GSPCA wants clean towels to care for variety of animals

The GSPCA has made the appeal due the huge quantities of towels it uses.

Animal care assistant Beckie Bailey said while towels used for dogs and cats could be washed and re-used, those used for the seals and oily birds could not, meaning a constant supply was needed.

The GSPCA is currently caring for three seals – Gully, Marty and Andrew.

‘Towels are very important for the seals as padding when they live in the intensive care unit,’ Ms Bailey said.

‘We also use them for other wildlife. We get a lot of oily birds, so we wrap them in towels while we clean them.’

However the towels are also needed for more everyday uses.

The GSPCA helps looks after pets while their owners are away and also cares for animals looking for a new home.

Towels are used to line the enclosures. While these can be washed, it keeps the washers busy.

The kennels alone produce about 10 loads of washing a day.

Towels of any size or colour are useful. However they cannot have holes in, as wildlife could get their head caught in them.

They can be dropped off in bags at the shelter’s reception. If possible the towels should be clean.

here should also only be towels in the bag – the volunteers said sometimes donors accidentally left their underwear in the bags as well.

It has been a busy time at the shelter because, as well as needing towels, fish are needed for the seals, which have been doing well since they were found on Channel Island shores.

However the shelter had a boost before the weekend when Brian Billien donated 10kg of fresh fish to the seals, following a fishing trip with his family.

GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said they were gearing up for their first volunteer induction event of the year and preparing for the 90th celebrations to mark when the GSPCA moved to its current St Andrew’s site.

While Christmas had been busy, Mr Byrne said he was pleased to note that there had not been any impulse-buy pets dropped off at the shelter following the festive break.