RSPCA Rochdale Open Day

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Staff, volunteers and supporters at the RSPCA Open Day

The RSPCA animal centre on Redcross Street, Rochdale held an open day today (Saturday 29 November) to help them raise vital funds for the centre.

The animal centre, which costs around £1,700 a day to run, relies on fundraising and donations from the local community to ensure that their work continues.

Branch Manager Jean Spencer, said: “We have had a good day. We have had a steady flow of people through the door so it has been nice.”

The event included a stall selling a variety of items from RSPCA goodies to children’s toys, a raffle, a remembrance tree and coffee and cake.

Shirley Mellor, shops area coordinator for RSPCA Rochdale, said: “We hold an event like this every Christmas to help with our fundraising. Last year we raised about £300 but it varies every year.”

Your reporter also got to meet Beauty, a dog currently being looked after by the animal centre after being involved in a fight with another dog. As a result of the fight, Beauty lost an ear and couldn’t be returned to her owners.

Jean added: “She is doing so much better now. She has to go back to the vets tomorrow for a check up but she is in a much better position now than she was.”

RSPCA Rochdale currently has nine charity shops in the borough as well as the animal centre.

“Even though we do need the money and the donations sometimes you have to take a step back and look at what we have, and we do have some fantastic volunteers and supporters who have helped us today and who continue to help us,” added Shirley.

Raffle tickets can still be bought from the animal centre.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/92695/rspca-rochdale-struggling-to-deal-with-the-high-number-of-abandoned-animals