From wags to riches

LOCAL RSPCA trustee and treasurer David Haigh looks round the new centre with rescue dog Didley

CONSTRUCTION work on Oldham’s new RSPCA centre in Strinesdale was due to site today.

Trustees, RSPCA staff and builders of the new centre at Strinesdale Country Park were joined by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman, for a tour of the building on Saturday.

The centre will accommodate 15 dogs and 56 cats and building work is expected to take 30 weeks.

Denise McCabe, operations director, RSPCA Bury and Oldham, said: “This is a momentous beginning for us and it will be the move of a lifetime.

“The first phase will see the creation of the animal accommodation and associated services. But we still need to raise £200,000 for further building work.”

The new centre will be much bigger than the former home at Rhodes Bank, and will include specialist sensory behaviour areas to help animals who may have been neglected or abused become ready for rehoming. The relocation to Strinesdale followed the charity’s agreement to sell its former site to make way for part of the Prince’s Gate development.

Chair of trustees Angela Garvin said: “This centre will be a fantastic resource for the animals and the people of Oldham.”