Wicklow SPCA closes doors but it’s business as usual for charity

THE Wicklow SPCA may have closed its doors to the public, but it is business as usual at the Sharpeshill Sanctuary where staff continue to care for the animals at the facility.

Animals are still up for adoption and those looking to view a pet at the Rathdrum centre are asked to make an appointment by calling the office first.

‘We are still open for adoption and we ask people to be patient at this time,’ a Wicklow SPCA spokesperson said. ‘We’d prefer if people visit us singly at the moment. We know that choosing a pet is a family decision, however, if visitors could come in one at a time for safety reasons.’

The centre has also received many offers from people looking to foster dogs, but the Wicklow SPCA spokesperson said a decision had been made to close the Sharpeshill Sanctuary to volunteers at this time.

‘We’ve had a huge response from people offering to help with fostering but we’re not doing that at the moment for public health reasons. We will keep their names on file for future reference.’

Finances are also a concern for the charity, which expects its income to plummet as the rehoming of animals grinds to a halt. The spokesperson has appealed for donations from the public to help the charity to continue to operate.

‘We want to stay viable and the only way is to say safe. We would ask people to support us with donations or by running fundraisers digitally,’ the spokesperson added.

Anyone wishing to view the dogs can do so by phoning the Wicklos SPCA’s office on 0404 44783 and making an appointment. All available animals will be shown on their website. To make a donation or for further information about their work, visit www.wicklowspca.org.