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RSPCA clinics in London facing closure
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Last year, the RSPCA saw a staggering £5.7 million drop in legacy donations.
Lack of funds place TV's animal hospital and three clinics at risk

Due to lack of funds, the RSPCA is set to close the Putney Animal Hospital, made famous by the BBC programme Animal Hospital. The charity is also proposing to close three London clinics.

In a statement, the RSPCA said its trustees had made the "very difficult" proposal to close the hospital and clinics as part of an "overall restructure".

The charity says it has faced increased demands for its services in recent years, alongside fluctuating income - which it blames largely on the volatility of legacy donations.

Last year, the RSPCA revealed it had seen a staggering £5.7 million drop in legacy income, forcing it to cut jobs.

The proposal to close Putney hospital and the London clinics aims to streamline the charity's frontline services and target the animals most in need.

"Evidence-based work has been done on redirecting our services to the animals most in need of our help, those picked up and rescued by our inspectors.

"Most of the animals treated at Putney Animal Hospital have owners. The charity proposes to concentrate its work on those areas of London where it can have greater impact on those animals that do not have owners…

"It would be with great sadness that the RSPCA would lose the roles at Putney and the London clinics but we would hope to keep most of our dedicated and much-valued staff through the redeployment opportunities opening up at our other London sites."

The charity said most of the services offered by the hospital and clinics will be relocated to other parts of London.

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.