A CHRISTMAS appeal by Warwickshire vets has got off to a stunning start with the donation of more than 100 shoeboxes full of treats for cats and dogs who will be spending the festive season at local rescue centres.
After reading about Avonvale Vets’ first Christmas Shoebox Appeal last year, Kenilworth retiree Michelle West was moved to make a contribution following the sensitive way the practice handled the death of her pet dog.
Earlier this year she began collecting shoeboxes, decorating them and filling them with food and treats.
Michelle said: “I started off by doing ten, then 20 – and before I knew it, I had 108!”
Avonvale Vets are now appealing to other animal-lovers to make donations of toys, treats, food and goodies for dogs and cats. These will be delivered to the Pawprints Dog Rescue Centre at Stretton-on-Dunsmore, near Rugby, and to local cat rescue centres by December 25.
Avonvale customer care administrator Sue Godfrey said: “Due to the enormous success of last year’s appeal we are hoping to spread even more Christmas joy to homeless cats and dogs this year. Michelle’s extraordinary generosity has given this year’s effort a huge boost.”
“Our local rescue centres do a fantastic job of providing for these animals but they simply don’t have the resources to provide the extras at Christmas, so we’re looking to provide them with a small token of our appreciation.”
Since it was founded, Pawprints has rescued hundreds of dogs that would otherwise have been put to sleep and spent thousands of pounds on medical treatment for those who have been neglected, abandoned or lost.
To contribute to the appeal, people can purchase items from Avonvale who will make up a box on their behalf; or drop items or a filled shoebox at Avonvale’s surgeries in Leamington, Warwick, Wellesbourne, Kenilworth, Stratford and Southam.
