RSPCA Needs You!

RSPCA centres throughout England and Wales are searching for its volunteer stars of the future to help out with a surprising array of tasks.

RSPCA branches in towns from Kingston to Kidderminster are looking for people to help keep the shops, branches and rehoming centres running smoothly.

It’s not all dog walking and cat cuddling as the positions available include fundraising, website design, customer service and having a say in key decisions as a branch trustee.

As millions of people struggle to find work as the impact of the economic crisis continues, volunteering could help to increase skills and boost the chances of securing paid employment.

It could also benefit school leavers or recent graduates when applying for jobs by giving them that all-important work experience.

RSPCA head of branch and animal centre support Rhoda Hatton said:  “The RSPCA relies on good-natured members of the public to devote their free time to helping us out. We would love to hear from anyone who thinks they can lend a helping hand – you may be surprised at just what you could get involved with.”

You can dedicate as little or as much time as you like to helping out a local branch.

Experience is not necessary for many of the tasks on offer, so whatever your forte in life, there should be something for you.

These are just some of the branches would love to hear from new volunteers for the following roles:

·         RSPCA Darlington & district branch – branch trustees, a website designer and fundraisers.

·         RSPCA Cambridgeshire Mid East branch – fundraisers.

·         RSPCA Lincolnshire North East branch – fundraisers, shop staff, co-ordinators for fundraising, volunteering and publicity.

·         RSPCA Brecknock & District branch - trustees, fundraisers and home visitors.

·         RSPCA Montgomeryshire & Radnor branch – trustees.

·         RSPCA Richmond, Twickenham & Barnes branch – fundraisers, co-ordinators for events and fundraising.

·         RSPCA Plymouth & South West Devon branch – Shop volunteers, fundraisers and home visitors.

·         RSPCA Hillingdon, Slough, Windsor, Kingston & District branch – Shop volunteers, fosterers and fundraisers especially for RSPCA week which runs from 2-8 May.

·         RSPCA Newbury & District branch – Fundraisers, Home visitors, fosterers and shop volunteers.

·         Kidderminster and District branch – fundraisers and shop assistants.

·         Peterborough and District branch – Fundraisers and committee members.

If you think you could dedicate some time to helping the RSPCA, please call our enquiries team on 0300 1234 555, log onto www.rspca.org.uk or contact your local branch to find out if you can help.

Gorgeous Gonsal

After a week out and about meeting and greeting some new faces, I am back in the office. And what a week it was. On Thursday, I had a wonderful time at Gonsal Farm in Shropshire. I caught up with our horse rehoming officer and we came up with some new and exciting plans (watch this space!).

The equine facilities at the centre are amazing – lovely stables, plenty of outside space to train and rehabilitate the horses and, most importantly of all, staff who really are dedicated to the welfare of the animals in their care.

I managed to spend some time with the centre’s current residents.  One particular favourite was a one-year Gelent who first came to the centre last May when he was only a matter of hours old. Staff think he was deserted by other horses. He was hand-reared at the centre and despite growing into a lovely young pony, he’s still waiting for a new home. I had heard about Gelent’s story within my first few weeks at the RSPCA press office so I was sad to hear that he is still without a forever home. But hopefully, his new owners are just around the corner.

It’s no secret that I am a huge cat lover so I just had to pay a visit to Gonsal’s cattery.

It was packed with gorgeous cats waiting for loving new homes while playing in their lovely indoor and outdoor runs. One particular kitten caught my eye – he was around 7 months old and had come into RSPCA care through a cruelty case. The poor little mite had been kicked so hard that his back right leg was severely damaged and needed amputating. In addition, he had been born with six toes on each paw. Despite suffering such abuse at a young age, this little black kitten was surprisingly fond of people and spend a good while happily sitting in my arms. If it wasn’t for Maverick (the RSPCA rescue cat currently residing at my house) then I would have taken him home. I hope someone else falls for him just like I did and finds a place in their home for him.

I feel immensely proud to be part of the RSPCA and whenever I visit a centre, I find it really emotional to see all the animals that have come into our care because they have been neglected or abused. There’s never any excuse to treat an animal with anything other than kindness and compassion and it saddens me that so many people do not hold that belief. But, the RSPCA is working hard to drive the rates of cruelty down and make sure people who do abuse animals are suitably punished and making sure that they never own animals again. We can only hope that through education and awareness, all animals will be treated with the respect that they deserve.

If you would like to rehome an animal from Gonsal Farm, call 0300 123 0753 or email GonsalFarm@rspca.org.uk

Out and about!

