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Ger-brilliant response to crisis at Ark
Katya and Louis Oldfield with their gerbils Twinky and Freddie (053551-84)
ANIMAL-LOVERS have helped save hundreds of gerbils seized in a raid by animal inspectors.
RSPCA staff say they have been overwhelmed by the response since 550 of the animals were taken from a squalid flat in Milton, Portsmouth.
So far 131 of the pets have found happy new homes thanks to 36 pet lovers coming forward to take on one or more.
And more than 70 are due to meet potential owners next week.
Louis Oldfield, eight, and his younger sister Katya, six, from Geoffrey Crescent, Fareham were some of the first to adopt the loveable rodents.
Katya adopted Twinkle to help celebrate her sixth birthday on Wednesday while Louis was given Freddy as reward for looking after pet rabbit Basil.
Janie Ratliff from the Stubbington Ark where the animals are now being cared for, said: ‘We’re over the moon about the response we’ve had, it’s been incredible.
‘That amount of gerbils put a real stress on our resources at what’s the busiest time of the year for us.’
sion.donovan@thenews.co.uk
30 July 2005
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