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Could you give a home to a pawphan? It will leave you feeling wagnanimous!

Could you give a home to a pawphan? It will leave you feeling wagnanimous!

With more than 5,000 animals waiting for a new home at RSPCA centres and branches across England and Wales, the charity is hoping that the public will open their homes to a ‘pawphan’ – an animal without an owner.

The RSPCA says it currently takes 45 days to rehome a dog – 10 days more than this time last year. Rehoming rates are also down by three per cent on 2013 and although the charity has already rehomed more than 1,250 dogs between Jan – July, with many hundreds more rehomed by its branches, its centres are full to bursting with poor Pawphans.

There are also currently more than 1,700 cats and around 1,500 dogs in our national centres waiting for homes, as well as hundreds of horses and thousands of birds and small furries such as rabbits and exotic pets.

Just one example is Lady – an American Bulldog cross – who is RSPCA Millbrook animal centre’s longest stay dog, having been in kennels for over 260 days! Despite an appearance on The Dog Rescuers TV show, features in the local papers, a Special Appeal and being 'Animal of the Week' poor Lady is no closer to finding her forever home.

Another example are the seven lovely staffy puppies that are being looked after at our Millbrook animal centre, in Chobham, Surrey, after being removed from their owner on welfare grounds.

Centre manager Sue Walters said: “We are always on the look out for long term committed family homes to take in our dogs.

“Staffies are great dogs and more and more families are realising this. It is very rewarding to see dogs go off to their new homes and be given a second chance.

“I hope anyone considering getting a dog will think about giving one of our pawphans a new start in life.”

The RSPCA want people to know that giving an animal a chance at a new life is one of the most fulfilling things an animal lover can do -it can leave you feeling wagnanimous!

The new words that the RSPCA hope will strike a chord with the public are:

* Pawphan – an animal desperately in need of loving new owners
* Wagnanimous – the feeling of generosity and kindness brought on by rehoming an animal

With some long stay animals in RSPCA care for more than a year, as well as ‘older’ animals such as 15 year old cat Ewok at the Sussex North Branch currently waiting for their  ‘furever’ home; the charity is appealing to the public to consider adopting rather than buying an animal.

If you are not in a position to rehome an animal, why not support your local branch or centre by donating pet food and blankets or help the RSPCA in caring for these pawphans until they can find their forever home. Please visit RSPCA Choices: http://choices.rspca.org.uk/Appeal

For more information about adopting a pawphan from the RSPCA, please go to: www.rspca.org/petsearch or contact your local branch or centre. 

Notes to editors
Image shows staffy puppy Sid who is eight weeks old and being cared for at Millbrook animal centre.

 


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E-mail: press@rspca.org.uk
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RSPCA
Southwater
West Sussex
RH13 9XH
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends)
Tel: 07825 158490


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Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals registered charity no: 219099 Registered office: RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 9RS