

The family business also applied to the council for support and a further grant was paid in February.

However, Ms Richardson said The Party Animals has not been able to pay its 拢1,500 rent bill since last March so is building up arrears and now faces tens of thousands of pounds of debt which it will struggle to repay.

She said: 鈥淚t is just constantly at the back of my mind. I have never been in this amount of debt.鈥

She has already been forced to sell one of her foxes to a wildlife park to pay some bills, which she described as 鈥渉eart-breaking鈥.

She was turned down for help by the council because the company does not count as a 鈥渃losed business鈥 and said it has 鈥渂een a battle鈥 to get support.

Sarah Pennelli, strategic director at Blaby District Council, said: 鈥淭he Government guidance is very specific and, as a result, we have been unable to award a grant under the Closed Scheme.

鈥淗owever, we approached Party Animals in early February to provide information in order that we could look at providing a grant under the alternative Open Scheme.

鈥淲e are still awaiting this information from the owners to be able to make an award.

鈥淏laby District Council was not aware that the owners considered closing the business, and the council would be eager to talk further with Mrs Richardson.鈥