Could you sponsor a seal's rehabilitation?

27.01.12 With over 50 seals currently being cared for by our wildlife centre in Norfolk we’re appealing for supporters to sponsor a seal’s rehabilitation.
Staff at East Winch Wildlife Centre in King's Lynn, Norfolk are working hard, and sometimes late into the night, to cope with the unusually high number of seals currently in their care.

High number of seal admissions

During the stormy weather at the beginning of the year 24 seal pups were admitted to our East Winch Wildlife Centre.
Even as the weather has become milder, seals are continuing to arrive at the already busy wildlife centre. Wildlife centre manager, Alison Charles said:
 

We’re seeing an unusually high number of quite sick common seals.

In previous years we wouldn’t see many of them at this time of year at all. Now it seems like we’re taking in common seal pups all year round!

Mostly the common seal pups arriving are around six-months old, emaciated and suffering with lung-worm.

This is in addition to the grey seal pups that we expect to come in during the winter months.

When the pups are really small and delicate, staff will often stay until 11 or 12 o’clock at night to give them a late feed.

Help us rehabilitate poorly seals

It takes approximately four to five months of continuous care for a seal pup to reach a healthy release weight.
With 52 seals already in the centre’s care and another two due to arrive later today the centre is fast reaching capacity. And, the high number of seals in the centre’s care is putting a very real strain on resources.
Alison continued: 

The public have been fantastic at bringing in towels and blankets. But what we really need now is for sponsors to help us pay for veterinary treatment and to feed all the hungry mouths.

You can help!

Sponsor a seal for just £20 a year and help get a seal back to the wild.
To sponsor a seal, or for more information, please contact:
RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre Telephone: 0300 123 0709 Email: eastwinch@rspca.org.uk

We can't do it without you. Thank you for your support.
 

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More about East Winch Wildlife Centre

East Winch Wildlife Centre is well known for its work with seals, but did you know the centre also cares for a wide range of other animals too?
Find out more about the centre’s work with orphaned and injured wild animals.
Catch up on the centre’s progress and achievements or watch some of the wildlife in their care caught on camera.
Visit: www.rspca.org.uk/eastwinch
 

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Can you help?

25.01.12 A bearded dragon lizard with appalling injuries was dumped and left to die in Leicester.
The lizard was discovered by concerned members of the public in Western Park on Monday 9 January, who then took it home.
We were contacted and an inspector attended the address.

Exotic pet found to be suffering

The reptile was barely alive when it was found, and had severe wounds which included a missing front-left foot, a missing tail and rotting skin on its back.   Sadly the bearded dragon was in such poor health that it had to be put to sleep after being assessed by a vet. RSPCA Inspector Michelle Hare said:
 

This poor bearded dragon had obviously been suffering for some time, and was just left for dead by whoever dumped it.

When the lizard was examined it was obvious that it was in a very poor physical state, and unfortunately it was in such a bad condition that there was no choice but to put it to sleep, to prevent it suffering further.

It is extremely sad to see an animal left like this.

Appeal for information

We’re appealing for anyone with information to come forward and contact our confidential cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.
Michelle continued:
 

Whoever abandoned this reptile gave no thought to its wellbeing, and would have known that it stood no chance of survival. They just cruelly left it to suffer.

Somebody must know something about this animal and who abandoned it, and I would urge them to come forward in confidence.

Those found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal can face a maximum six month prison sentence and/or a £20,000 fine.

Meeting the needs of exotic pets

Like many exotic animals bearded dragons are pets with complex needs, and we would encourage people to think carefully before getting one as a pet.
Bearded dragons require a home that closely represents their natural habitat, with specific heating, lighting and food. Research and preparation needs to be undertaken prior to buying.
For more information on keeping bearded dragons, and other exotic pets, visit our exotic pets page.
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24.01.12 Gunner, a gorgeous eight-year-old bull mastiff, is currently charming staff at our Newport Animal Centre in South Wales as he patiently waits for a caring new owner to offer him a 'forever' home.

