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Neglected ponies transformed thanks to The Blue Cross
Three pitifully neglected ponies taken in by The Blue Cross have been successfully transformed into beautiful riding ponies. Now the trio, who settled into loving homes, have been reunited once more.
Iraq street dogs Sandbag and Dirtbag pass training award
Two stray dogs rescued from the streets of Iraq have passed a prestigious training award. Sandbag and Dirtbag won over the hearts of soldiers and became their mascots. They were flown to the UK to get a second chance in life following a fundraising appeal by charities including The Blue Cross.
Five years of helping animals at The Blue Cross in Lewknor
The Blue Cross adoption centre in Lewknor is celebrating its fifth birthday. The centre has helped more than 2,000 abandoned cats and dogs since it opened in 2005.
The Blue Cross teams up with Morrisons for pet month
The Blue Cross has teamed up with Morrisons to offer pet owners handy tips and advice. The supermarket chain has launched Pet Month in 423 stores which will last until Sunday 26 September.
The Blue Cross takes in baby rabbit found in busy London hotspot
A baby rabbit has been rescued by The Blue Cross after it was spotted hopping among the crowd in one of London’s busiest areas.
Chester wins a year's free Hill's pet food in The Blue Cross prize draw
Dog Chester won’t be short of dinners after winning a year’s worth of Hill's pet food in The Blue Cross’s latest prize draw.
BBC weatherman opens The Blue Cross's newest charity shop
The Blue Cross has celebrated the opening of its latest charity shop in the beautiful market town of Marlborough. Special guest Richard Angwin, weatherman for BBC Points West and local animal lover, declared the shop officially open and lots of people joined the festivities.
The Blue Cross gets a helping hand from Vetoquinol
The Blue Cross has received an amazing 250 bags of stock to sell in our charity shop from animal pharmaceuticals company Vetoquinol. Staff at the Buckingham-based firm raided their wardrobes and pulled out all the stops to help needy animals.
Rescue ponies from The Blue Cross on winning form
Rescue ponies from The Blue Cross are flying high after beating a Pony Club team in a fun competition. Our fabulous foursome, ridden by Blue Cross staff, battled it out against Pony Club members at their annual championships in Derbyshire.
Weatherman forecasts bright future for The Blue Cross's new shop
TV weatherman Richard Angwin will be helping The Blue Cross to celebrate the opening of our newest charity shop. The shop, in High Street, Marlborough, will be officially unveiled on Saturday, August 21 by special guest Richard, from BBC Points West.
The Blue Cross warns of nationwide kitten crisis
The Blue Cross is warning of a kitten crisis across the UK. We have seen a rise of nearly 20 per cent in the number being given up or abandoned over the last two years. From January to June 2010, 542 were given up, compared to 456 in the same time period in 2008.
The Blue Cross urges people to be safe with their wills
Following last night's Panorama programme, Wills - The Final Rip Off?, The Blue Cross is urging people to have their wills drawn up and safely stored by a qualified solicitor, rather than unregulated will writers. Legacies account for over half of the annual income of The Blue Cross and we always take great care in honouring the wishes of our supporters.
Skye's the limit for superstar spaniel
A Blue Cross rescue dog who always looked sad has now become a champion – for having the waggiest tail! In an amazing transformation, Skye is so happy she’s scooped nearly 40 prizes in the waggy tail category at fun dog shows.
Abandoned kittens found in reservoir pipe
Four kittens have been rescued and taken in by The Blue Cross after they were found living in a pipe. Wolfie, Walt, Wilf and Wanda were discovered at a reservoir and taken to our Cambridge adoption centre. One of them was missing a tail. The 10-week-old kittens have recovered from their ordeal and will be looking for new homes soon.
From petrified puppy to family pet - Willow's transformation
Looking at three-year-old lurcher Willow playing happily in the poppy field you couldn’t imagine she’s ever had a care in the world. Tail wagging and tongue lolling she’s the picture-perfect example of a content dog. But rewind back even a year and the picture is very different.
The Blue Cross offers advice for rabbit owners after concerns raised over retail hutches
This week, the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) issued a plea for rabbit owners to check twice before purchasing housing for their fluffy friends. At The Blue Cross, we agree with the RWAF that pet rabbits need enough space to run and jump – and that a hutch alone is not enough.
Just another Staffie on the street
Following the panorama program Britain's unwanted pets, we thought we would share a few of our current Staffie stories. Minnie the Staffie (pictured) was found wandering alone on the streets of Elephant and Castle, in London. She was weak, tired and so emaciated you could see every rib in her tiny little body. She weighed just 10kg when her finder brought her to The Blue Cross. Sadly there is a growing trend of Staffordshire bull terriers (pure and cross bred) being dumped, abandoned and found as strays. In the last four years, The Blue Cross has seen a 42% increase in the number of Staffordshire bull terrier types (Staffies) taken in at our adoption centres across the UK.
