Pets at Home target smashed

With the help of thousands of customers, Pets at Home - the leading pet superstore chain - has announced it has smashed its fundraising target for The Blue Cross. They will also continue to support the charity until the end of 2006.

Across the UK, the company's 175 stores have managed to raise in excess of £230,000 for the pet charity - £30,000 more than was targeted. Fundraising is continuing until the end of 2006 in all stores to raise even more money to support The Blue Cross and to raise awareness of the benefits of rehoming a rescue pet.

Linda Whiting from Pets at Home said: "We’ve had a really successful year of fundraising for The Blue Cross. All 175 stores have got behind the campaign, hosting party days, raffles as well as selling thousands of pin badges and beanie toys. All our staff feel very passionately about the welfare of animals so I knew they would be more than happy to help raise funds for The Blue Cross."

Linda is pleased to confirm that fundraising will continue until the end of the year: "I'm delighted to say we’re going to continue our relationship with the charity and have raised our fundraising target to £300,000 which we hope to achieve by Christmas. I'd like to thank Pets at Home and Blue Cross staff who have been into some of our stores - they are really making a difference."

Vanessa Rossiter, corporate fundraising officer at The Blue Cross, added: "What Pets at Home has achieved for us is amazing and we can't thank them enough! The staff have been excellent, really enthusiastic. Matched only by the generosity of Pets at Home customers. Thank you all."