GSPCA

The last few Winters have been extremely wet and the GSPCA received large number of calls from concerned members of public about horses and other animals in wet and muddy fields.

Unfortunately due to the another very wet Winter we are having to endure here in Guernsey we are receiving large numbers of calls reporting animals in concerning conditions.

Lorna Prince GSPCA Animal Welfare Manager said ‘With another wet Winter many animals are being affected, both wild and domestic.’

Tomorrow pupils and teachers from St Andrews Primary School will be doing their bit for the GSPCA Purple Week on what is the charities 141st birthday.

Not only will pupils and teachers be buying GSPCA purple wrist bands and having a mufti day ,they are also going to have a few special visitors but ssshhhhh don't tell the children!

Tomorrow afternoon GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne will be taking a few of the residents along to the school for them to meet.

Yesterday the Vauvert Reception class got an opportunity to see behind the scenes at the GSPCA Animal Shelter.

Sarah Creasey the Animal Welfare and Education Officer showed the group around the facilities and talked to them about the work we do.

From hedgehogs to guillemots, rabbits to cats the children learnt how the Shelter helps care for thousands of animals every year.

The GSPCA feels that education in animal care is extremely important and the children certainly enjoyed their time at the Shelter.

Yesterday the GSPCA were called as residents of Beaucette Marina were concerned about Fortune the dolphin.

The GSPCA immediately sent a rescue you team with the vet John Knight.

The team monitored Fortune who was swimming around and as the team prepared to launch a boat Fortune was last seen.

With gale force winds and the dark of night the rescue team in their wet suits spent most of the evening looking for Fortune.

The GSPCA have been up through the night and today and as yet Fortune has not been seen but we are still hopeful that Fortune is alive.

On Thursday the GSPCA will be celebrating 141 years helping animals in Guernsey.

All this week we are asking businesses, schools and individuals to help celebrate with a Purple Week theme.

From wearing purple to work through for a mufti day to buying a GSPCA Purple Wrist Band there are lots of ways to support us this week.

This Thursday the GSPCA celebrates its 141^st year since being founded and last night the Society held its 131^st Annual General Meeting.

With nearly 40 in attendance the night started with a welcome from at the then Acting President John Knight who welcomed all and gave a short insight to the highlights of the charity since the last AGM in November 2012 and also thanked the many individuals and groups that make a key difference to the Society, as well as thanking the Committee both past and present.

After a second spell of rough weather this year the GSPCA has already rescued 4 oiled birds so far today.

The reason we and other coastal animal charities see this increase is that crude oil that has settled on the sea bed gets stirred up and floats to the surface where the birds sadly get coated and then find it difficult to fly, preen, hunt and care for themselves.

We closely monitor the locations of where the birds are found and tidal movements in case they aren't isolated incidents.

We have a busy week ahead of us at the Shelter with the GSPCA Purple Week starting on Monday, our AGM Monday evening from 7pm, our 141st birthday on the 14th and a Dog First Aid Course on Sunday 16th February.

Today the GSPCA were called out to rescue a dolphin stranded on Pembroke Bay that was rolling in the surf.

Geoff George Animal Collection Officer responded to the call that came in at midday and we quickly contacted local vet John Knight who has many years working with dolphins and similar species around the world to attend the scene.

The Common Dolphin was extremely tired and there was no way that the animal could be re-floated with the rough gale force weather.

Is there a person or charity in Guernsey you think deserves a Petplan & ADCH Animal Charity Award? 

24 hours 7 days a week staff and volunteers work to care for and rescue animals every day here in Guernsey and this is a way for them to receive national recognition.

The closing date is the 31st March 2014 but we are urging islanders if they feel that an award is earned to get their vote in as soon as possible.