The RSPCA column Trumped by the virus but with your support we’ll muddle through
WE have been trumped by the virus once again. On November 5 the animal centre and charity shop both closed their doors again to comply with the HM Government second lockdown for England.
However, limited rehoming is still taking place for cats. Unfortunately, as it is not currently possible to meet and greet a dog onsite, dog adoptions have been placed on hold. Most of the rehoming process for cats is now conducted online.
For further information on the Defra-approved process being followed, please see our Adoption Page.
Please do not come to the animal centre in person, as we will eventually bring your adopted cat to you. We hope to be able to go back to appointment only’ at the animal centre once the current lockdown is lifted, or eased.
You can also find all our current cats available for adoption either via the website or our Facebook page. All the current cats will have a photo followed by a description of their personality and what type of home they need.
To register your interest for any of our cats, we ask that you apply by filling out a Perfect Match form, and emailing it to info@rspcasouthport. co.uk.
The Perfect Match form can be found within the rehoming process on the website. In the meanwhile, be rest assured that the animals are all safe and well, whilst patiently waiting for suitable new owners to be identified.
The cat for adoption that I would like to highlight this week is Pagen; she is approximately two years old, and in need of an experienced, patient and understanding, pet-free mature family (16+) home.
We feel Pagan would benefit from having a quiet room to settle in, until she becomes more confident in her new environment and with her new owners. We have found that once she starts to get comfortable in an area, she is curious to explore.
Pagen is a playful girl. We have tried to use this to our advantage, building a relationship through the use of toys and food. She will happily play on her own, as well as interactively with cat teaser toys. She will also tentatively approach you for treats, such as licke-lix and Dreamies, once she is comfortable with you.
Pagen requires a very hands-off approach; she will hiss and spit at new people. This lessens a little bit once she recognises you, but she still hisses if you get too close, or approach too quickly. Owners will need to go slow to build up a bond.
It’s important that potential owners understand it will take a considerable amount of time for Pagen to truly settle and for them to see her personality develop. It has taken three months for her to accept certain staff members and she will now allow them to stroke her.
If you think you could offer Pagen an understanding, calm loving home, then please register your interest by sending in a Perfect Match form.
As the charity shop is also currently closed, we are asking that you do not donate stock at the present time, to either the charity shop, or the animal centre. Once we can accept items again, we will update our website.
The closure of the charity shop for three months earlier this year impacted greatly on branch income and will again during the current month’s closure. We would appeal for financial donations to help us to continue to care for the animals. If you would like to donate please see our Just Giving page.
As we have previously stated, we unable to hold our Christmas Fair this year, but we still have our Christmas raffle to look forward too! Tickets are now on sale, to be in with a chance of winning please call our reception team now to buy your tickets 01704 567 624 using your credit/ debit card.
As they say, you have to be in it to win it and the odds are fairly good when we have towards 70 prizes and only have 2,000 tickets to sell! Prizes include a 32”Smart TV, a lady’s bike, a Luxury Next Hamper, plus lots more.
The business support we have received in the provision of prizes from our local community has been immense, particularly bearing in mind many of them are also going through quite a rough patch with Covid.
We can’t thank our fabulous volunteer Cecilia Duff enough for all her help with collecting and organising all these amazing prizes, together with the help of her friends and family members. Our volunteers are all such hard workers!
Cecilia would also like to thank her friends and NHS work colleagues for their generous alcohol donations; a special thank you’ also to Sue Abbott and her sister Jan Dean for her fabulous handmade Christmas gifts.
Also, a massive thanks to all the businesses who donated, we couldn’t do it without everyone’s support.
RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch is at New Cut Lane, Southport, Merseyside.