I love spending time out of the office and getting to see the RSPCA in action. This week, I am travelling to Shrewsbury to meet the staff and four-legged residents of Gonsal Farm in the stunning Shropshire countryside.

The centre looks after dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and horses to name just a few and can have up to 150 animals in its care at any one time.

Most of the animals that come into the centre have been rescued from the horrors of neglect and bad treatment by their previous owners. The dedicated staff spend weeks – sometimes even months – preparing them for a new life and a second chance by rebuilding their trust and confidence around people.

Gonsal Farm was one of the RSPCA centres which looked after and helped to rehome horses rescued from Spindle Farm in Amersham. This was one of the biggest cases the RSPCA has ever been involved in when more than 100 horses, ponies and donkeys were rescued from horrific conditions. More information on this case is on our website - http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/horses/amershamappeal

The animals at Gonsal Farm are looking for someone to give them a new home. If you think you can help call 0300 123 0753 or email GonsalFarm@rspca.org.uk

It costs the RSPCA over £2,400 a day to run Gonsal Farm Animal Centre which is funded purely through donations by members of the public. If you think you can help, log onto http://www.rspca.org.uk/donate

Catch up with my blog next week to see how I got on at Gonsal!

My year with Maverick

Twelve months ago, when I first took home my elderly rescue cat Maverick, I didn’t know how long he would be with us.

The wonderful team at RSPCA Putney Animal Hospital thought he was more than 10 years old and although cats can live up to 20 years, this old tabby had already had a tough life. He had been rescued by RSPCA inspectors who found him in an abandoned house with his leg trapped in a sash window.

A year on, and he’s still going strong – and what a year it has been. I have been lucky enough to see his confidence, personality and happiness grow while he has been a member of my family.

I rehomed Maverick through the hospital’s Putney Pensioners scheme which aims to find homes for older animals who may be overlooked by potential owners who fear expensive vet bills. However, all age related treatment and medicine is provided at the hospital free of charge through the scheme.

Being an elderly cat, Maverick does need some special care and attention. He is on a special diet and daily medication to regulate his digestion but this medicine is provided free of charge by the hospital.

I knew Maverick was special as soon as I brought him home. He loves company and is constantly by my side when I am at home. He has fitted himself in nicely with the routine at home, waiting patiently for me to finish dinner before hopping up on my lap, jumping on the bed as soon as soon as it’s night time and greeting me at the front door when I come home from work.

He does need help once in a while, he suffers pains in his back leg so need a bit of a lift to get him onto laps or beds but he always says thank you with a gentle nudge and a purr.

Elderly animals do deserve a second chance. Often they have had the hardest lives and just want a safe and happy home where they can spend their twilight years. Maverick is one of the most loving and affectionate pets you could imagine and I wouldn’t change him for the world.

To find out more about Putney Pensioners, call the animal hospital on 0300 123 0716.

Maverick having a cat nap on the sofa

Mav and me

Cuddle time with my husband

Get Puppy Smart!

Thinking of getting a puppy? Read on! Did you know that 19%* of people who bought a puppy in the last two years no longer have their dog??

Figures, released by the RSPCA today (Tuesday) show that too many people are following their heart rather than their head when it comes to buying a puppy.

People are falling into the trap of basing their decision on a dog’s appearance rather than how it will fit with their lifestyle. They often risk ending up with a dog that’s not right for them or suffers health problems because it has come from an unscrupulous breeder or trader.

We want to help people to avoid this heartache and we have made a great little animation at www.getpuppysmart.com which has all the info you could need to make a properly informed choice when buying a new puppy.

The survey also found that a shocking 40% of people spent one week or less doing research before making their puppy purchase. A healthy puppy is a much better buy than a pretty one so potential new owners should always do their homework first.

A full list of advice for potential puppy owners, and what to look out for when looking for a new pet dog, is also available at the www.getpuppysmart.com website. Tips include:

·         Match the right dog with your home, family and lifestyle and make sure that you can afford the long-term costs.

·         Phone ahead before visiting any puppies and know the right questions to ask.

·         Don’t buy a puppy straight away – go home and take time to consider your choice and visit it at least twice.

·         Always choose a puppy based on its likely health and temperament and not just its looks – a healthy puppy is much better than a pretty one.

·         Never be tempted to buy a puppy because you feel sorry for it – another will only be bred to replace it.

* The research was conducted by TNS via OnlineBus, an Internet survey. A sample of 7272 GB adults aged 16-64 were interviewed. Of these, 848 people had acquired a puppy in the past two years. Interviewing was conducted by online self-completion from 23 November 2010 – 20 January 2011.