No hung parliament for the animal election
The results of the election everyone’s been talking about are in – and the winners are the dogs. It was a fierce competition between the dog, cat and small animal parties but there was no hung parliament here. Dogs were the clear winners with 101 votes, cats came second with 84 and small animals came third with 34 votes. And they call it puppy love...
She may be eight years old but Suki still thinks she’s a puppy. The Akita loves playing with her new family and has even made a four-legged friend. She was adopted by Michelle Horton who saw her profile on The Blue Cross website and went to see her at our centre in Bromsgrove. Fin wins gold
A Blue Cross rescue dog has won gold in a prestigious training programme. Fin was given the top award by the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme. The Jack Russell/staffie cross had to carry out several tough tasks to pass the test, including food manners, examination by a stranger and emergency stop. Can you give Holly a second chance?
Holly was a stray whose owner never came to claim her. We soon learned what her favourite things were – having her belly rubbed and lying the sun. And if you have a bone or chew, she’s yours forever. Darn it! I have been sew silly
This curious kitten had a lucky escape when she accidentally pounced on a darning needle. This amazing X-ray revealed the two and a half inch needle lodged in seven-month-old Marley’s neck. Who will get your vote?
Forget Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg – the real battle is between these formidable candidates. Molly the dog, Monty the cat and Bernie the rabbit are on the election trail and looking for your support. Do any of them have what it takes to win your vote? The Blue Cross response to RSPCA announcement
The RSPCA has announced plans to take in fewer unwanted pets at its national centres. The charity wants to prioritise animals rescued by its inspectors from cruelty and neglect. Last year The Blue Cross took in nearly 7,000 stray and unwanted animals and 64 per cent of these were given up voluntarily. The Blue Cross concerned by 'rabbit trancing' reports
The Blue Cross is disturbed by recent media reports of rabbit ‘trancing’. We believe claims that ‘rabbit whisperer’ Cliff Penrose can help the pets relax by inducing this state are misleading. Kitten recovers after dog attack
A kitten who was attacked by a dog is bouncing back to health. Felix was left with facial injuries after the attack but has recovered well after being treated at one of our animal hospitals. Guinea pigs John Terry and Ashley Cole left on the bench
Two unwanted guinea pigs are struggling to find new homes – because they are named after footballer love rats. Cuddly critters John Terry and Ashley Cole have been left on the bench while their ‘team-mates’ get picked one by one. Intrepid Italian completes his adventure
An animal lover who journeyed 2,000 miles on his scooter to raise cash for The Blue Cross has returned from his adventure. Stefano Molin travelled from Devon to Humberside and back, stopping off at several of our adoption centres and hospitals enroute. Sandbag needs a home
Remember Sandbag? He and his dog and cat pals were rescued from Iraq last year. After a fundraising campaign, the former soldiers’ mascots were flown to the UK where they spent time in quarantine before they could be rehomed. The good news is that Royal and Hesco have found loving homes but dogs Sandbag and Dirtbag are still at the kennels. Cat found in bin
A cat has been rescued after she was dumped in a bin. Claudette was discovered by a passerby and handed to The Blue Cross. Boxes of cats and kittens found in carpark
Two cardboard boxes full of cats and kittens have been dumped outside one of our adoption centres. The sealed boxes containing three cats and 11 tiny kittens were left in the car park of the Torbay centre. The Blue Cross comment on new greyhound legislation
The Department for Environment, Food and Agricultural Affairs announced new guidelines today as part of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations for 2010. Don't just hop into buying a bunny
With Easter upon us again it seems everyone is going bunny bonkers! Here at The Blue Cross, we love bunnies too but we do ask that before you upgrade your chocolate bunny to a real rabbit, you read through our things to consider. Hoppy's bouncing back
Hoppy had a bleak start to life. When his breeder discovered he was almost completely blind, he didn’t want him anymore. The black Labrador was given away to someone who kept him chained up outside in an alleyway with no shelter. Luckily Hoppy was rescued and brought to our adoption centre in Tiverton. | Cats are toe-tally special
