RSPCA received nearly 3,000 calls about needy animals in Wales last Christmas

RSPCA Cymru today launches its 2018 Christmas appeal asking animal lovers to help Stock the Sleigh with vital items to make the festive season happy, healthy and safe for thousands of animals.

Last year, during the festive season, the charity received 2,822 calls in Wales to its 24-hour cruelty hotline with concerns about animals in distress.

During December, the RSPCA also took in nearly 5,500 animals and gave them a warm bed, food, veterinary care and the care and attention they desperately needed, as well as continuing to look after thousands of animals already in their care.

Last Christmas Day, RSPCA centres in Wales were caring for more than 275 animals – 175 at RSPCA Bryn-Y-Maen and 101 at RSPCA Newport, providing warmth, food and care.

This year, the charity’s inspectors will be out 24/7 rescuing animals from pets to livestock to wildlife in all weathers but for many animals brought to safety it is just the start of a long road to recovery and a new life.

Many animals spend weeks, months, and sometimes years in our care getting vet treatment, rehabilitation, training, socialisation, food, warmth, and anything else they need to go on to live a happy healthy life but we can only do that with generous support from the public.

It costs more than £750,000 on average to run an animal centre for a year and animal lovers can help us provide that vital care by donating to us and helping us to deliver kindness to animals this Christmas.

Here are a few of the things you can do to help the animals in our care:

• £3 can pay for a toy for a pet in our care

• £6 would help feed a dog for a week over Christmas

• £7 could give the gift of comfort help keep animals cosy with a warm blanket

• £12 could give a gift of comfort to help provide a warm blanket, tasty treats and a toy

• £24.50 could give a gift of safety to help answer and respond to call about an animal in distress and provide a safe bed

• £48 could give a gift of care to help pay for veterinary care, hydration and medicines

People can give gifts of care, safety and comfort to desperate animals this Christmas by stocking the RSPCA’s virtual sleigh at www.rspca.org.uk/stockthesleigh

Last December, the RSPCA answered more than 43,000 calls, many reporting neglected, abused or suffering animals and we investigated more than 10,000 complaints.

RSPCA Chief Executive Chris Sherwood said: “We would not be able to help the thousands of animals we rescue, rehome and rehabilitate every Christmas without the public’s generous support.

“What people perhaps don’t realise is that after each animal is brought to warmth and safety, they sometimes face weeks and months of vital care, whether that is someone to hand-rear a kitten through the night, vital surgery for an abused dog, rehabilitation for an injured gull, or simply a warm bed and food for a neglected or abandoned animal.

“This Christmas we are asking people to Stock the Sleigh for the RSPCA, and help us to care for the thousands of animals we know that, sadly, will continue to come through our doors this festive season.”

Wales – calls over the Christmas period (December 1 to December 31 2017)

To donate to the RSPCA’s Stock the Sleigh campaign, visit www.rspca.org.uk/stockthesleigh.