The DogCast Radio blog

Animals do the funniest things. But sometimes they can get themselves in a bit of a pickle and need a helping hand to set them free.

That’s where the RSPCA comes in. The animal welfare charity’s dedicated officers and inspectors spend their days rescuing pets from cruelty, helping sick and injured animals, and freeing both domestic and wild critters from rather embarrassing situations!

Here are some of the most random (and ridiculous!) rescues of the past 12 months:

1. Bike cat-astophe!

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RSPCA searches for homes for some of the festive pets in rescue this Christmas

Christmas is a time of love and kindness - and the RSPCA is urging animal-lovers who think they have room in their homes for a pet this festive season to consider rescuing.

The largest and oldest animal welfare charity expects to take in around 19,000 animals during the Christmas period - and has thousands more already in its care patiently waiting to find their fur-ever homes.

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If you celebrate Christmas, what does it mean to you?

A day to spend with family?

Loads of prezzies?

Overindulgence in food and drink?

A baby in a manger?

Great television?

Being forced to play charades?

Whatever else Christmas means, it often means compromise. Do you spend it with family or friends? If it’s family, your own or your in-laws? And what if your family includes dogs or other pets? And what if not all your family appreciate your dog(s)? Things get complicated very quickly, and there is a huge scope for feelings being hurt.

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Poor Staffordshire bull terrier is overlooked time and time again - could he be the loneliest pup this Christmas?

Beautiful Bentley has his bags packed and is ready to find his forever home just in time for Christmas - after one year in RSPCA care.

The three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier doesn’t want to spend his second Christmas in kennels and has written his list for Santa with just one wish included: ‘A new home’.

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BorrowMyDoggy and Save the Children Break World Record for Most Dogs in Christmas jumpers

More than 300 dogs brave the snow wearing festive knits to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day

To support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day, BorrowMyDoggy teamed up with the charity to organise the most ‘pawsome’ event of the year.

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It was touch and go whether Rolo would survive when he was rescued by the RSPCA - but he’s come a long way…!

When the RSPCA plucked 30 dogs and puppies from an “appalling” puppy farm in Essex just weeks before Christmas, many of the survivors were in a terrible way.

RSPCA inspectors went into the South Ockenden puppy farm in December 2013, removing three adult dogs and three litters all thought to have been bred for the Christmas market.

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BorrowMyDoggy and Save the Children team up to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day

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Dogs Trust warns there is a real risk of animal welfare laws slipping in the UK as MPs voted not to include animal sentience in the EU Withdrawal Bill on Wednesday evening. This is a huge blow for animal welfare as this would have ensured that these obligations, currently in EU law, would have been recognised in UK law after Brexit.

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Rottweiler needs vital surgery to ease the pain she’s been living with for years.

The RSPCA has launched a special fundraising appeal to pay for emergency surgery for a rottweiler who has been living in “excruciating pain” for most of her short life.

Two-year-old Paris arrived at the RSPCA’s Essex South, Southend & District branch in September when her owners could no longer provide her with the care she needed.

The rottweiler - who the family had bought from an Essex breeder - was in a lot of pain and discomfort, and appeared lame.

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There was a worthy winner in Westminster today, as Rocky, a seven-year-old Labrador belonging to Batley and Spen Labour MP Tracy Brabin, was crowned 2017 Westminster Dog of the Year.

The 25th annual Westminster Dog of the Year competition, organised by Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club, took place today (Thursday 26th October), in Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster. Rocky showed dogged determination as he battled it out to defeat other ‘paw-litical’ opponents to win the coveted title.

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