No high-fives here – these six-toed cats are toe-tally special. Nine-year-old sisters Puddy and Baby came to our adoption centre in Cambridge when their owner developed an allergy to cats. During a routine health check staff discovered they both have six toes on each foot. Most cats have five toes on each of their front paws and four on the back so these two have six extra toes each! |
Tia Maria's looking for a second chance
A horse found with battery acid burns is looking for someone to give her a second chance in life. Tia Maria was bought with a nasty wound on her back caused by acid being poured over her to try to remove her freezemark. Intrepid Italian on fundraising scooter ride
Scoot over – it’s intrepid Italian Stefano Molin. The animal lover has embarked on a 2,000 mile charity scooter ride for The Blue Cross and his travels will take him from Devon to Humberside and back. The Blue Cross welcomes shock collar ban
The Blue Cross has welcomed the ban on shock collars in Wales. Anyone caught using the electric pet collars now faces a fine of up to £20,000 or six months in prison following the landmark decision by Assembly Members. Meet the mature moggies
They’re older and they’re wiser – meet the mature moggies. These cats believe age is nothing but a number and they’re urging adopters not to be put off by their advanced years. They are all at our adoption centre in Torbay and are looking for loving homes. Holly's home is where her heart is
Former stray Holly has finally found somewhere to call home. The black cat caught the eye of Kate Jones when she and her partner visited our Bromsgrove adoption centre. The Merton hospital team bring The Blue Cross to CNN
The Blue Cross hospital at Merton, and more specifically nurse manager Tamsin Durston, will be the stars of a short film on CNN's Quest Means Business programme tonight (22 March) showing a glimpse of one busy morning at the hospital. Vanilla and Shadow prove opposites attract
They may be as different as chalk and cheese but these two cats are proof that opposites attract. Good pals Vanilla and Shadow love getting up to mischief in their new home after being adopted by Tracy Brown. The Blue Cross responds to dog DNA conviction
A killer who was convicted using pioneering dog DNA technology has been given a life sentence for the murder of a teenage boy. Chrisdian Johnson was told he must serve at least 24 years after he set his dog Tyson on 16-year-old Seyi Ogunyemi before stabbing him to death. Tammy's triumph
Blue Cross rescue cat Tammy is triumphing in her adopted home. The black and white feline was picked by David Graebe when he came to our Northiam adoption centre. Mr Graebe was used to having two cats in the house so when one sadly passed away, he wanted a companion for his other cat Felix. The Blue Cross hits the small screen
The Blue Cross is featuring in a TV documentary this weekend. The programme on dog breeding is being broadcast on More4 after Crufts on Sunday at 9pm. Antiques expert gets show on the road for pet charity shop
We’re polishing up our potentially priceless porcelain in the hope it will impress an antiques expert. Antiques Roadshow presenter Henry Sandon will be declaring our new charity shop in Worcester officially open on Tuesday 16 March at 11am. Beauty isn't skin deep
Dog lovers are being urged to look beyond skin deep when choosing their pet. The Blue Cross takes in more than 2,000 homeless and unwanted dogs every year and many of these are because of a mismatch between the dog’s needs and the owner’s lifestyle. We love pets!
We love pets at The Blue Cross – and so does Morrisons. The supermarket chain has launched pet month in its 423 stores and has teamed up with us to offer people practical advice on looking after animals. Helping animals in Hungerford
The Blue Cross has opened its 14th charity shop. Mayor Elizabeth Cardwell helped us to mark the celebrations by cutting the ribbon at the shop in Hungerford. Blue Cross statement on dangerous dog legislation review
The Blue Cross animal charity welcomes the consultation on dangerous dog laws announced by Defra today. The charity regularly advises government on animal welfare issues and has been calling for a review of the dangerous dog legislation. Parliamentary support for rights of older pet owners
A campaign to allow older people to keep their pets when they go into residential care or sheltered housing has been given a welcome boost. The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS), which works in partnership with The Blue Cross, started Pets for Life to highlight the plight suffered by many older people in Britain who are forced to give up their pets. The Blue Cross opens its 14th shop
The Blue Cross is celebrating the launch of its 14th shop this week. Our newest charity shop, in Hungerford, will be officially opened by the Mayor Elizabeth Cardwell. Family find their dream dog
A family has revealed how they found the pet of their dreams after adopting a Blue Cross dog. When Catherine Atkinson and her daughters Ella (ten) and Holly (five) met Maddie at our adoption centre in Thirsk, it was love at first sight. Pluto's feeling out of this world
