KILDARE, 4 September 2002: by Grace Halford. RTE’s talent search programme, 'Pop Stars' winners, 'Six' have joined Lynda Martin, to support the Kildare Animal Foundation. The pop group have teamed up with Masterfoods, the makers of 'Pedigree Chum' who have agreed to supply the animal foundation with a year’s free food for both cats and dogs.
Lynda Martin (above, with friends), RTE’s 'Lyrics Board' presenter and 'Pop Stars' judge, told KNN at the recent Open Day for the foundation, that the pop group had agreed to waive their fees for an advertisement, which they appeared in for World Animal Week which will run from October 4th, to help the charity. Lynda has been involved in the fight to improve animal welfare for the last number of years, working with the D.S.P.C.A., and became involved with the Kildare Animal Foundation two years ago when the foundation helped find a home for a dog, which Lynda had found difficult to re-home in Dublin, and since then has become the foundations Patron.
The centre is located just outside Kildare town, and is managed by Geraldine O’Hanlon, a lady of remarkable resourcefulness, who has managed over the last eight years to care for hundreds of animals, from cats and dogs to goats and even the odd crow or fox, on a limited budget of donations and gifts which were given to the foundation. Geraldine told KNN "the foundation was set up to provide a safe haven for abused and neglected animals in the Kildare area", and explained, "they have a strict non-destruction policy for all animals in their care". She also told KNN "that the news of the generous donation from "Six" and Masterfoods was a great relief", and said she was "delighted with the generous gesture which would allow the foundation to put additional resources into improving housing conditions and veterinary treatments for the animals."
However, she also added that despite the generous donation of Masterfoods and the proceeds from the foundations recent Open Day, which raised in excess of fifthteen thousand pounds, that this barely met the running costs for two months, with the centres veterinary bills in excess of eight thousand pounds for last month alone, and it was for this reason that they had launched their Pre-Euro appeal. This as Geraldine told KNN was a facility were by anyone who still had Pre-Euro coins or notes could donate them to the foundations office in the 'Pet-Proud' store in Newbridge were they would be used by the foundation to help benefit the animals in the centre. Ms. O’ Hanlon also wished to thank all who had contributed to the centre to date, and especially wanted to thank everyone for making the Open Day such a huge success.