Gunner was brought to the centre by an RSPCA inspector after he was found abandoned in a property in an emaciated condition without food or water.

'He is a proper old man' and 'will make a fantastic companion'

Ideal company for the pub!

Elaine Buchan, centre manager, said:

Gunner is such a nice boy and will make a fantastic companion dog who would adore being with someone all day, going on gentle strolls, taking a snooze, etc.

We all know that quite often owners and their dogs will start to resemble each other, so if there are especially any retired men out there who fancy a gentle canine companion to accompany them to the pub, he would be ideal.

He is a proper old man and all the staff here have agreed that we could just picture him propping up the bar and solving all the problems of the world!

'A gentle giant with very soft eyes' 

Although he would prefer being with someone all day, Gunner would also suit a family and other types of owners.

He is actually a gentle giant with very soft eyes and we have reduced the age of children we think he could live with to primary school age, though he could not live with cats.  

Gunner is in good health and is 'quite a spritely old soul' 

Despite being elderly, Gunner has no special needs and is not on medication. 

In fact staff report him as quite a spritely old soul with a sparkle in the eye, who will enjoy a bit of a play or a run around too.

Elaine added:

Considering his circumstances, he is now in remarkably good health and is very keen on his food, cleaning his bowl in three seconds flat!

 

Can you help?

If you think you're a perfect match for Gunner and can offer him a permanent, loving home, please contact:

RSPCA Newport Animal Centre Telephone: 0300 123 0744 Email: newport@rspca.org.uk

 

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Adopting an RSPCA rescue animal

Our rehoming process aims to make sure pets and owners are perfectly matched.

If Gunner isn't for you, there are many more animals in our care desperate to be given a second chance in life.

• Use our pet search to find animals for adoption in your area.
   
• Browse our special appeals which feature some of our long-stay animals.
   
• Find out about our initiatives to rehome elderly animals:
  
  Elderly Animal Rehoming Scheme (EARS)
  Putney Pensioners

 

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23.01.12 We’re appealing for witnesses after a pet cat escaped by a whisker when he was shot with an air gun for the third time.
Sandy, a 12-year-old cat from North Shields, Tyne and Wear had already used up two of his nine lives when he survived being shot in his stomach and rump a few years ago.
But the much-loved pet now faces having his leg amputated after he was hit in the shoulder by a pellet fired from an air rifle.

Distress over deliberate and cruel shootings

Sandy was shot in the left shoulder between 2.30pm and 3pm on 31 December 2011, New Year’s Eve. He was rushed to the vets where he was kept in overnight.
Sandy has been on painkillers since the attack two weeks ago and his vets bill has reached £500.
Sandy’s owner Joan Mason from Prestwick Avenue, said:
 

It’s a horrible feeling thinking that someone is targeting your pet deliberately.

Poor Sandy was caused severe pain and the vet said his leg might have to be amputated.

It’s terrible to think that someone thinks it is acceptable to shoot a defenceless animal, causing such agony to a living creature is so cruel.

 

Appeal for information

Distraught Joan and her husband Vince have posted leaflets through their neighbour’s doors asking for information.
RSPCA Inspector Helen Bestwick said:
 

Having your pet shot is every owner’s worst nightmare but for it to happen three times is simply horrific.

Poor Sandy is incredibly lucky to have survived.

These pellets may be tiny but can do so much internal damage and perhaps people who shoot animals do not realise the suffering they are causing.

Can you help?

If you have information about Sandy’s shooting please contact our 24-hour cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 and leave a message for Inspector Helen Bestwick.
Anyone found guilty of cruelty to an animal faces up to six months in prison and or a maximum fine of £20,000.

Animals in need

On average every 30 seconds someone in England and Wales dials our 24-hour crulety line for help.
In 2010 we received more than 1.1 million phone calls and secured 2,441 convictions by private prosecution to protect animals against those who break the law.
Help us to continue to be there for animals in need, get involved.
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21.01.12 An eager, curious or perhaps hasty English bull terrier was the subject of an unusual RSPCA call after the dog got its head and body stuck in a metal gate.