The Blue Cross welcomes a new chairman
The Blue Cross welcomes the appointment of a new chairman following its annual general meeting in London. Blue Cross trustee Zair Berry takes the reins from Diane Sinclair, who has been a trustee since 1998 and chairman of the board for nine years. Mr Berry, a keen animal lover, is a long-term supporter of The Blue Cross, having served on the board of trustees since 2003.
Overweight rescue dog Honey fights the flab at The Blue Cross
A rescue dog who weighed a whopping 55kg has fought the flab after a strict fitness routine. Rottweiler Honey came to our Felixstowe adoption centre because of a relationship split.
The Blue Cross offers practical advice on choosing the right vet
You may have heard about the BBC Panorama report It Shouldn’t Happen at a Vets’ where a reporter went undercover at a private vet surgery. If your pet is treated at a private surgery, we’ve produced a practical guide to choosing the right vet to help you choose the right treatment options.
Day in the life of a Blue Cross veterinary nurse
It’s national veterinary nursing week and to mark the occasion, here’s a day in the life of one of The Blue Cross’s very own nurses, Samantha Cass…
The Blue Cross stunned at £800 mystery donation
Vets and nurses at one of our animal hospitals were stunned to discover an envelope with £800 cash from a mystery donor.
Vet nurses from The Blue Cross to give pet advice in Grimsby park
Veterinary nurses from The Blue Cross will be out in Grimsby on Sunday to help pet owners with their problems.
The Blue Cross to take part in college education day
The Blue Cross has joined forces with a college to give people the chance to learn about animal care – and hear from an Olympic superstar. The College of West Anglia is holding an educational event, called Raising Aspirations, to give people a chance to learn what their future could hold.
Live music at The Blue Cross charity shop in Worcester
A slice of summer festival fever is coming to The Blue Cross charity shop in Worcester as an up and coming band take to the stage (well, a window).
Sponsored dog walk raises £400 for The Blue Cross
Dogs have been striding out to help raise money for needy pets. Around 40 animal lovers and their four-legged friends came to our Torbay adoption centre’s sponsored dog walk.
The Blue Cross calls for new Dog Control Bill
The Blue Cross is one of many organisations that fervently believes the Dangerous Dogs Act has completely failed. We are part of the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG) which has lobbied against the inadequacies of the Act for many years. The group is backing a new, hard-hitting Dog Control Bill, proposed by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Redesdale which focuses on prevention rather than cure.
Blue Cross warning after three cats fall from buildings
The Blue Cross is warning cat owners about the dangers of open windows after treating three injured cats that fell in just one week. With the hot weather, it’s tempting to open all the windows wide but this could be fatal for curious cats.
Betsy makes a full recovery
A puppy who battled a life-threatening disease has made a full recovery. We discovered Betsy had parvovirus shortly after she arrived at our Felixstowe adoption centre when she was two months old.
You talkin' to me?
Meet The Fonz. He’s been ruling the roost in his hood for quite some time and he’s got the scars to show it. But now the seven-year-old is ready to bow out of life in the fast lane and is looking for the special home he deserves.
Kittens have their eye on the ball
Our clever kittens are giving the ball boys at Wimbledon a run for their money. With their eagle eyes and quick pace they’ve definitely got a talent for the job – and they’ll certainly land on their feet.
We're purring for England (In-ger-land)
Even the kittens are excited now England’s qualified for the knock-out stages of the World Cup. These cheeky chaps at our Tiverton adoption centre are purring for England and hoping we can beat Germany on Sunday.
Capello's barking mad for England
He’s got the strength of a Rottweiler and the heart of a lion – meet Capello. This little nine-week-old pup is keeping his paws crossed that England can beat Slovenia tonight – and we imagine his namesake is too.
Warning to pet owners
The Blue Cross is urging people not to leave their pets in the car after having to give emergency treatment to a dog that overheated.
Blue Cross legacy officer wins award
A legacy officer from The Blue Cross has won a prestigious award. Naomi Parry was given the title of Legacy Officer of the Year 2010 by the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM).
Look twice at taking on a pair of needy cats
We are urging potential cat owners to think twice before adopting a single cat and consider a pair. Currently, over a quarter of our cats in adoption care requires re-homing with another and sadly these feline duos are being left behind in favour of solo animals.
