THIS year has got off to a really hectic start. Along with the cold weather, came 47 young dogs from a puppy farm. All are in fairly good health and after veterinary checks and initial treatment are now ready to find new homes. Breeds include lahsa apso,

THIS year has got off to a really hectic start. Along with the cold weather, came 47 young dogs from a puppy farm.All are in fairly good health and after veterinary checks and initial treatment are now ready to find new homes. Breeds include lahsa apso, King Charles spaniel, cavalier spaniel and labrador.As a result of this sudden influx, we desperately need blankets and if you have any spare, please bring them along.There is rather a large dog in need of a new home - Rodney, a beautiful looking cross-breed. He is very friendly and lovable, but he is also very large and a bit boisterous, so not suited to young children. He will sit and give a paw when offered a treat, but he has not learned much else yet. Rodney is very strong on a lead and pulls like a steam train, so new owners would have to work with this.Apart from a lot of dogs looking for homes, we have yet another group of guinea-pigs, together with an additional 12 rabbits. The rabbits need homes with folk who are quite experienced as they have had a rough time before arriving at Block Fen. They are all beautiful creatures with varied colours.In the cattery are plenty of cats trying to find warm homes. It has been a cold winter for many of them and they are now hoping to find someone to adopt them and give them all the things cats desire - warmth, love, attention and plenty of food.Personally, it is nice to be back in the Fens again. I spent several weeks away in Shropshire through October and November, working at another RSPCA animal centre near Shrewsbury. It was really interesting to observe the work of a different centre, but always good to get back to familiar ground.Sadly, Christmas brought a lot of animals to us because owners simply did not want them any more. So, please come and look at all our pets. If you cannot give a home to an animal, maybe you would like to volunteer to work with us, or even sponsor one of our cat pods, dog kennels or small animal rooms. Just come and visit us and we will provide any information you need.Tip of the Month: Animals that live or spend much of their time outside need warm, dry accommodation and their water must not be allowed to freeze over. Birds in particular are visiting gardens for extra food, so don't forget to keep their containers topped up and a fresh supply of water available.n Block Fen Animal Centre is off the A141. Turn along the B1093 Downham Market Road (to Manea) and look for the RSPCA Centre sign, about 100m from the A141 junction. We are open from 11:30am to 3:30pm daily except Wednesday. Our telephone number is 0870 906 1426. Please call if you have any enquiries or can help us. Newspapers are gratefully received. To view animals available for adoption visit our website www.rspca.org.uk/ rehomingtrial