WHILE many families will be excited to spend more time with their pets this Christmas, there’ll be a lot of animals across Canberra that won’t have a home at all.

Nearly 200 are currently in care by the RSPCA ACT, a number CEO Michelle Robertson says is almost double their usual numbers.

But to raise money to care for these animals and bring a bit of Christmas cheer to the capital, the RSPCA is selling authentic Christmas trees – an idea the Canberra community has excitedly got behind.

“Just a few days after starting we’ve already sold 55 trees – it’s amazing,” says Michelle.

“We rely very heavily on the community to be able to operate and Christmas trees are such a great way to celebrate and connect with people at this time of year.”

All money raised from the trees goes back into the shelter so that it can provide a safe environment for animals over the holiday break.

“It can be a really expensive exercise running a shelter because it’s not just food,” says Michelle.

“Just this week we’ve had a beautiful dog come in that has had to have a leg amputated, so there’s going to be a period of time where we are going to be working with this dog for rehab.”

“We also had a kitten come in that was very badly injured that also needs medical rehab – it’s these sorts of things we are raising money for.”

The shelter is operating 24/7 right through the holidays and Michelle says the staff and volunteers will be doing the best they can to give their animals a special Christmas.

“I love Christmas Day – it just shows the love our staff and volunteers have for these animals,” she says.

“Every little creature gets a little present that’s wrapped for them.

“We do the best we can in our environment but ultimately the best present is a home for these animals.”

Michelle says one of their dogs, Homer, was recently adopted after being in the shelter for more than 350 days.

“It is just the best day for us when we see these animals find a new home,” she says.

“We recently got sent a video of Homer lying on the chest of his new owner happily snoring away.

“When we get sent things like that we all mist up a bit.”

The RSPCA also has some important tips for keeping pets safe and happy over the holiday season.

“It’s important that families are mindful, especially children, not to leave any of the Christmas decorations lying around,” says Michelle.

“Some cats and dogs can think they are balls or toys and can cut their mouths or insides.

“It’s also important to remember that very rich food is not healthy for our cats and dogs – their digestive system can’t cope with it.

“Chocolate, alcohol, raisins, grapes – any of those things we find around Christmas shouldn’t be close to animals.”

She also says the RSPCA continues to receive a large number of calls each year alerting them to dogs being left in hot cars.

“An animal can die within a minute in a hot car, it’s so important people don’t do this,” she says.

“If you have dogs outside it’s also good to be mindful of which way the sun is moving – especially over hot balconies.

“Make sure your dog always has access to cold, fresh water and shade.”

On a more festive note, Michelle also has a tip for giving pets their own Christmas treat this year.

“You don’t necessarily need to spend money, but you can make their Christmas Day fun, too,” she says.

“Try grabbing some treats and spreading them around your garden like a little scavenger hunt and watch how your pet has fun smelling them out.”

More at rspca-act.org.au