World Cup excitement reaches fever pitch
These rabbits have been haring around with excitement about the World Cup. The siblings even gave the beautiful game a go themselves as these photos show. But as none of them have the goal-scoring skills to rival Wayne Rooney, we’re not expecting a call from Fabio Capello any time soon. The rabbits came to our Hertfordshire adoption centre because they were an unexpected litter and they’re looking for new homes.
Northiam adoption centre receives £500 to help needy pets
Staff at our Northiam adoption centre are celebrating after getting a £500 donation to help homeless pets. The centre was chosen as the lucky winner of a monthly charity prize draw by pet insurance provider Petplan. We are currently raising funds to relocate to a more suitable site in the South East to replace the outdated premises at Northiam.
Chester cheats death twice
A cat is thanking his lucky stars he’s got nine lives after cheating death twice. Chester was hit by a car and was at death’s door when he was then dragged away by a scavenging fox. Thankfully he was spotted by a passer-by and rushed to our animal hospital in Grimsby.
A human touch
Four newborn kittens whose mum was too ill to look after them have been nursed back to health. Mum Mittens had a difficult birth and after Rodney, Ashley, Crunchie and Finley were born she had to have an urgent operation. Mittens had a prolapsed uterus and after the surgery her wound was sore so she couldn’t have the kittens back to feed.
Your dinner's in the cat!
A greedy cat bit off more than he could chew when he helped himself to a rib of lamb. Merlin climbed into the bin and snaffled the family’s leftovers. But he was left feeling less than magic after the 9cm bone got stuck in his oesophagus. The 15-year-old was dashed to The Blue Cross animal hospital in Merton, south London, where staff were able to carefully pull the bone out.
The Blue Cross celebrates its volunteers
The Blue Cross will be joining in the celebration of volunteers next week. Volunteers’ week is held every year to mark the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers make in the UK. From Tuesday 1 June until Monday 7 June lots of organisations will be marking the event in different ways.
Strictly come... dressage
Forget dancing – students and horses have been strutting their stuff in a Strictly Come Dressage competition. Second year horse management students at Hartpury College in Gloucester held the event to raise money for The Blue Cross.
Mobile veterinary clinic returns to Hackney
Our mobile veterinary clinic is returning to Hackney to help more local pets in need. The weekly service was temporarily suspended due to road resurfacing work. But from Wednesday, 2 June we will be back to help local pets whose owners can’t afford private vet fees.
All I need is love
When Flynn arrived at The Blue Cross he was in a bit of a sorry state. The six-year-old lurcher was covered in scars and wounds all over his face and body. He was also very thin, had infected skin lesions and his tail was sore and bleeding. We worked hard to build up Flynn’s weight and he received all the veterinary care he needed. That, combined with lots of TLC, helped to get him back on the right track.
Can I be your three-legged friend?
A loving cat is looking to become someone’s special three-legged friend. We don’t know why Bob had his leg amputated as he was handed into The Blue Cross as a stray.
Vote for your favourite veterinary nurse
The Blue Cross is calling for people to nominate their favourite veterinary nurse. Practices across the country are urged to put forward deserving candidates for our Veterinary Nurse of the Year award 2010.
Blue Cross horses get star-studded support
Our horses have been getting some extra-special help in finding a new home from a host of celebrities. Sky1’s new show Pet Nation featured an equine rehoming appeal for The Blue Cross on Friday.
The Blue Cross shocked after Met urged to destroy dogs
The Blue Cross was shocked to hear the suggestion that certain types of dogs should be shot to save on kennel costs. Former Metropolitan Police Authority chairman Lord Harris has argued that dogs seized under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) should be put down to save money.
'She's a complete joy'
A long-stay dog has finally found a sofa to call her own. Mabel was at The Blue Cross for eight months waiting to be picked. The two-year-old finally found the family of her dreams when Gavin and Louise Wheeler came to see her at our Burford adoption centre.
April gets a spring in her step
A dog who was found unable to walk and riddled with mange is recovering well. Patterdale terrier April was handed into our Burford adoption centre after a man found her abandoned in his barn.
We love Lucy!
A Blue Cross cat who was returned to us after a decade has been rehomed. Lucy was adopted from our Southampton centre 10 years ago. Unfortunately her owners were no longer able to look after her and so she came back to the centre earlier this year.
Is that all I'm worth?
Larry didn’t have the best start to life. Bought for £4 in a supermarket car park the unwanted kitten was saved from a devastating fate. His owner threatened to throw him in the river if no one bought him so a concerned passerby paid the cash and handed him over to us
Blue Cross news archive - 2010
Blue Cross news archive - 2009
Blue Cross news archive - 2008
Blue Cross news archive - 2007
Blue Cross news archive - 2006
Blue Cross news archive - 2005
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