Scottish SPCA Animal Matters Magazine Autumn/Winter 2023

Featured forever homes Meet Murphy the parrot

No bad breed Our thoughts on the XL bully ban

A day in the life of our rescue staff Go behind the scenes with an animal rescue officer

ANIMAL MATTERS The magazine for Scotland’s Animal Rescue Team Autumn/Winter 2023

Contents Welcome from our CEO

2

News in brief

4

Court cases & animal rescues

6

Day in the life of an animal rescue officer

10

Meet the fosterers

12

How we deliver our services is changing

14

Animal welfare policy

18

Giving animals hope this Christmas

20

Fundraising in the workplace

22

Rehoming successes

24

Supporter spotlight

26

Events 2023 and 2024

28

1

Welcome from our CEO Welcome to the latest edition of your magazine on all

Not ones to rest on our laurels, we’ve been working hard

things Scottish SPCA.

to help animals and people in their own home, expanding

As the old saying goes, it never rains but it pours.

And that is how it’s been over the past few months after another busy summer in animal rescue.

I remain in awe of the work which our animal helpline, inspectors, rescue officers, vets and rehoming and rehabilitation teams do every year, but particularly during the ‘high season’.

We’ve not had much of a summer this year, and it may feel like a distant memory, but it was all hands to the pump as we dealt with tens of thousands of reports of animals in need. In a single particularly busy week, we responded to over 2,800 reports of animals in distress.

If you want to get a small taste of what a typical day is like, check out pages 10 and 11.

Reacting to animals in need of rescue is a core part of who we are, and lots has been going on to help us get ahead of the challenges facing animals and people.

Fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis, we’ve seen a rise in the number of people who are struggling to afford food and care for their pet, with more people calling

our Pet Aid service and adding to our community outreach work. Head over to pages 14-15 to find out what we’ve been doing – and have coming up – to support animals and people when they need it most.

On top of everything we’re doing to help animals immediately, we’re also working hard to change policy to make life better for animals in the future. The XL bully announcement has dominated the news in recent weeks, and there are lots of other interesting proposals and issues worth knowing about. To find out about wildlife crime, banning snares, controlling fireworks and more, visit pages 18-19.

We hope you enjoy this latest issue and, as always, thank you for your support. As a small token of our appreciation, you can get a sneak peek of our Christmas television advert on pages 20-21.

Remember, you are helping us rescue animals.

You are helping us prevent them from future harm.

You are helping us make Scotland the best place to call home for pets, farm animals and wildlife. Thank you.

our helpline to give up animals.

Kirsteen Campbell CEO

2

News in brief Veterinary casework pack launched We have launched a Veterinary Casework Pack to give Scottish vets clear guidance when they are involved with Scottish SPCA cases regarding animal welfare offences.

We are currently the only animal charity in the UK recognised as a reporting agency to the Crown Office, with inspectors enforcing the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. As such, the Veterinary Casework Pack is specific to Scotland, as the legislation and processes elsewhere in the UK vary.

The pack brings together information for vets in practice who become involved with our general animal welfare cases, from the first point of contact with one of our inspectors requesting a veterinary examination of an animal, through to outlining the legislation relevant to these cases and common concerns vets may have when getting involved.

It also gives guidance on how to approach these cases from a welfare legislative and forensic perspective and how to write thorough and effective witness statements when a case moves forward to potential prosecution.

Fictional case examples are used to demonstrate various parts of the process.

Our veterinary forensic case officer is also on hand to assist vets with any Scottish SPCA prosecution cases on a one- to-one basis.

Pet Aid service continues to expand throughout Scotland Our Pet Aid service, offering vital support and advice to owners struggling with the cost-of-living crisis continues to expand across Scotland. The service now supports over 50 food banks across 18 local authorities.

In May, Scotmid donated 400 Pet Aid boxes. These included essential food and care supplies for animals in urgent need, which were distributed through our network of food banks.

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In August we were delighted to be awarded a £240,000 grant to support the creation and delivery of our Pet Aid veterinary service. The service is being created in partnership with several other organisations in response to our inspectors seeing a rise in animals needing veterinary care during visits.

The award has allowed us to recruit a community vet nurse. This person will provide veterinary support to animals in a home where their owner is struggling.

