Mother and Daughter Opt to Spend Christmas Day at Animal Shelter

A mother and daughter, both dedicated to animals, are scheduled to spend Christmas Day assisting dogs without other companions. Cathy Shilling, aged 62, and her 25-year-old daughter, Katie Shilling, are set to visit the RSPCA’s Danaher Animal Home, located in Braintree, Essex, on December 25. Cathy, a mother of two, has been a volunteer at the facility since 2015, consistently making an effort to visit on Christmas Day for several hours to support staff and provide care for the dogs. This year, however, her daughter will also be present at the kennels, fulfilling her duties as a team leader and being scheduled for work. Cathy, a volunteer dog walker residing in Halstead, stated: “I’ll get the veg prepped and pop the turkey in the oven and then I’ll head down to Danaher to spend time with the dogs and help support the staff there who also want to get home so they can spend some time with their families.” She mentioned that her decision to begin volunteering at the location coincided with her daughters maturing, allowing her to “dot a little bit of good.” Katie commenced volunteering with her mother upon reaching the age of 18, subsequently securing a team leader position following her university studies. Katie commented: “I absolutely love my job, and spending time with the dogs who need it the most is really rewarding.” Cathy further remarked: “It’ll be lovely on Christmas Day to go out together for a walk with some of the dogs, it’s a real family affair!” During past Christmas periods, the RSPCA has documented approximately 25,000 instances of reported animal suffering, with over 700 of these occurring specifically on Christmas Day.