Pluto’s feeling out of this world after finding a new home. As previously reported, the stray tabby kitten was discovered lying injured under a hedge by a road and was handed in to us. Chalkie makes himself at home
When Amanda Fuller’s kitten went missing she was heartbroken. After months of searching for her, she wasn’t sure if she would ever be ready to have another cat. But now the family has fallen in love with Blue Cross rescue cat Chalkie – and Amanda says he’s already ruling the roost. Centre celebrates its 100th birthday
Staff, volunteers and supporters past and present have helped our Southampton adoption centre mark its 100th birthday. Mable recovers after being left tied to a tree
Mable is hoping for a happy ending after she was left tied to a tree. The Jack Russell terrier was discovered by a passer-by in a park. Her owner never came back for her. Happy 100th birthday Southampton
One of our adoption centres is celebrating its 100th birthday this weekend. The Southampton centre was officially opened on February 28th 1910. Warning after PC found guilty of cruelty
The Blue Cross has issued a warning to pet lovers after a policeman was found guilty of animal cruelty. Bertie needs some love
Meet Bertie. The two-week-old kitten is being hand-reared by Blue Cross staff after being rejected by his mother. Bertie and his mum came to us as strays. The mum was discovered in someone’s home after she wandered through their catflap. Happy birthday to our charity shop!
A Blue Cross charity shop is celebrating its first birthday after a fabulous debut year. The Stow-on-the-Wold shop, which was opened last February by designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, has already raised more than £70,000 to help needy animals. We will be celebrating on Thursday 18 February and would love for you to join us for a slice of cake and to find out more about the work we do. We want to teach YOU to ride!
Calling pony-loving children… these irresistibly cute lead-rein ponies are all looking for new homes where they can teach a little one how to ride. Ellie, Georgie, Coco and Happy range in size from 10hh to 12.2hh and cover a spectrum of colours. Elvis is lonesome tonight
You can’t help falling in love with Elvis. The 18 month old cat was all shook up when his owner was moving and had to hand him in to our adoption centre in Torbay. Will you be my Valentine?
These Blue Cross horses are all looking for love this Valentine’s Day. Could you be their perfect match? Horse owners urged to be vigilant
Horse owners are being urged to make sure they are vigilant after a spate of thefts. Up to six horses are thought to have been stolen across Oxfordshire in the last week. Bareback riders raise £200 for Blue Cross
Brave horse-riders who took up a bareback challenge have raised £200 for The Blue Cross. The Christmas Pudding Bareback Challenge – a sponsored dressage competition with a twist – was a great success. It was run by Interdressage, a website that gives people a chance to compete online for prize money and rosettes by submitting videos. Meet the super seven
Forget the seven dwarves – meet this group of lovely boys. The greyhounds were left unwanted after a racetrack in Wales closed and were taken in by our Blue Cross adoption centre in Burford. Two are lucky enough to have been reserved already but the other five are looking for loving homes. Warm reunion for stray cats and their owners
Two stray cats have been reunited with their worried owners within days of each other. Both pets were treated at our animal hospital in Merton after being handed into The Blue Cross. Because they weren’t microchipped or wearing collars with identification, we had no way of knowing whether the cats had loving owners looking for them. New home for Tinkerbell
This cat feels like she’s been sprinkled with fairy dust after finding a loving new home. Tinkerbell caught the eye of Nick Hillman, who is the Conservative candidate for Cambridge at the general election. Would you throw us away?
Two kittens have been rescued after they were discovered in a rubbish chute. The pair were found in a box in the chute on a London estate and handed into The Blue Cross. Named Marvin and Vinnie by our staff they have recovered well from their ordeal and are very friendly and playful. Christmas Paw Draw winners announced
The winners of The Blue Cross Christmas Paw Draw raffle for 2009 have been drawn. New friend found for bereaved horse
The team at The Blue Cross leapt to the rescue recently when a tragic accident left a sociable horse without his field companion. The charity quickly found the perfect new friend for bereft Oscar and within ten days he and his new field mate Blue Cross Slinky were contentedly grazing nose to nose. And the cutest Christmas pet 2009 goes to...