The incident happened on Christmas Eve at Brynmally Park in Pentre Broughton near Wrexham, North Wales.

While the owner stayed with the dog, a member of the public called us for help.

The dog took a deep breath and managed to free himself!

North Wales Fire and Rescue were also called, but luckily after 30 minutes and before the rescue service arrived, the dog took a sharp intake of breath and managed to squeeze out.

'Dogs are curious creatures'

RSPCA Inspector Phil Lewis said:

The poor dog must have been in a bit of a hurry to decide to go through the gate without waiting for it to be opened first.

Dogs are curious creatures and do often like to stick their head through gates to investigate!

We are grateful to the caller and the North Wales Fire Service for their help and are happy the dog is now free with hopefully a lesson learnt!

 

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More animal rescues

Every year we receive hundreds of thousands of calls about animals in need of our help.

We rescue pets, wildlife and farm animals from all sorts of situations, from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

That's what we're here for and are trained to do.

Read more about our animal rescues.

 

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Gonsal Farm staff sang their hearts out to find homes for cats!

20.01.12 Our Gonsal Farm Animal Centre has found homes for all but three of the cats featured in their unique Christmas carol video - 12 Cats of Christmas.

In the video (featured below), staff at the centre near Shrewsbury in Shropshire put their own stamp on the traditional Christmas carol, 'The 12 Days of Christmas', adapting the words in a bid to find new homes for the many cats in their care.
 
And their singing appears to have been music to your ears after new homes have been found for the majority of the cats featured.

But three of the moggies are still patiently waiting to find their perfect match - black cat Pablo and inseparable cats Chilli and Biscuit.

Watch out for Pablo and Chilli and Biscuit in the video - 12 Cats of Christmas: 

Meet the cats still in need of new homes

Pablo

Pablo originally came into Gonsal Farm with his friend Alfonz.

Both were in an awful condition - they were underweight with scurfy skin and wounds all over their bodies.

Staff could barely touch them as they used to cower and hiss in fear.

After a few weeks the cats were separated as it was discovered Pablo was being bullied.

Since being split up, Pablo has come along so well.

He is still a shy boy but instead of running away when staff enter his pod, he's now fine and greets staff with a meow and his tail in the air, especially at food time!

He adores a groom and absolutely loves chin tickles. He rolls around on the floor for you to tickle his belly too.

This is such a transformation and may not seem much to an outsider, but to staff it is major progress.

Pablo needs a caring and patient new owner who will help him to continue to come out of his shell and give him lots of love and affection - he will certainly give plenty back in return.

Chilli and Biscuit 

Chilli and Biscuit came into the centre as part of a cruelty case where they had been kept in awful conditions and had never been handled.

They were very scared of humans and took a while to settle in.

They are still adjusting and will take time, but have come along really well considering their background.

They are both such sweet, young cats and really deserve a fresh start in life.

Chilli and Biscuit would benefit from a mature home with adults only.

They will need an understanding and patient owner who will allow them time to come round and build their trust in people again.

Chilli likes a chin tickle and they are both happy to be stroked and fussed as long as you have a gentle approach.

They should be fine to live with other cats and can be rehomed with a calm dog.

They have to be rehomed together as they enjoy each other's company and would settle better.

Are you a perfect match for Pablo or Chilli and Biscuit?

If you think you're a perfect match for either Pablo or Chilli and Biscuit and can offer them a loving new home, please contact:

RSPCA Gonsal Farm Animal Centre in Dorrington, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire Telephone: 0300 123 0753 Email: gonsalfarm@rspca.org.uk

You can find out more about adopting an RSPCA rescue animal in our rehoming and adoption pages. 
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Make a date with Cilla and Black

19.01.12 Cilla and Black, two cute friendly chinchillas, would love to meet potential owners who can offer them a home together. 
The pair are currently being cared for at our Newport Animal Centre in South Wales, whilst they wait for their perfect match.

