RSPCA asks animal lovers to share the love this Valentine’s Day

The RSPCA is asking animal lovers to help needy animals and donate at the Pets at Home fundraising weekend this Valentine’s Weekend.

Every year the animal welfare charity teams up with the retailer to raise funds to help the RSPCA continue to rescue and care for animals in need. This year will be no exception with customers given the opportunity to make a donation to the RSPCA at the till throughout the weekend (12-14th Feb).

Sarah Colberg, Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager at the RSPCA, said: “We know that many things have changed over the last year but we’re thrilled that Pets at Home is still able to support the fundraising weekend which raises vital funds to help animals in need. We rescue over 100,000 animals a year and so fundraisers like this are vital in ensuring we can continue to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals in desperate need of care. Our centres and branch colleagues can’t be in-store this year due to on-going Coronavirus restrictions but they will be supporting the event digitally and hope that shoppers in-store will show a little love to RSPCA animals on Valentine’s Day.”

Over 400 Pets at Home stores are taking part and last year the weekend raised £31,000 to help needy animals like these loved-up pairs…..:

Rehoming appeals:

Brussel and Sprout are a pair of teal blue lineolated parakeets who came into the RSPCA’s care in November as their owner could not care for them properly. They were very nervous and it was clear they had very little handling or socialisation in their previous home. These two best friends are slowly gaining confidence now and will make lovely companions. Contact RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre in Ringwood, Hampshire, for more information on giving them a home (please note they can only rehome up to 1.5hours away from the centre): ashleyheath@rspca.org.uk 

Rabbits Patch and Smudge (pictured above) were rescued by the RSPCA along with 18 of their babies after a breeding situation had got out of control. Smudge can be a little shy but loves her treats which is the best way to win her round. Patch is a gentle boy and loves attention. They are both active bunnies and will need lots of toys and enrichment to keep them entertained.

Contact RSPCA Cheshire (Altrincham) branch for more information on rspca.altrincham.cheshire@googlemail.com 

Cats Smudge and Narla are best friends who came into the RSPCA’s care through no fault of their own. Smudge is the older of the two and the most affectionate while Narla can be a little timid but soon comes round with a little help from her buddy. They would be best suited to an adult-only home without any other pets.

Contact the South Yorkshire Animal Centre for information: info@rspcadrb.org.uk 

Sarah added: “For many of the animals in RSPCA care this could be the first time they have experienced love and care. We rescue some of the most abused and neglected pets so from the moment they come into our care, when they are rehomed and beyond, we work extremely hard to make sure their life is now filled with lots of love.”

Special appeal:

Bella is a one-year-old beagle and lurcher cross. She had been in four different homes by the time she was seven months old and being passed from one owner to another has left her with some emotional scars. She was very scared and under socialised with dogs when she arrived at RSPCA Millbrook animal centre in Surrey and she had no suitable training or recall.  

The centre staff have worked hard to improve Bella’s socialisation and confidence but her new owner will need to continue this with support from the centre. Bella is cheeky and full of energy and is looking for an experienced owner. For more information or to rehome Bella contact RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre. 

Help the RSPCA share the love this Valentine's Day weekend by donating whatever you can at the Pets at Home checkout: 

💖Donating just 50p could provide a meal for a hungry animal

💖Giving £1.50 could feed a dog for two days

💖Donating £2.50 could give a cat some nutritious treats

Extra heart-felt gifts:

💖£3.50 could feed a cat for a week

💖£5 could buy a special toy for an abandoned dog 

💖£10 could provide the comfort and warmth of a nice blanket 

This week is also Payroll Giving Week (8-14 February) which aims to raise awareness about the benefits of donating through this easy and tax-efficient method. For more info see: https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/donate/monthly/payroll