"A remarkable visit"

Thursday 18 April 2019

The GSPCA has welcomed a Life Peer of the House of Lords for a special tour of the shelter.

Baroness Janet Eveyln Fookes, DBE DL is now a member of the House of Lords as well as being an honorary Vice President of the RSPCA.

She had never visited Guernsey's animal charity before and was guided through each building by Manager Steve Byrne.

Baroness Fookes was particularly impressed by Marty the seal, who is currently in the care of the GSPCA but is due to be released tomorrow. Marty weighed just 14kg when he was brought over from Jersey in December and is now a healthy 51kg.

Pictured: Baroness Fookes met Marty the seal who is due to be released tomorrow.

"It's unusual to see them that close and to meet the one that is going to be released on Friday, so obviously full of energy," she said. "I think it's so thrilling when you can bring animals back and then you release them - that does appeal to me when they're wild animals."

Mr Byrne showed Baroness Fookes the grounds to be used for the future Wildlife Hospital which has recently been given planning permission. More than £50,000 has been raised or pledged so far with around £900,000 needed to complete the huge project.

The Baroness has visited many animal shelters in her role, but said the GSPCA is different to any other she has seen: "With the wide variety of animals and reptiles and birds that I've seen, because it's a small island there's only this place so it isn't distributed out in the way it might be. Where I live we have an RSPCA wildlife centre and somewhere else you've got something for the cats and dogs and maybe the few rabbits. So here you've got everything!"

Pictured: Steve Byrne introduced Baroness Fookes and her friend Madeleine Dawson to the charity's oldest resident, Hilda the tortoise.

She was also pleased to hear that there are a large number of hedgehogs in the island saying "they really are declining horribly". Mr Byrne explained how they are not indigenous to Guernsey and were first brought to the island in the late 1800s, but have thrived in local habitats. The GSPCA now cares for around 500 hedgehogs each year.

Baroness Fookes was impressed by the shelter and Mr Byrne himself: "I think it's very exciting to come round with someone so both enthusiastic and knowledgeable and has got that capacity for thinking ahead. Of course I have loved seeing the animals! A remarkable visit."

The local charity has received support from the RSCPA over the years and was delighted to welcome Baroness Fookes for an official visit.

Pictured top: Baroness Fookes visiting the GSPCA's cattery.