Top up for pets (From Penarth Times)

Top up for pets

KIND staff at a Penarth brewery have bubbled up a treat for aban-doned animals at a local RSPCA centre. Employees at the Bull-mastiff Brewery collected £160 for the Cardiff Animal Centre, Penarth Road, by collecting donations at their annual Christmas party.

Bob Jenkins, manager and proprietor of the brewery, said: "The money was all raised in one day and it goes to show that people genuinely care, especially around Christmas time."

The donation comes at an extremely busy time of year for the centre, when many animals bought as Christ-mas presents are aban-doned by new owners who find them too much to cope with.

Presenting a cheque to staff at the centre last Friday, Mr Jenkins said: "Christmas is a hard time for animal centres as they are inundated with unwan-ted and abandoned animals and I am very proud to be able to help them by donating money."

The RSPCA has launched a national advertising campaign to hammer home the message that pets are a commitment for life.

A television advert, shown in the run up to Christmas, emphasised the Society's annual message not to buy animals as Christmas presents. Kate Davies, RSPCA manager for Wales, said: "Every year we have to deal with animals that are abandoned once the novelty has worn off."

She said people need to realise how important it is to carefully consider the cost, care and commitment involved in looking after a pet for the rest of its life - it is not a decision to be taken lightly, or on behalf of anyone else. l Ten-year-old canine Champagne (pictured) was left homeless as one of a pair when their owner died.

Staff at the centre are now looking for someone to provide a home for the two dogs together.

For further information on rehoming animals, contact the centre on 2070 2352.