RSPCA Bury, Oldham & District Centre 21A Rhodes Bank, Mumps, Oldham, OL1 1UA Tel: 0161 766 1414 0161 624 4725 Registered Charity: 226624

Branch History

The Bury RSPCA was founded over 100 years ago and helped local animal owners with veterinary fees, microchipping and neutering. The branch also boarded unwanted animals in private boarding facilities until new homes were found. The branch was run by a board of trustees for many years until they employed a branch administrator in 2002. 

The Oldham Animal Centre (The John MacDonald MRCVS Home) was officially opened by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Arnold Tweedale OBE JP on the 6th June 1987 and was licensed to hold a maximum of 27 dogs and 48 cats. The Oldham RSPCA for a number of years was unable to form a board of trustees and therefore it was run by members of the RSPCA Council Board. 

In 2005 it was agreed that the Bury Branch would merge with the Oldham Branch and together they would form a bigger and stronger branch. The Branch was renamed RSPCA Bury, Oldham Branch and continued with the Bury Branch charity number of 226624. 

Today there are 12 members of the trustee board from both the Bury and Oldham area and together they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. 

There have already been major changes since the merger, more shops have opened and the cattery at the animal centre has been refurbished and new outside cat runs have been erected. There are further plans to rebuild the kennels at the animal centre and more details of this proposed development will follow shortly. 

RSPCA Bury, Oldham and District Branch currently has seven shops situated in the Bury, Radcliffe, Royton, Shaw, Springhead and Lees area and the animal centre in Oldham. It continues working closely within the Bury and Oldham areas and is very active in microchipping and neutering. It also has a number of foster homes again situated in the Bury and Oldham area and therefore has the capacity to take in a large number of cats and dogs. The branch also has a mobile microchipping unit which is taken out to events and local areas to give pet owners the opportunity to have their animals "chipped" at a reduced rate or free of charge. 

The majority of the animals at the centre are brought in as a result of rescue work carried out by RSPCA inspectors and animal collection officers. Each year the RSPCA inspectors investigate over 100,000 complaints of cruelty and neglect. The animal collection officers collect over 180,000 sick, injured and abandoned animals every year. The centre does rehome animals from members of the public, but due to the limited number of kennels and cat pens there is nearly always a long waiting list. 

The RSPCA is not licensed to take in stray dogs. If you find a stray dog please contact your local authority's animal warden service, details of which can be found on the following websites:

Bury Dog Warden Service
Oldham Animal Warden Service