We had lots of fantastic entries for our Christmas competition. The challenge was to send in a photo of your pet getting into the festive spirit. The snaps were all so great we found it difficult to pick a winner. Spike picks new owner
Tabby cat Spike is feeling purrfect after finding a loving new home. The four-year-old caught the eye of Charlotte Manvill when she visited the Blue Cross adoption centre in Tiverton. After getting to know Spike, Charlotte and her partner decided to adopt him. The Blue Cross welcomes Bateson report
The Blue Cross welcomes Professor Bateson’s firm recommendations for improving standards for dog breeding in the UK. Steve Goody, director of external affairs for The Blue Cross said: “This report is a really positive step towards tackling irresponsible breeding practices and safeguarding the health and welfare of dogs. While any recommendations may take time to implement, the public can play a vital and important role now by making responsible choices when taking on a dog. The Blue Cross is committed to improving public awareness and guiding prospective owners on what to consider when choosing a dog or puppy.” Dogs get the thumbs up
Two Blue Cross dogs have got the thumbs up after learning sign language. Homeless deaf dogs Sissy and Chester are learning basic commands to help them communicate with humans. They’ve been taught that thumbs up means good boy/girl, waggy finger means no, arms outstretched means come here and outward palm means stay. Mastering these commands will really help the dogs as it will improve their relationship with a potential new owner. Keep safe in the icy weather
Pet owners are being urged to stay safe in the icy weather. Two people have tragically died in the latest cold snap after they went on to the ice to save their dogs. At our animal hospital in Grimsby a dog was brought in after she fell into frozen water. People are advised to keep their dog on a lead near frozen water as the ice may be thinner than it looks and to never put their own or another human life in danger to save an animal. Should 'dangerous dogs' be banned?
Recent reports in the press about dog attacks and illegal breeds have put the Dangerous Dogs Act back under the spotlight. The tragic death of four-year-old John Paul Massey in Liverpool last November brought the law under public scrutiny and this week it was revealed that three-year-old Zara Tarout was injured after she was bitten by a dog in Islington, London. This highlights yet again an urgent need for the Act to be repealed and redrawn into a workable piece of legislation that can be enforced by police and dog wardens. Dumped after Christmas
Scores of unwanted pets have been left homeless since Christmas. In less than two weeks The Blue Cross took in 87 animals. A third of these were either strays or abandoned and the other two thirds were given up for a variety of reasons. These include financial pressures, personal problems and relationship breakdowns. Kittens bounce back to health
Two kittens are bouncing back to health after suffering serious injuries. Pluto was brought into The Blue Cross after being discovered lying under a hedge by a road. The tabby was taken to the vet where X-rays showed she had a broken front leg and a fractured pelvis. As she was a stray, it's not known how she got her injuries although staff believe she may have been hit by a car. Another stray, called Kitten, was taken to our animal hospital in Victoria, London, with a suspected fractured pelvis and broken tail after being in a road accident. Ruby's feeling precious
Long stay cat Ruby is finally feeling precious after finding a loving home. The elderly feline had been at our adoption centre in Torbay for a year. Centre manager Tim Sillis says: "We felt so sorry for her as she had originally been a Blue Cross kitten but sadly her owner died. Her new owner is an active retired lady. We spoke to her recently and Ruby has settled in really well." New year's off to a great start in Southampton
One of our adoption centres is celebrating a very happy new year after finding homes for an amazing 21 animals in just one day. On Saturday, many of the dogs, cats and rabbits in Southampton were reserved. Centre manager Kellie Brooks says: "It was a really great start to the year." Take advantage of the big freeze and help animals in need
People are being urged to take advantage of the big freeze by clearing out their closets - and helping to raise money for needy animals. It's 'snow' good trying to get out and about when the weather's so bad so why not de-clutter and donate your unwanted items to a Blue Cross shop? I would have knocked but the door was open
A family were expecting a visit from Santa when this kitten popped in instead. The stray three-month-old feline wandered through the family’s cat flap on Christmas day. She was thin and dehydrated but after being handed into The Blue Cross animal hospital in Victoria, London, she was nursed back to health. Blue Cross supporter John Bird on Celebrity Mastermind
Satirist and Blue Cross supporter John Bird will be putting his knowledge to the test on a celebrity game show. The Bremner, Bird and Fortune star will take to the hot seat in a special celebrity episode of Mastermind. |
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