A season to celebrate?

This is an article by the BBC about an animal welfare society in Nottingham, much like the Cat Welfare Society right here in Singapore. The line that struck me most was, "But they need more help, particularly over the festive season."

I guess people the world over act especially irresponsibly towards their pets during the festive season -- the season of love and good cheer.

How ironic.


Animal charity needs more carers
By Anna Blackburn BBC News

Harry has settled in well at his foster home An East Midlands charity is renewing its appeal for foster carers to look after sick birds and animals.

The Animal Accident Rescue Unit (AARU) is a Nottingham-based group of volunteers which has been operating an animal ambulance service for 20 years.

The AARU has a dedicated team of foster carers who nurse the animals back to health while a more permanent home is found for them.

But they need more help, particularly over the festive season.

One foster carer is Carole Penny, long-term volunteer at the AARU who has taken in eight cats over the past four years.

At the moment, in addition to her own cats and German Shepherd dogs, Ms Penny has Charlie and Harry staying with her.

Harry is a relatively new addition to the family as he was only found wandering the streets a couple of weeks ago. He is just a kitten and was suffering from a distended stomach when he was first brought to Carole's house.

Very timid and nervous to start with, Harry has come on "leaps and bounds" since he first came to stay and is settling in well to his new foster home.

Ms Penny said: "I don't want to get attached to the cats, I want them to find a home and go.

"Of course I love them to bits but if I kept all the animals that come into the house, I'd end up like the old woman in shoe with a whole houseful."

Charlie is Ms Penny's other foster pet and he has been with her for about seven months.

Charlie was very skinny and in a bad way when the AARU brought him to Ms Penny's house, but with a great deal of patience, the black and white tomcat has recovered well.

He has lost most of his teeth but this does not stop him from enjoying a good meal and his frequent cat-naps.

And after a long search, it looks as if Charlie may have a permanent home.

But it is not always such a happy ending. Some of the animals looked after by the AARU are just too ill to make a full recovery.

Ms Penny said: "I had a cat called Tigger who I was fostering but he died a few weeks ago.

"The way I see it, at least he died safely, in the warm and he was loved."

~5-Cat Style