Abandoned at the side of the road

These two adorable chinchillas came into our care after they were carelessly dumped at a roadside lane in Port Talbot.
Although found in good condition and therefore more than ready for their new homes, the gorgeous pair have as yet been unable to find one.
Elaine Buchan, the centre's manager, said:
 

Chinchillas are clean, quiet, odourless and attractive. They are also quite shy and are perhaps more appropriate as pets for adults and older children.

Also please remember that perhaps unusually for a small animal, chinchillas can live for 10-20 years and therefore will need the appropriate care from a potential owner for the whole of their lives.

It would break our - and their - hearts if Cilla and Black were separated and so we are looking for someone to take both of them on.

 

Are you their perfect match?

Cilla and Black would best be suited to an experienced owner who can give them a permanent home. They will need a large cage to be able to run about in with plenty of levels and branches to climb.
Find out more about caring for chinchillas.   If you're interested in rehoming Cilla and Black, please contact Newport Animal Centre.

Rehome a small animal

If Cilla and Black aren't for you, or if they are just too far away, we have plenty of other small animals looking for new homes.
Choose from a variety of species including hamsters, guinea pigs, mice and many more using the new filters in our pet search.
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15-inch crossbow bolt removed from bird’s body

18.01.12 A Canada goose with remarkable fighting spirit has survived an atrocious crossbow attack in the West Midlands.   Despite having a 15 inch crossbow bolt shot through her body, the bird was successfully rescued by an RSPCA officer.
The goose survived having the bolt removed and is now receiving specialist care at our Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich.  

Barbaric act of cruelty

RSPCA Inspector Jackie Hickman rescued the injured bird on Saturday, 7 January at Rocket Pool, Bilston. Jackie took the injured bird to a local vet where the delicate procedure was carried out to remove the bolt. 
 
Displaying admirable resilience, the goose made it through the night at the vets, being transferred the following day to Stapeley.
She is still on medication but is eating well.
Jackie is convinced that someone locally will know who shot the goose and is urging them to get in touch.

This was a barbaric act of cruelty on a defenceless wild bird and I believe somebody must know who is responsible. 

The crossbow bolt has been handed to Bilston police officers who are working with us in order to try and trace who fired it.

I have dealt with a similar situation before where a farm animal was shot with a crossbow bolt and following DNA testing the perpetrator was identified and successfully prosecuted.

It is against the law to use any bow or crossbow against wild birds or other animals.

Can you help?

Anyone with information can call our national cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 and leave a message for Inspector Jackie Hickman.  

Working with wildlife

Our wildlife centres release, rehabilitate and care for thousands of wild animals each and every year. Often these wild animals become injured or orphaned because of the impact of human activities.
Find out how you can help:

• Injured wild animals
   
• Orphaned wild animals

Or make a donation today. Help us to continue our vital animal welfare work.
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We urge against the keeping of primates as pets

16.01.12 A West Midlands couple have been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a baby marmoset named Mikey.
We are hoping the court case will act as a warning to others about the complete unsuitability of all primates as pets.

Exotic primate pet found to be suffering

Lee Powell and his partner Julie Ann Jones bred the monkey at their home in Stourbridge before selling him aged only four months via a newspaper advert.    Mikey had metabolic bone disease meaning his bone density was low. This resulted in multiple fractures which were caused by a deficiency in vitamins in his diet and lack of exposure to sunlight.
The disease was in such an advanced stage, and restricted his movement to such an extent, that Mikey had to be euthanised by a veterinary surgeon to end his suffering.

