This time last week I was at the RSPCA in Sheffield. The lovely Georgina organised a day for bloggers to find out more about the work the RSPCA does and have a VIP tour of the centre. I don’t currently have any pets, it’s just not the right time as I’m not settled in one city. However, I love animals and thought it would be good to find out more about the RSPCA and have a cuddle with a few animals. I also like being able to use my blog and social channels as a platform for positivity and helping others, this seemed like the perfect match.
The day started with the very passionate team sharing an interesting presentation packed with lots of information about the centre. We heard about the different types of backgrounds animals come from. Some of these little creatures have a hard life before they reach the centre, some are strays and if an owner sadly passes away then it’s likely their pet will end up with the RSPCA. The team told us about positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training for dogs as well as cats. I didn’t realise that this was something that cats would take to, but it’s been proven to help the cat build a bond with their trainer, relieve stress and helps to give cats and dogs a secure feeling.
Each and every staff member at the Sheffield branch are passionate and dedicated to the work they do. It really shines through when they’re talking about the animals and it was amazing to have the chance to hear from them as well as ask questions.
As always, I made some notes and here are 5 things I learnt about the RSPCA:
– RSPCA Sheffield have been running for more than 140 years.
– As well as an adoption centre they’re also a welfare clinic – offering basic treatments such as vaccinations, neutering etc to people with low incomes.
– The adoption centre houses over 100 animals and there’s always a waiting list for new residents.
– They rehome more than 500 animals a year.
– They offer; educational talks and visits, training classes, corporate networking, local fundraising events and much more.
After the presentation we were treated to tea and cake. The kind folk over at ASDA Handsworth donated some delicious RSPCA branded cakes for the event. This gave us all a chance to chat with the team and ask questions. I also managed to have a good chat with all the bloggers at the event – Dee, Billie, Kariss, Leyla, Sara, Georgina and Alife.
After the break we were given a full tour of the RSPCA centre. We saw the Community Memorial Garden which is open to the public 9-5 and I imagine it’s a beautiful place during the summer months.
After the tour we had the opportunity to visit the animals who wouldn’t be scared of seeing people. The team are very aware of their animals personality and backgrounds. Some would find lots of people around them overwhelming so they were kept safely in their own space. We were split into groups to visit the cats and dogs. I decided to just see the cats as I was suffering from an allergic reaction to food (story of my life) and didn’t want to irritate it even more.
I loved seeing that there’s a dedicated calendar for the cats to get some socialising time.
If you’re thinking of adopting a cat then this is the area you will visit. It’s a long hallway where all the cats live. A lot of thought goes into crafting a cats home space. They have two floors with a variety of textures from different materials, beds and a box. They can even dash through a cat-flap and spend time out of view and just have some personal space.
As we all know, cats love to snooze and these three were doing just that, don’t they look cosy?
This is a beautiful little lady that Georgina had her eye on. She was very shy at first but when someone entered her room she was more than happy to have a cuddle and get to know you.
The centre costs £2000 a day to run. That’s a lot of money and as you can imagine, they need all the support they can get.
Here are a few ways that you can support RSPCA Sheffield:
– Volunteer – this includes areas such as charity retails and funding, administration, animal care and van drivers.
– Attend a fundraising event – There are a bunch of events coming up which include a fashion show, musical jam night and Easter fayre.
– Donate to one of their 5 charity shops – You can find the shop locations and tips on what type of stock they need.
– Donate – Just one example of how your donation may be used is – Your money will go towards feeding and caring for unwanted animals.
– If you’re keen to find out more about the adoption process then check out the website or give the Sheffield team a call.
If you live in Sheffield you’ll be pleased to know that the RSPCA are very easy to locate. Simply catch a tram to Woodburn Road and then you’ll see the bright signs. It’s 2 Stadium Way, if you fancy a Google.
Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you to Georgina and the RSPCA Sheffield team. They really worked hard to make the day special, informative and very enjoyable.