Give Recognition to Animal Rescues

In addition to the below info.. I was also asked to include:

`can we have a new category for next years Burgess Wetnose Animal Awards 2013, it’s *Best Vets Surgery* we need Nominations for the best vet and the work they do outside their surgery, like TV Vet Marc Abraham with his Pup Aid Event .’


Give Recognition to Animal Rescues

Burgess Wetnose Animal Rescue Awards 2013 calls for nominations to honour unsung animal rescue heroes

The Burgess Wetnose Animal Rescue Awards 2013 are searching for unsung heroes who are involved in small, independent rescue centres, and encouraging people to nominate them for an award, offering those involved some much deserved recognition.

The star-studded annual awards, now in its 4th year, raise awareness of the tireless work small rescue centres do in caring for and rehoming abandoned and unwanted animals. The awards are urging the general public to nominate their local rescue centre, as a simple thank you for their dedication and continued hard work.

Nominations can be put forward for a local rescue centre that deserves support and recognition for its dedication to helping the nation’s animals or, alternatively, local rescue centres can enter themselves.

The awards include ‘Best Rescue Centre Story’, ‘Best Rescued Pet’ and ‘Best Rescue Centre’ for categories such as dogs, cats, small furry animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas), horses and donkeys, parrots and wildlife. There is also a breed specific category which will this year honour the ‘Best German Shepherd Rescue’, due to this breed being commonly found in rescue centres.

This year will also see the addition of a new ‘Citizen Award’, to honour a member of the public who has gone above and beyond to save an animal’s life. Each winner receives a trophy and a cash donation towards the on-going cost of running their rescue centre

Andrea Gamby-Boulger, director of Wetnose Animal Aid, said: “The vital work small independent rescue centres do often goes unnoticed. Having run my own centre for 13 years, I understand the daily physical and emotional pressures staff face in their centres, which is why we created these awards.

“The Wetnose Animal Rescue Awards aim to highlight the work of these passionate individuals, who selflessly devote their time to helping animals in need. Recognition of this hard work can mean the difference between them carrying on and giving up, so it is important to say thank you even just by nominating!”

Justin Heaton, Head of Marketing at Burgess Pet Care, headline sponsor of the awards, said: “We are a proud supporter of the work rescue centres do to improve animal welfare up and down the country. The Burgess Wetnose Animal Rescue Awards reflect our ethos at Burgess Pet Care perfectly, a dedication to helping and caring for the UK’s pets. We are committed to supporting these smaller, independent rescue centres and have a number of schemes in place specifically to help them, including our rescue loyalty scheme and a dedicated website to rehome unwanted pets.”

Shortlisted rescue centres are then invited to an awards ceremony set to take place in March 2013 and fit for celebrities, to celebrate their hard work with similar rescue centres across the UK. Celebrity supporters will also attend, and last year’s event saw Dame Judy Dench, Annette Crosbie, Sam Fox, Rula Lenska, Rick Wakeman, Jenny Seagrove, John Altman, Graham Cole, Lorraine Chase, Angela Lonsdale, TV Vet Zara Bolland and many more show their support for animal rescue.

To enter or nominate your centre for an award, visit www.wetnoseanimalaid.com and fill in the simple online form, or download and submit it by post before the closing date of 30th September 2012. For further information about Burgess Pet Care’s rescue food and loyalty scheme call 0800 413 969.

For press information please contact Kirsty O’Connor kirstyoconnor@hatchpr.co.uk or
Holly Skelton hollyskelton@hatchpr.co.uk 01943 855630

About Wetnose Animal Aid

Wetnose Animal Aid is a not-for-profit charity which raises money for sick, domestic and wildlife animals in smaller and less well known rescue centres all over the UK. Set up by husband and wife team, Andrea and Gavin, Wetnose work tirelessly to raise awareness and funds for those animals that are less fortunate and for the rescue centres who work endlessly to rehabilitate and re-home them. www.wetnoseanimalaid.com