Guilty of causing unnecessary suffering

Powell and Jones were found guilty by Dudley Magistrates' Court of four animal welfare offences including causing unnecessary suffering, failure to ensure a suitable diet and failure to protect from pain, injury or disease.   The pair were banned from keeping any animal for life and ordered to pay full RSPCA costs of £2,713.50 each, as well as a court compensation order of £325 each to pay to the lady who purchased Mikey.  They were also both given a community order to complete 300 hours community payback.   A deprivation order was also put in place for the four adult marmoset monkeys they currently own. The court ordered that the couple pay an addition £120 in costs to the RSPCA to reimburse collection and transportation costs of the four primates.
Inspector Jackie Hickman said:

I am pleased with the sentence imposed but my greatest wish is that Mikey’s short life was not in vain but instead will make it clear to the public that primates do not make good pets. 

Witnessing Mikey’s unnecessary suffering due to him not receiving the care he should have had was extremely upsetting.

 

Warning against primates as pets

Primates have a high capacity to suffer given their advanced cognitive abilities and complex brain physiology. As a result both physical health and psychological wellbeing must be considered when reviewing the welfare of captive primates.
All primates require stimulating physical and social environments that need to be managed by specialist keepers and only for welfare or conservation purposes.   Dr Lisa Riley, senior scientific officer in our wildlife department, said:
 

Even the smallest of primate species need specialist care and are totally unsuitable as pets.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated case and highlights the need for stringent legislation regarding primates being kept as pets.
 

We would discourage anyone thinking of buying a primate, of any species, and urge those with primates to understand their responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act.  

Our concerns about exotic pets

In 2010, the RSPCA 24-hour national cruelty line received 8,600 calls about almost 30,000 exotic pets.
Many were suffering welfare problems and even dying due to their owners' inability to provide proper care. We have pledged to try and improve this care, at the same time as reduce the number of wild animals kept as exotic pets.
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13.01.12 We are appealing for a new year foster home for a dog who has some serious eating to do in 2012.

Whilst most of us are resolving to lose weight this new year, Tyler, a six-year old Dobermann, is currently too thin to go up for permanent adoption.
 
So he needs a foster home where he can continue to gain weight.

Kennel life is too stressful for Tyler

Tyler, who was signed over to our care via one of our inspectors, is currently in the care of our West Hatch Animal and Willdlife Centre near Taunton in Somerset.

Staff at West Hatch are hoping to find Tyler a foster home where he can escape kennel life, which he finds stressful, and concentrate on gaining enough weight so he can go to a permanent home of his own.

Opportunity to adopt Tyler once he has gained enough weight

Deputy manager at West Hatch, Anita Clark, said:

Tyler is a nice dog but he has not had an easy start to his life and he really needs to be fostered so he can continue to gain weight and get more one-to-one attention.

Once he has reached his ideal weight and the vet is happy to sign him off, then whoever is fostering him would have the opportunity to adopt him permanently if they wanted to.

Tyler's ideal foster home 

Despite his slim figure, Tyler is a very strong dog on the lead so he is looking for a fosterer who has experience of large dog breeds, ideally Dobermanns.

Someone who is at home for most of the day would be perfect as he gets worried when left.

He needs to go to a cat-free foster home with a reasonably large secure garden where he can burn off some energy.

And due to his strength and bouncy nature, any children need to be teenage or older.

Tyler has not yet been neutered due to his weight.

Anita added:

The RSPCA will supply all of the food for Tyler whilst he is being fostered.
 
And he will need to return to West Hatch on a regular basis to be weighed and also to have his flea and worm treatments applied so anyone interested in fostering him would need to be fairly local.

Could you foster Tyler?

If you think you match the fosterer criteria above and are interested in fostering Tyler, please contact:

RSPCA West Hatch Animal and Wildlife Centre Telephone: 0300 123 0747   

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Pet fostering

Our branches and animal centres across England and Wales are always in need of special volunteers willing to help the animals in their care.

Find out more about fostering an RSPCA rescue animal and search fostering opportunities in your area.

Pet adoption

Our rehoming process aims to make sure pets and owners are perfectly matched.

You can use our pet search to find animals for adoption in your area, or browse our special appeals which feature animals who are being particularly overlooked by potential new owners.
 

Thank you for making a difference to an animal's life
 

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