Throughout September and October we also held Pet Aid roadshows at seven Tesco stores in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayr, Oban, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. The roadshows provided practical advice and information on a range of animal welfare issues, as well the rare opportunity to talk directly to experts from a number of our teams, including inspectors and vets.

Kieran Tierney visits Lanarkshire centre In June, we were delighted to welcome our ambassador, footballer Kieran Tierney, on a visit to our Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

The Scotland defender spent half a day with us learning more about the fantastic work our colleagues and volunteers do.

As part of his visit, Kieran had a behind-the-scenes tour and got to meet some of our residents. He was also kind enough to spend time chatting and taking photos with our team!

The support of ambassadors like Kieran is vital to help us raise awareness of the work we do across Scotland.

We can’t thank him enough for taking time to visit us and for all his support over the past few years.

Purina donated pet food which we were able to hand out to folks on the day.

The human-animal bond is important, and, through this service, we can help to protect it when animals and people need our help most.

5

Court cases & animal r Wishaw brothers receive bans on keeping animals Two brothers from Wishaw have received bans on keeping animals following our investigation.

Their dogs were being kept in kennels filled with faeces and urine, while suffering from a variety of untreated medical issues.

31-year-old Grant Stuart Campbell and 24-yearold David Campbell, formerly of Woodside Crescent, Newmains, Wishaw pled guilty to a number of charges on 23 February 2023 at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

They were sentenced in July at the same court.

Grant Stuart Campbell pled guilty to seven charges of causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide veterinary treatment for various conditions and injuries affecting six dogs in his care, including a broken leg.

He was banned from keeping any animal indefinitely, received a two-year supervision order and six-month restriction of liberty order.

David Campbell pled guilty to one charge of failing to provide a suitable environment for two of the dogs and failing to keep them free from suffering, injury or disease as their clinical condition strongly displayed signs of neglect and failure to seek veterinary care.

He was banned from keeping any animal for five years and received a community payback order of 300 hours to be completed over three years.

6

l rescues Kilbirnie animal fosterer given three-year ban A woman from Kilbirnie who was fostering several dogs

Four dogs who belonged to Pointers in Need were

for a charity was handed a three-year ban on owning

returned into the care of the charity. The rest of the

or keeping animals as well as a 12-month supervision

animals were taken into the care of the Scottish SPCA.

order for failing to provide a suitable environment for the five dogs in her care and seven cats. She also failed to provide veterinary treatment for two cats, Captain Jack and Davros, leading to them being euthanised due to the severity of their conditions.

45-year-old Jaqueline Fraser Wade of Borestone Avenue, Kilbirnie pled guilty on 12 May 2023 at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and was sentenced at the same court on 5 June 2023.

Wade had been fostering dogs for Wales-based charity, Pointers in Need, since 2020 and claimed to only have been given one home check during this period.

The conditions in the home were unsuitable, with rubbish, faeces and urine throughout. In one of the upstairs bedrooms, there were three bedframes pushed together, two of which were full and overflowing with dog faeces resembling a large, neglected litter tray.

Wade stated that this was for Daegan, a 10-year-old German pointer, who she couldn’t walk or have out in the garden due to him being too strong on the lead and barking at neighbours. Instead, the bedframe was being used as a toilet for him.

7

Baby hare rescued after travelling from Durham in a backpack In July, we rescued a baby hare who travelled from Durham to Alexandria in an unsuspecting member of the public’s backpack.

The leveret was found in a property in Gartocharn on 3 July by the resident after he appeared in one of the bedrooms.

The member of the public contacted us and we collected the young animal and took him to our National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross, Alloa.

One of the residents had recently returned from Durham and we think the hare might have been hiding in their backpack unbeknownst to them. They travelled straight from Durham to Alexandria so there was no other stop where they could have picked up this tiny hitchhiker!

The leveret was, understandably, quite stressed at first and a bit underweight. We took the decision to move him to an outdoor aviary enclosure and found the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world really helped to calm him down and get him to settle.

As he was so young and underweight he was initially on milk feeds but soon reached a healthy weight and could be weaned and released.

8

“

The poor bearded dragon had been left in a large, communal rubbish bin but luckily they were found by a member of staff.

Binned bearded dragon rescued

”

In July, we rescued a bearded dragon after the lizard

Unfortunately, as they had returned overseas, we had

was dumped in a bin by their owner.

no way to trace them following the incident.

We were called to student accommodation on Hillside

The lizard was only young, around six months old and

Crescent, Edinburgh where a shocked member of staff

was in good condition so had clearly been cared for

had found the reptile in a bin on 6 July.

up to that point.

The poor bearded dragon had been left in a large,

Thankfully, the reptile was unharmed and was taken

communal rubbish bin but luckily they were found

to one of our animal rescue and rehoming centres

by a member of staff.

to receive the care they needed.

Some international students had recently moved out and it is suspected one of them left the lizard behind.

9

Day in the life of an animal rescue officer Lorraine McNeill gives us a sneak peek into an average day for one of our animal rescue officers As an animal rescue officer, I am on the road every day, ready to respond quickly to animals who need my help.

I cover North Ayrshire as well as Dumfries and Galloway, which can be quite a large area to get around! It’s a rainy, dreich morning, and that often means that we get less calls than usual. When it’s raining, less people go outside, which means it’s less likely for animals who need rescued to be spotted by members of the public.

Animal rescue officers mostly deal with wildlife cases, although we are always on hand to assist with pets when they need it too.

9AM

I quickly pop into one of our rescue centres as I’ve been told a member of the public has left something for me there. On my way in, I meet Blair, an amazing volunteer who specialises in ferret care.

He knows everything there is to know about ferrets, and works hard to socialise them – he has even harness-trained some of our ferrets so that we can take them out on walks! Blair lets me have a quick cuddle with Bingo, an adorable polecat ferret.

Inside, I pick up what turns out to be a thank you card. Back in May, I was called out to Ayrshire beach

I check in with my helpline colleagues to see what

to help a swan that had been attacked by a dog. The

jobs I have on for the day. I am told about a poor cat

animal was in a lot of pain and I had to put them to

that was sadly involved in a road traffic accident.

sleep, which is never an easy decision to make. It’s

Luckily, the cat survived, and is currently receiving

lovely to hear that, despite the sad outcome, the

treatment in a Dumfries veterinary clinic. The cat

woman who wrote the card understood why I made

has no microchip and no owner has come forward

the decision I did and that it was what was best for

to claim them yet, so it’s my job to work with our

the swan. This type of feedback always brightens

rescue centres to find space for them in one of our

my day, and I’m extremely touched by the woman’s

catteries. This is more difficult than ever as we’ve

kind words.

seen an unprecedented demand on our services over the last year. Our rescue centres are often filled to capacity, but we work hard to find a place for animals wherever we can.

10

11AM

r 2PM After a quick spot of lunch, a job comes through for an injured cygnet that has got themselves stuck in an area with no water on Ayr Road, Cumnock.

It takes me a while to get there from where I am in Stevenston, but when I arrive I meet Allison, the person who called our helpline for assistance. She has cleverly ushered the young swan to a grassy area and has been able to contain them using

my van and head off. When I get there, I unload the cygnet and carry them off to their new digs.

Unfortunately – it turns out the water I was told about has dried up! I walk for 10 minutes but the pools are completely gone. I need to take the cygnet back to the van – which neither me nor the swan are happy about!

4PM

temporary barriers from her place of work across

Finally, I find a lovely quiet body of water that will

the road. This is a massive help, and I’m quickly

be a perfect new home for my bird. Unfortunately,

able to capture and examine the bird.

despite putting him down only a few yards away

While Allison thought the cygnet was hurt because they wouldn’t fly, I find that the young bird is luckily uninjured. It is common for cygnets who are nearing adulthood to be chased off by their parents to find their own way in life, and this little swan has exhausted themselves while searching for a patch of water to call their own.

The swan needs to be relocated to a body of water so that they can rest and get their strength back up.

I am told by locals of a nearby body of water that is perfect for swans, so I load the cygnet safely into

from the water’s edge, the cygnet turns and runs in the other direction! I need to recapture them and then place them directly into the water to try again.

Finally, the young swan starts swimming and glides off into the distance. I have a wee lie down on the water bank, now completely exhausted myself!

It’s great to finish my shift on a successful rescue.

Happy moments like this are why I became an animal rescue officer in the first place. While it can sometimes be a challenging job, these rewarding experiences make everything worth it.

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Meet the fosterers We speak to foster carers Bobby and Joanne on why offering animals temporary homes is so worthwhile Bobby always told his wife Joanne that they would adopt

very patient with their puppy behaviours. Harvey is the

a dog as soon as he retired. Little did either of them know

younger of the two dogs, so he’s always on hand as a

just how many dogs they would end up looking after!

playmate for the puppies.”

Bobby and Joanne decided to foster after learning about

Bobby and Joanne are now known around their native

the horrors of puppy farms from news reports. By this

Troon as puppy fosterers. With an adorable pup and

time, Bobby had retired and the pair had already adopted

two beautiful adult dogs in tow, they are hard to miss!

the dogs they had always dreamt of having – two springer spaniel labrador crosses called Kobe and Harvey. When they realised they could help even more dogs by offering them a temporary home while they awaited their forever families being found, the couple got in touch to sign up

“People stop and speak to us about the puppies because they see us walking with a different puppy every couple of months – that’s how people get to know me now! But it’s actually been great, because people learn about

for our fostering programme.

the dogs and realise they need new homes. Two of the

“We couldn’t believe the horrible circumstances that

people we know in and around Troon. So it’s been lovely

some dogs come into the world to,” said Bobby.

seeing them go to loving forever families.”

puppies we’ve fostered, Maverick and Mac, have gone to

“We got in touch with the Scottish SPCA to see if we could help, and we have been fostering puppies ever since.”

Bobby and Joanne have so far fostered six puppies for us, and are currently looking after a young Belgian malamute named Groot. Bobby

“

We got in touch with the Scottish SPCA to see if we could help, and we have been fostering puppies ever since.

thinks that their adult dogs Kobe and Harvey have really helped the puppies relax and settle in their foster homes.

Bobby and Joanne find it sad to say goodbye to young pups they’ve developed bonds with, but it helps to

“They are my biggest assets. They help socialise the

remind themselves why they decided to foster dogs

young dogs, and teach them the ropes when we’re out

in the first place.

on walks. They help pups who have had difficult starts in life get used to living in a home environment, and are

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“It’s always hard, but I try not to dwell on the puppy we’re giving up. I try to look forward to the next puppy that we will be able to help. That’s the best way to handle it I think,” said Bobby.

“It’s the best thing ever to see the puppies grow, and start to bounce around and for their characters to start shining through. A few times, I’ve taken them to the centre when it’s time for their new families to take them home, and it’s so nice to see their faces light up when they see their new dog. It’s really heart-warming, and makes us feel like we’ve done something really worthwhile.”

If you have a calm and understanding nature and think you can foster to help give our animals a second chance, visit scottishspca.org/fostering or email fostering@scottishspca.org

To learn more, visit scottishspca.org/fostering

How we deliver our services is changing In August, we announced some changes that will enable

Last year we expanded pet fostering, improved our

us to continue to improve the lives of animals, both now

rehoming process, and launched our Pet Aid service to

and in the future, to make Scotland the best place for an

keep pets where they belong – with their loving owners.

animal to call home.

We’re now working with 52 food banks and partners

Demand for our services has never been greater, with an increase of 10% in calls to our helpline vs last year, a 27% increase in animals coming into our care, an 11%

in 18 local authorities throughout Scotland and have seen thousands of pets and people benefit from our community outreach work.

increase in calls to relinquish pets and a 13% increase

We know if we want to tackle this crisis, we need to do

in welfare incidents. Citizens Advice Scotland report an

more. That is why we are expanding our community

estimated 220,000 people in Scotland are cutting back

outreach work.

on pet care due to costs and that will only increase the animal welfare crisis if we don’t get on top of it.

This will include growing and embedding Pet Aid

We are also dealing with increasingly complex cases,

partners both nationally and locally, and investing in our

such as veterinary and behavioural challenges in pets.

regional teams to ensure we can provide support in the

These challenges, alongside rising demand for our

heart of every community.

services, are fuelled in part by the cost-of-living crisis

throughout the country, working in collaboration with

affecting how people are able to care for their pets.

We’re also going to be working with Citizens Advice

In response, we’ve had to adapt the way we work quickly

welfare support via their existing network of offices.

Scotland to make it easier for people to access animal

in order to support animals and people when they need us most.

Visit scottishspca.org/community to find out more.

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“

Citizens Advice Scotland report an estimated 220,000 people in Scotland are cutting back on pet care due to costs

”

With the expansion of services by the end of 2024, we aim to:

Double the number

Increase our adoption rate by

15%

of food banks and community larders we

,

finding forever

work with through

homes for hundreds

Pet Aid to help pet

more animals.

owners access vital supplies and support.

Triple the number of foster families we work with, from 200 to 600.

Add veterinary support to our Pet Aid service, which will improve access to veterinary care

200

600

for pet owners who are struggling financially.

15

“

Our education teams continue to support every community with our helpline also running 365 days a year

”

Joining our inspectors, animal rescue officers, education officers and helpline who are delivering lifeline services in communities every day, our fostering, rehoming, and community engagement teams are going to grow with new roles created. With this comes the opportunity to scale up our fostering and rehoming capacity while providing support to prevent an animal from coming into our care in the first place.

As a result of the changes, two of our smaller animal rescue and rehoming centres in Ayrshire and Caithness are closing.

In building out our fostering service and continuing to improve rehoming, we will be increasing our overall capacity. Each region will have someone dedicated to community engagement, improving access to animal welfare services for the animals and people of Ayrshire, Caithness and all across Scotland.

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Case study: Jenny & Cade We are already embedded in communities nationwide.

Border collie, Jenny, came in to our care temporarily

We have over 120 inspectors and animal rescue officers

when her owner was struggling with substance abuse.

providing services across Scotland every day. This support remains the same with these teams on-hand to answer the call when a pet, wild or farmed animal needs

Jenny was well-loved, and Cade* worked hard on his sobriety so that he could create a safe home for Jenny

help every single day of the year.

to come back to.

Our education teams continue to support every

Despite his best efforts, he was struggling financially and

community with our helpline also running 365 days a year, responding to animals and people in need. Our centres will always play a vital role in our approach to animal rescue and rehoming and we’ll continue to operate other centres in key sites across Scotland as well as our world leading wildlife hospital.

Animal rescue goes far beyond the bricks and mortar of a rescue centre and, as more and more people turn to us for help, we’re adapting the way we do things and getting ahead of that growing demand. We’ve been rescuing animals since 1839 and it’s in the spirit of placing animal rescue at the heart of every community in Scotland that we’ll approach things for decades to come.

couldn’t afford basic items and veterinary care for Jenny.

Through our Pet Aid service, the local inspector was able to give Cade a bank of pet essentials. This meant he could afford her vet treatment and Jenny was able to return home.

Now in recovery, Cade is clear that Jenny is helping him get through this difficult time.

The bond between a person and their pet is so important for both physical and mental wellbeing, so we only ever remove animals as a last resort. Instead, we work to equip people with the tools and knowledge needed to care for their pets.

*We changed Cade’s name to protect his identity.

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Animal welfare policy We have been working hard behind the scenes responding to consultations, giving evidence in the Scottish Parliament, and pushing for change to improve the welfare of animals and people in Scotland.

XL Bully ban

A better future for wildlife

In September, Rishi Sunak announced that XL bullies are

The Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill will propose

going to become a banned breed by the end of this year.

we are given a limited extension of our current powers

The UK Government outlined intentions to work with the

to investigate wildlife crime.

devolved nations to make this ban UK-wide under the

The limitation of the powers is that they would only be

current Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. We do not believe

exercised when we are already responding to a case

this is the answer.

using our existing powers under the Animal Health and

We fully support legislation to protect the public. We

Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

believe any breed of dog can be potentially out of control

These powers would allow our inspectors, who are

and dangerous in the wrong hands. These dogs are very

already on location investigating animal welfare offences,

powerful and require owners who can manage them,

to search, examine and seize evidence.

and keep them under control.

Under the same Bill, the Scottish Government has

However, we believe the law should be based on

announced its intention to ban snares and place tighter

deed and not breed. We want an end to irresponsible

restrictions on the use of traps. If a ban is implemented,

ownership and low-welfare breeding practices, rather

we will be following in the footsteps of Wales to

than adding another breed to an already flawed piece

implement a full ban on the use of snares, which would

of legislation.

be a historic moment for animal welfare in Scotland.

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Licensing of animal-based services The Scottish Government is looking at extending The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 to ensure many animalrelated vocations are licensed.

Before now, dog walkers and groomers have not required

Over the summer, the Scottish Government awarded powers to local authorities to be able to designate firework control zones where fireworks cannot be set off.

We will continue to work with local government to help implement these vital zones, including around our animal rescue and rehoming centres and wildlife hospital.

Working for dog welfare

a license and riding establishments have been licensed

Christine Grahame MSP has laid the Welfare of Dogs Bill

under legislation that is over 50 years old. This expansion

that will place tighter restrictions on the ownership of

will require better regulation of these industries and will

dogs to crack down on the low-welfare trade in these

safeguard animal welfare.

animals.

Included in this consultation are canine fertility clinics

We are also anticipating the Dog Abduction Bill that is

and greyhound racing tracks. We have not changed

going to be laid by Maurice Golden MSP. The Bill will

our position calling for an end to greyhound racing

make the theft of a dog a standalone crime. We look

in Scotland. We are demanding an overhaul of the

forward to providing updates on both of these Bills

Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, but in the interim,

on our website and social media as they progress.

licensing canine fertility services will be a positive step to protecting animals from suffering at the hands of unscrupulous breeders.

Firework control zones The Firework and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 introduced tighter restrictions on the use of fireworks, flares and other pyrotechnics.

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Giving animals hope this Christmas For many people across the country, the festive period is a time for celebration. Families come together and friends reunite. But for others, it can be overwhelming and isolating. And for some animals, this can be a time when they are in desperate need of our help.

So we come to the rescue, even on Christmas Day. We find a forever home for a rabbit whose owner sadly passed away at New Year. We provide a warm bed for a kitten who was an unwanted present and found abandoned on Boxing Day. We even rescue and release a wild bird who was stuck up a chimney on Christmas Eve. 365 days a year, our teams put their own celebrations aside to help pets, farm animals and wildlife across the country.

As a valued member we would love to give you an early preview of our Christmas advert, which will be launching in November.

Scan the QR code for a sneak peek.

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Fundraising in the workplace Did you know there are ways to support us while you’re at work?

Team challenges

Whether you work in a small business

Whether you’re competing to cover the most miles

or a large corporation, our new corporate partnerships manager,

Tough Mudder course, you’ll experience camaraderie

Claire MacPherson, has ideas on how

Tackle a challenge together and foster team spirit! walked in a month, or helping each other round the and friendly rivalry, all while raising vital funds.

to get your colleagues involved in making Scotland the best place for

In-office activities

all animals.

Why not host a bake sale? It’s the perfect chance to grab a tasty treat or show off your hidden talents! You could even make it animal-themed for extra challenge.

Alternatively, raffles, dress down (or dress up!) days, Christmas jumpers or a simple ‘name the teddy’ competitions all work well to bring a bit of fun to the working day.

Payroll giving Also known as ‘’Give As You Earn’, this is by far the easiest way to support us. Speak to your payroll team about donating directly from your pay for a tax-efficient and simple way to give.

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Matched funding and corporate donations

If you’d like more information on fundraising at work, how to nominate us for a partnership

In order to support their staff and local communities,

or donation, or how to sign up to payroll giving,

many companies offer to top up any funds you raise, or to

our corporate partnerships team would be

make a donation every time you and your team volunteer.

delighted to help.

Some even give regular corporate donations to causes nominated by staff. Check with your HR team or charity

You can email us at corporate@scottishspca.org

committee to see what is on offer in your workplace.

or call our helpline and choose option four for fundraising.

Charity of the year

We are so grateful for the continued support

If your workplace chooses an annual charity partner,

of our members. Your generosity allows us to

these are likely nominated by employees. The second

rescue animals across the country 365 days

step is often a staff vote. Having vocal support within

a year.

an organisation makes a massive difference to the outcome of these. If you don’t already have this type of programme, consider starting one up. You’ll be surprised at how easy and rewarding it is to see your total rise through the year and our expert team are on hand to support you every step of the way.

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Rehoming successes Murphy the parrot

Charlie the cat

Murphy came into our care after he was poorly cared

Charlie arrived at one of our centres in April this year

for by a previous owner.

as a stray after it was suspected that he had been

He was adopted in March 2023 by Debbie who works on our helpline and is also one of our seasonal animal rescue officers. Debbie has owned parrots for over two decades and had searched for years to replace her female parrot who passed away in 2016.

