If you bought your pets a tasty treat for Christmas, spare a thought for the tireless workers at the Scottish SPCA’s team who worked through the big day looking after the animals in their care.
It was business as usual for the dedicated staff of the charity’s rehoming and animal rescue centre at Drumoak, which is open to the public 365 days a year.
A grand total of 189 pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits and reptiles, spent their Christmas waiting to be adopted at the centre, but they had the company of the animal-loving staff to keep them happy and full of treats.
Centre manager, Graeme Innes, said: “It’s a heartbreaking reality that there are lots of pets without homes to call their own this Christmas time.
“However, thanks to our dedicated staff, no animal in our care spent Christmas Day alone and we even made sure they all got a little treat from Santa.
“The animals here are relying on us as they don’t have anywhere else to go, so it’s simply not an option for us to close over the holidays.
“We’ll be here for them throughout Christmas and new year, ensuring they’re fed, watered and exercised every day as usual.
“We will continue to rescue abandoned, neglected and injured animals over the festive period so we also need to be on hand to take in any new arrivals and offer them a place of safety.
“We aren’t rehoming young animals such as puppies and kittens until January 3 to prevent them being taken on by someone who just wants a new pet for Christmas.
“However, those genuinely wishing to offer a young animal a permanent home can come along to meet them and they can be reserved.
“There are also lots of older pets in our care who are ready and waiting to find their ‘forever homes’ right now.
“Locals are always welcome to pop in to our centre, whether it’s to meet an animal they’re interested in rehoming, donate food or toys to our homeless pets, or simply just to say hello.”
To rehome a pet from the centre you can visit between 10am-4pm daily, or check out the charity’s website at www.scottishspca.org/rehoming.
