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RSCPA: Remember A Charity Week – Spare A Thought For Animals

RSCPA: Remember A Charity Week – Spare A Thought For Animals

The RSPCA is urging people to spare a thought for the ‘suitcase puppies’ this week for Remember A Charity Week (12 to 18 September 2011).

In 2009, RSPCA Inspectors found 15 puppies shut in suitcases, away from their mothers and left to die from dehydration, starvation and suffocation. Some of the puppies were already dead but 10 survived the ordeal and, after being cared for by the RSPCA Animal Centre in Brighton, were found new homes.

Thousands of animals across the country need rescuing, treatment or a loving home. Thanks to the thoughtful animal lovers who have left a gift in their will, the suitcase puppies and many other animals like them have received the help they needed.

The RSPCA relies heavily on the money it receives from legacies. Over half of its annual income is from money left in wills, enabling it to continue to help thousands of animals each year around the country.

Jo Curtis, legacy marketing manager, said: “We work tirelessly preventing animals from being cruelly treated, encouraging people to treat our animals with more respect, rehabilitating sick and injured wild animals and birds, and improving the lives of farm animals.

“For Remember A Charity week, we would like animal lovers to spare a thought for all of the animals we help and, once they’ve looked after their family and friends, consider leaving a gift in their will so we can continue to do our work well into the future and build a better world for animals.

“We are so grateful for the legacies we receive each year. This money has enabled us not only to continue our day to day work, but to keep improving and expanding our animal centres around the country, helping us to help more animals. ”

Remember A Charity Week is an annual awareness week to encourage more people to consider leaving a gift to charity when writing a will. It is run by Remember A Charity, a consortium of over 140 charities who work together to encourage more people to consider leaving a gift to charities in their will, after they've looked after their family and friends.

To find out more about leaving a legacy, go to: http://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/supportus/leavealegacy.

To request a copy of our information booklet: 'The hows and whys of making wills', or to speak to someone about leaving a legacy in your will, please contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 0239.

Notes to editors

For more information or interview requests please call the press office on 0300 123 0244/0288.
The following RSPCA animal centres have benefited from legacies:

Stapeley Grange, Cheshire
Stapeley Grange in Cheshire is the busiest of the four RSPCA wildlife centres and has been looking after wildlife casualties since it opened in 1994. Every year, the centre treats thousands of animals from north-west England, the north Midlands and north Wales. The entire Stapeley Grange Wildlife centre and cattery is a legacy from Cynthia Zu Nedden although it has been built up over the years considerably. An orphan care room has being kitted out with money from the Cynthia fund and other legacies have bought incubators.

Southall Cattery, west of London
A new isolation wing was opened at the centre in May which was funded by a generous legacy. The new isolation wing, which replaced older facilities used to care for the cats, uses a special air conditioning system. This system sucks air out of the cats’ pods and disperses it outside to help stop disease spreading, ensuring the cats in the care of the cattery are made well before rehoming. The legacy also funded a one bed bungalow to provide accommodation for staff on night duty, a workshop and an outbuilding for storage.


East Winch Wildlife Centre
The East Winch Wildlife Centre cares for thousands of wildlife casualties each year. The trained and dedicated staff have detailed knowledge and wide experience of wildlife care, rehabilitation, release and post-release monitoring and give casualties the best chance possible at a successful life back in the wild. A legacy led to fencing for 2 swan pools, 10 hedgehog sheds and a whole isolation unit.

Great Ayton Animal Centre, Middlesborough
Great Ayton Animal Centre occupies a 16 acre site that is situated to the North West of the North Yorkshire Moors. The centre has been able to build a small animal unit due to a legacy left to the centre.

For more information about Remember a charity, go to:
http://www.rememberacharity.org.uk

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RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk