Submitted by Steve on 23:34, 27th Jul, 2016 | 0

Today marked a huge step and milestone in the history of the GSPCA as our New Multi Purpose Animal Welfare Building was officially opened.

Over 70 volunteers, staff, Build Partners, key supporters, Deputies, and VIP's attended the official opening which took place on Wednesday 27th July 2016 at 2pm.

The reception started at 1.15pm and we must say thank you to Mr and Mrs Naftel for allowing us the use of the field to park the many vehicles.

The welcome drinks were kindly supported by Bucktrouts, food from Pelicans Cafe, trays of cakes from the Furze Oven and many other nibbles from wonderful supporters.

The GSPCA team have been working hard over the last few weeks in the run up to the event which despite a slight drizzle was well supported and a huge success.

At 2.05pm His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE CB, Patron of the GSPCA arrived with his family and were greeted by GSPCA President John Knight and GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne.

His Excellency along with the GSPCA President and GSPCA Manager at 2.10pm made their way to the public entrance of the new facility which over looked the large crowd of supporters and the media to say a few words.

GSPCA President John Knight started by thanking His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE CB, for kindly opening the new facility and followed by thanking everyone for coming. John went on to explain the history of why the building was needed and how grateful we were to so many, and especially the Build Partners for all of their support and the Association of Guernsey Charities.

GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne followed by explaining how the new building will transform the GSPCA, and from Thursday 28th July we will have sections open to the public to view animals in need of homes.  Steve also thanked the many supporters in Guernsey that have enabled the build, businesses, groups, the staff and the volunteers all of which have made the new facility possible.  He also gave a special thanks to St Andrews Floral Group for all of the wonderful conservation work on site before handing over to His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE CB, Patron of the GSPCA.

His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE CB, made a wonderful speech about the his experiences of the GSPCA and how his dog Milo enjoys staying at the Shelter's boarding facilities, he made reference to the international story of the dead cat that turned out to be a glove puppet before cutting the ribbon and raising a glass to the work of the GSPCA and the new facility.  Flowers and a gift were presented as a way of thanks from the GSPCA who are hugely grateful to our Patron and his family for supporting our ceremony.

GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne and GSPCA President John Knight then took His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE CB, his family and a small party around the new facility where each section was explained.  The state of the art building has many key features and has been designed with the welfare of animals in mind as well as the future challenges the GSPCA may face.  Despite seeing degu's to cats in need of homes the highlight and finale was seeing Olivia the loggerhead turtle on her last day at the Shelter as she flies on Thursday 28th July to Gran Canaria.

Staff took the many guests around the new build explaining the facilities and all had a wonderful afternoon and many kind words were passed on to the team.

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "We have had a wonderful day today at the GSPCA for our official opening of our new facility chatting to our many supporters and other guests from across the community here in Guernsey."

"It is a huge day in our 143 year history and we are hugely grateful to His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE CB, Patron of the GSPCA for supporting us and making a fantastic speech before cutting the ribbon to the new facility."

"The new facility replaces 5 old buildings and gives us a building that is state of the art and multi purpose and has already housed the 25 Slovakian puppies and Olivia the loggerhead turtle."

"From 11am on Thursday 28th July we will have times where visitors for a small donation of £2 per person can come along and look around many of the animals in need of homes as well as a few of our residents."

"There are many more projects happening at the GSPCA and we look forward sharing the details of plans we have from future rebuilds to renewing the kennel floors many of which can be seen online on our wishlist."

"Thank you to everyone that made this day possible and all that supported us it was hugely appreciated."

Here are the new opening hours which start from Thursday 28th July - 

Visiting times of some Animals 

and the use of the picnic area

Monday – Saturday 11am – 4.30pm

Sunday and Bank Holidays 11am – 4pm 

CLOSED Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Liberation Day & New Years Day

Entry Minimum Donation £2 per person

All Visitors must Sign In & Out at Reception to Collect your Entry Ticket

BOARDING Collections and Drop Off's 

Monday to Saturday 11am to 430pm Monday to Saturday

CLOSED for Boarding Collections or Drop Off's on Bank Holidays or Sundays

EMERGENCIES THE SHELTER IS MANNED 24/7

Shop, Charity Shop, Refreshments and Reception Area 

Open Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm,

Sunday and Some Bank Holidays 11am – 4pm

To donate via giving.gg to help Olivia the loggerhead turtle home please click here

giving.gg GSPCA Guernsey Charity donation donating

TURTLE APPEAL - Help fly Olivia the loggerhead turtle from Guernsey to Gran Canaria

 

 

We really need your help to get Olivia back to warmer waters.

Olivia is now ready to be flown to the Canary islands and we are currently appealing for funds to help towards the costs of her flight.

With just over £5000 raised so far we are well on the way towards being able to afford the costs of her flight.

 

To transport a loggerhead turtle from one country to another requires Cites documents which is now in place.

When we first rescued Olivia she was extremely weak, starving, dehydrated and close to death.

Just over four months later and she is now swimming and eating on her own which is difficult to achieve in captivity.

The next big step for Olivia is to get her back to a warmer climate and a rescue centre with experience to finish her rehabilitation.

We have arranged a place for Olivia in the Canary Islands and we need to raise the funds and arrange a plane to help transport her back to where she belongs.

Geoff George Ambulance Driver, Marine Medic and main carer for Olivia at the GSPCA said "Olivia is eating extremely well which is is a massive step in her rehabilitation as they are so difficult to feed in captivity."

"She is strong enough to travel and we are appealing for any donations to help fund her transport, container and care to get her to the Canary Islands."

"She is doing very well at the GSPCA and now we have the paperwork in place we are planning how to get her back where she belongs."

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "Each day we move closer to be able to move Olivia to Gran Canaria and we are currently appealing for any final funds to help move her south."

"A huge thank you to everyone that has donated so far which has helped raise well over £5000 and although we have had quotes between £12500 and £35000 we are hoping to be able to transport her for less than this with final plans happening to fly her to a turtle rescue in the Canaries as we speak."

"Olivia was so weak, dehydrated and thin we were really worried for her when she first arrived, but thanks to the team at the GSPCA especially Geoff George, John Knight and the team at the Vetcare Centres, Les Van Blerk and the team at Vets 4 Pets, Spa De La Mare, Waitrose, Guernsey Reef, States Works, Guernsey Aquarium, Guernsey Builders, Le Friquet Garden Centre and many others she has improved each day and is now ready for a long journey."

"Loggerhead turtles are listed as Endangered and facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources."

"In the wild they face many threats with the greatest threat being a loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests and human disturbances such as coastal lighting and housing developments that cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings."

"Other major threats include incidental capture in longline fishing, shrimp trawling and pollution. as well as incidental capture in fisheries is thought to have played a significant role in the recent population declines observed for these wonderful creatures."

"World wide the population of loggerhead turtles is estimated to only be between 40,000 and 50,000 nesting females which is less than the population of Guernsey."

"We are now desperately looking to find a plane that could help and donations towards the travel to help with costs of fuel and landing taxes."

"New Era Vets from Jersey have helped start the fund with a donation of £280 which was left after transporting the loggerhead turtle called Terri they rescued earlier this year and we are hugely grateful to them and to others that have donated towards her care."

"We have had many quotes well over £12,500 up to £35,00 to transport Olivia, but with the help of some friends and Petair we are hoping it will be much less to help get this very special lady home."

"Team members led by Kip Power at the GSPCA are building a travel container for Olivia which again comes as an additional cost to meet IATA transport regulations for turtles and will likely cost around £200 if anyone would like to doante to this."

"We will have to use veterinary products and rehydration substances to help Olivia during transit as well as have a number of the team and a vet to help ensure she travels safely as she is the size of a car bonnet at 3 feet wide by 4 feet long."

"We are all very excited that we will soon have everything in palce to transport Olivia south and if anyone would like to donate to help her and the many other animals in our care there are many ways in which you can do this from phone to online.

"Thank you to everyone that has helped so far it is really appreciated."

To make a donation online please click the giving.gg, the paypal button below, call 01481 257261, by post or at the GSPCA. 

If you would liek to help in anyway you can contact GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne 01481 257261 or email [email protected]

To see previous updates for Olivia please click here

To donate via giving.gg to help Olivia the loggerhead turtle home please click here

giving.gg GSPCA Guernsey Charity donation donating

TURTLE APPEAL - Help fly Olivia the loggerhead turtle from Guernsey to Gran Canaria

 

 

Loggerhead facts

  • Common Name: Loggerhead - named for its exceptionally large head.
  • Scientific Name: Caretta caretta
  • Description: Head is very large with heavy strong jaws. Carapace is bony without ridges and has large, non-overlapping, rough scutes (scales) present with 5 lateral scute. Carapace is heart shaped. Front flippers are short and thick with 2 claws, while the rear flippers can have 2 or 3 claws. Carapace is a reddish-brown with a yellowish-brown plastron. Hatchlings have a dark-brown carapace with flippers pale brown on margins.
  • Size/Weight/Age: The Loggerhead measures up to 1.1 meters (3.5 ft) long when fully grown, weighing approximately 135 kilograms (300 lb) and have a lifespan of 47-67 years.
  • Diet: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom dwelling invertebrates: mollusks, crustaceans, horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other marine animals. Its large and powerful jaw serve as an effective tool in dismantling its prey.
  • Habitat: Prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries, as well as in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
  • Reproduction: Female Loggerheads, between the age of 17 to 33, will usually mate every 2 to 4 years.
  • Crawl Pattern: 1) Alternating comma-shaped flipper marks 2) Wavy and smoothed track center with no thin, straight, and well-defined tail-drag mark 3) No regular marking from front flippers at the margins of the track
  • Nesting: Female Loggerheads are known to nest from one to seven times within a nesting season (mean is about 4.1 nests per season) at intervals of approximately 12–17 days. Mean clutch size varies from about 100 to 126 along the southeastern United States coast. Incubation ranges from about 45 to 95 days, depending on incubation temperatures, but averages 55 to 60 days for most clutches.
  • International Status - Listed as Endangered (facing high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN)
  • Threats to Survival: Fishing gear is the biggest threat to loggerheads in the open ocean. They often become entangled in longlines or gillnets. According to the 2009 status review of loggerheads by the Fisheries Service, drowning from entanglement in longline and gillnet fishing gear is the turtles’ primary threat in the North Pacific. The second greatest threat is loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances (such as coastal lighting and housing developments) that discourages nesting and interferes with the hatchlings' ability to navigate to the water's edge

To see some of the businesses that have helped please check out the links below.

Waitrose Rohais - http://www.waitrose.com/bf_home/bf/333.html

For details of Waitrose Fish Friday please visit - http://www.waitrose.com/home/mywaitrose/fishfridays.html

Guernsey Builders - [email protected]

Spa De La Mare - http://www.spadelamare.com/

Guernsey Aquarium - https://www.facebook.com/guernsey.aquarium/

To donate via giving.gg to help Olivia the loggerhead turtle home please click here

giving.gg GSPCA Guernsey Charity donation donating

TURTLE APPEAL - Help fly Olivia the loggerhead turtle from Guernsey to Gran Canaria

 

 

Create your own user feedback survey

To donate to the turtle or Bonnie the grey seal pup please call 01481 257261, pop along to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews, by post or by clicking the link below.

To become an Angel Pen Pal sponsor please click here.

 

If you find a sick our injured wild animal please call 257261 or click here for advice.

Bonnie The Seal from karldorfner on Vimeo.

To see all of our events, links and fund raisers please click here

To donate towards the many animals in our care, you can do so by:

Calling: 01481 257261

By post or popping in the Shelter: GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8UD

Or our Paypal page by clicking the link below

Our Just Giving Page by clicking here.

Or why not become an Angel Pen Pal Sponsor and give each month to help animals in our care by clicking here.

For your business to become a Corporate Angel Pen Pal sponsor please click here.

If you could help towards or new multi purpose building please click here to find out about the Build Partner programme.

If you are looking to adopt an animal and to complete an adoption form please click here. 

If you would like to fund raise or help the GSPCA please contact the GSPCA on 01481 257261 or email [email protected]

To complete our local Guernsey microchip survey -

Create your own user feedback survey

To see all of our events, links and fund raisers please click here

Looking for pet insurance in Guernsey? Check out the GSPCA pet insurance with Rossborough http://www.rossboroughpetinsurance.co.uk

Posted by GSPCA on Tuesday, 30 June 2015

To find out about our Build Partner programme please click here

GSPCA Build Partner programme at the GSPCA Animal Shelter in Guernsey - could your business support the GSPCA and animals in Guernsey - CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility -

To find out how to volunteer for the GSPCA please click here

Volunteering at the GSPCA Animal Shelter in Guernsey

To find out about guided tours at the GSPCA please click here

GSPCA Animal Shelter Guided tours in Guernsey

Have you got a GSPCA Hoody, Polo Shirt, Sweat Shirt or T-shirt? If not get yours by clicking here.

To find out about our Events, how to become a Member, Sponsor an Animal Pen, our Wish List, Corporate Sponsorship & Volunteering, , our New Build & Redevelopment Appeal and much more please click here.

There are many ways to support the work of the GSPCA and you can even donate online by clicking the paypal link below.

Donate with JustGiving and PayPal

By post cheques payable to 'GSPCA' - GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8UD

Or by phone 01481 257261.

To find out more regarding our Angel Sponsorship Scheme please click here.

Have you liked us on facebook yet or joined us on twitter?

Like GSPCA Guenrsey Animal Shelter on facebookFollow the GSPCA Animal Shelter in Guernsey on twitter

Here is the latest from the GSPCA Twitter feed -

To see a page full of items on our GSPCA Wish List please click here.

giving.gg GSPCA Guernsey Charity donation donating

To donate online to help the GSPCA please visit - https://giving.gg/donate/charity/2/Guernsey-Society-for-the-Prevention-of-Cruelty-to-Animals-(GSPCA)

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