Halifax RSPCA aiming to give animals their best Christmas ever

The charity, which has to raise £1m every year to care for local animals in need, has launched its Christmas meal appeal, encouraging people to buy a tasty dinner, treat or toy for the 60 dogs, cats, ferrets, guinea pigs and other small animals currently homed at its centre in Wade Street, Halifax.

Fundraising manager Lauren Moore said: “Our centre is open every day of the year and we will have animals spending Christmas with us.

"At Christmas we like to give the animals in our care a special treat. We hang stockings outside their kennels and pens with treats for Christmas morning and we also give them something special on Christmas Eve and throughout the festive period. If you donate to our Christmas meal appeal you are buying them a present and a really nice meal.”

Due to the pandemic, this year has brought specific challenges to the charity.

Lauren said: “It’s been a difficult year for us, as it has been for all charities.

"Donations help us to survive as an animal centre and to continue doing the work that we do. A lot of people don’t realise that we are a separate charity from the national RSPCA.

"Every local branch, of which there are over 150, is individually registered and we have to raise our own funds from our surrounding community to keep our centre running.”

To find out more about the branch’s Christmas meal appeal, and how to donate, please visit: www.rspcahalifaxhuddersfieldbradford.org.uk/christmas-meal-appealYou can also donate by texting XMASMEAL to 70085 to donate £1; by visiting www.justgiving.com/campaign/christmasmeal or by popping into the RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford and district branch in Wade Street, Halifax, to buy a meal ticket.