The holidays are coming

Holidays and weekend breaks are exciting and need careful planning.

Things can be easily forgotten, but be certain of one thing - you have not forgotten about your pets.

It can be easy to overlook the fact that pets need looking after when you are not there. Animals used to regular care and loving attention can suddenley find themselves abandoned by thoughless owners.

So if you are making plans for your holiday, why not arrange one for your pet at the same time?

Your vet may be able to suggest a good kennel or cattery, and makle sure your pet's injections are up to date. It is a good idea to inspect the barding kennel or cattery first before booking.

Remember that good kennels and catteries get fully booked quite quickley in the holiday season.

Baby Birds

Every spring and summer the RSPCA is contacted by thousands of people who find what they think is an abandoned young bird or other orphaned animal.

In most cases these youngsters have not been abandoned and 'rescuing' them may do more harm than good. Their mother is usually close by and looking out for them - human interference can lessen a young animal's chances of survival. Please DO NOT TOUCH unless in immediate danger.

If you find a young bird out of it's nest it is probably a fledgling. Fledglings of garden birds usually leave the nest about two weeks after hatching - just before they can fly. They will have grown all or most of their feathers and are very mobile and can walk, run and hop on to low branches.

Do not try to return a fledgling to its nest as you may disturb other young birds. Fledglings are fed by their parents who are rarely far away, encouraging youngsters to stay in cover. Often one parent will look after the fledgling while the other makes a nest for a second or even third brood of young.

If you are worried, go right away from the site and return in an hour or so - you will almost certainly find that the natural parents have taken care of the youngster. Young animals which are in immediate danger from a predator or traffic should be placed out of harm a short distance away.

*Between April and July each year, the RSPCA collects over 20,000 young birds.*

If you think a bird is genuinely orphaned - for example both parents have been killed by a cat - or it is clearly sick, put it in a dark, warm box and take it to your nearest veterinary surgeon or RSPCA centre for on-going treatment and rehabilitation.

If you find an unfeathered bird that has fallen out of the nest (probably by accident), this should also be brought into care immediately.

If you come across a young deer, please remember that they are also very resilient in the wild but very difficult to rehabilitate once removed from their natural habitat - they often die from stress.

If you see a fawn, the chances are it is waiting for its mother. Roe deer give birth in May and June and fallow deer mostly have their young in June. Fawns can walk within an hour of being born and follow their mother unless she intends on travelling long distances for food. In this case the mother will lead the fawn to a quiet covered area where it will stay well hidden until her return.

If you are concerned about a fox cub which is obviously sick, injured or distressed, contact the RSPCA for advice. Otherwise leave a supply of dog food and water nearby and check again after 24hrs.

In an emergency, keep handling to a minimum and take the cub to a veterinary surgeon or an RSPCA wildlife hospital or animal centre immediately. Make a note of exactly where you found it.

National 24hr RSPCA Cruelty line - 0300 1234 999

National 24hr RSPCA Advice line - 0300 1234 555

Please do not call the RSPCA Paws centre if you have injured wildlife as we are a rehoming centre only.

Now that the new school term has started, you may be asked to write about animals and thier care. You may perhaps have to do a project about 'caring agencies'.

Did you know that we have lots of information to help you at The Paws Centre in Barrack Street, Norwich?

We have information on pet care, the environment, wild animals, the work of the RSPCA, how the RSPCA started in 1824 and the work of the wildlife hospital at East Winch. Of course we can tell you about the work of this local branch of the RSPCA and it's continuing work to help and re-home animals locally.

Why not have a look at our National Website which is www.rspca.org.uk

Competition

To be in with a chance of winning a year's free membership of the Animal Action Club just design a poster to remind people that they need to take care of their pet all year round.

Send your entries to: Junior Membership Competition, RSPCA Paws Centre, 71-75 Barrack Street, Norwich, Norfolk. NR3 1WJ.

Please click here for detailed information on how to help your animals during the firework season.

Animal Action Club

RSPCA Animal Action Club Members are an active bunch. There are thousands who raise money, write letters of protest to MPs, help animals in trouble and generally speak their minds about animal welfare.

Animal Action Club membership costs £11.00 a year. It is open to all young people up to the age of 13 who care about animals. Each new member receives six copies a year of their own magazine, called Animal Action, and when first joining, a folder, containing stickers and a membership card. A cute and cuddly Perfect Pet soft toy comes with the folder too.

To join, write to:

RSPCA,
Wilberforce Way,
Southwater,
Horsham,
West Sussex,
RH13 9RS.

You will need to send your name, address and date of birth with a cheque or postal order for £11.00

There are over 500 Animal Action Club members in the local branch of the RSPCA.

Pets are Family too - Animals and Children - click here for more information