Murphy is around 20 years old and has a big personality. When he wants attention or to wind Debbie up, he imitates her diabetes alarm, which is supposed to alert her when her blood sugar is too high or too low!

Debbie says Murphy is the most human parrot she has ever had and often reacts to things with the ‘right’ response. He even laughs along with the family at funny films! When DIY work was being done in the house, he also loudly asked ‘what that noise was’.

When the family eat, he asks for food too and imitates the fridge!

The family wouldn’t be without him as he keeps them entertained with his antics.

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attacked by another animal. Unfortunately, Charlie needed to have one of his back legs amputated as a result of his injuries.

We are thrilled that Charlie was recently adopted by new owners Nicola and Ryan and he is now living his best life with his new cat housemate, Milo. Both Charlie and Milo are rescues and amputees so their bond is even more special.

Mac the dog Mac was adopted from us as a pup by Mark and Deziree in early 2022. The couple love to spend their time outdoors and noticed right away that Mac had the drive, energy and intelligence to become a great search and rescue dog.

Mac proved to be a natural and, after a year of hard work and lots of training, Mark and Mac qualified as a SARDA novice dog and handler, much to the delight of them both! The pair are already hard at work so that they can achieve full dog and handler status next year.

When he’s not in training, Mac loves to join his owners on their fun outdoor adventures, including skiing, canoeing, biking and climbing!

Mark says Mac won them over within minutes of meeting him and has brought an immense amount of joy, amusement and companionship to both him and his wife.

Dante the dog Dante was brought into our care after being rescued from a puppy farm.

He was lucky enough to be fostered by Jane who has a very elderly dog and thought fostering before adopting would be a good way to see how they got on.

Jane says Dante is a total joy. He’s friendly, loves people and other dogs, constantly wants to cuddle and will follow you everywhere. She says the family would have been too sad to let him go so they adopted him.

Dante now lives with three boys, a dog, and a cat who bashes him with her paw until he plays with her.

Jane says he is so happy, friendly, snuggly, loyal and curious. He loves attention, from everyone and anyone, and has started what she suspects will be a lifelong love for great danes.

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Supporter spotlight Olivia Paul who is 11 years old and lives in Dunoon decided to take on our ‘Walk 100Km in August’ fundraising challenge.

Along with her dog Luna, a show cocker spaniel, she quickly clocked up the kilometres to raise much-needed funds.

Olivia said: “I saw a page for the Scottish SSPCA on social media and I liked it and then a post appeared about their 100km walk. So I asked my Mum if I could do it because I wanted to help save and look after all the animals that they care for and rescue and to help raise money for them. It was also something I could do with my dog Luna.“ Olivia’s mother Lisa Paul was extremely proud of her daughter’s fundraising efforts and said: “She achieved what she set out to do.

She’s walked 110.5miles, that’s 177km! She’s the kindest, most thoughtful wee person I know. I’m so proud of her.”

We are extremely impressed with Olivia’s success and so grateful to her and supporters like her who continue to do amazing things to help us raise funds for the animals we rescue. Together we can help ensure that Scotland is the best place in the world for an animal to call home.

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“

I wanted to help save and look after all the animals that they care for and rescue and to help raise money for them

”

If you want to hear more about how you can support us or want to register for a challenge then Sharon, our fundraising assistant, is ready to help. You can get in touch by calling her on 03000 999 999 and selecting option 4 or by emailing fundraising@scottishspca.org.

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2023 Events Scottish Half Marathon

24 September

Loch Ness Marathon

1 October

Women’s 10K Edinburgh & Men’s 10K Edinburgh

22 October

Halloween Quiz Night, Glasgow

17 October

Quiz Night

26 October

Firewalk, Cowdenbeath

3 November

2024 Events Supernova Kelpies 5K

15 & 16 March

Falkirk Wheel Abseil

17 March

London Marathon

21 April

Edinburgh Marathon Festival Northern Lights Tower Abseil, Aberdeen Women’s 10K Glasgow & Men’s 10K Glasgow

25 – 26 May 25 May

Inverness Aberdeen

16 June

Central Scotland Dundee

Glasgow

Edinburgh Musselburgh

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03000 999 999 SCOTTISHSPCA.ORG Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Email: marketing@scottishspca.org Scottish Charity No. SC 006467 665853_MAG