Valentine’s Day may have been and gone but we have several bonded pairs of dogs, cats and rabbits at Ard Jerkyll who demonstrate that loyalty and affection between some animals is a strong instinct.

Whether we can call this ’love’ in the human sense of the word is debatable, but it is heart-warming to see.

Sheldon and Pixie are six-year-old jack russell siblings who have been together all of their lives.

They are looking for a new home due to their previous owner developing allergies which have worsened over the months

She is understandably very upset, having adopted them from the RSPCA in Essex a year ago with the intent of giving them their ’forever’ home.

Sheldon and Pixie are very loveable, both towards each other and towards humans, and they enjoy endless cuddles.

Sheldon (tricolour) is quite shy, whereas his sister (tan and white) is fun-loving and playful and would play with her ball all day and night if she could.

The dogs are used to children, even very young ones, and they are generally good with other dogs. A perfect pair!

And over in the cattery we have several ’purrfect’ pairs of cats looking for their new homes.

We don’t know much about Daisy and Pebbles’ background, but they are clearly very attached to each other.

They sleep together and ’mutually groom’, although Pebbles is the first to come out and say hello when they have visitors to their pen.

They are well-socialised and affectionate cats, and they would settle quickly into a new home. Daisy (who is ten years old) is a stripped tabby, and Pebbles (who is only four) has a white bib and tummy, with pebble-effect black and tan spots. Please come and meet them.

Panda and Coffee, 18-week-old Lionhead cross wild rabbits, are the result of a ’love-match’ that should never have happened.

Their mother escaped from her run, had an encounter out in the wild with a male rabbit, and then was gifted in to us while pregnant.

Panda and Coffee are an unusual pair of rabbits because of their parentage - they have a circle of hair tufts around their necks that can’t quite be classed as a lion-like main; and fluffy areas around their bodies.

Panda has a wild rabbit’s brown colouring, whereas Coffee is mainly white with a brown snout and ears and they both have enormous big brown eyes that will melt you heart.

Could they be your Easter bunnies?

As spring approaches we will start to see more and more young animals and birds brought to us, sometimes because people mistakenly think they have been abandoned by their parents.

The parents are probably guarding their young from a distance, or off hunting, and so our advice is always to observe the youngers in situ for as long as possible before disturbing them.

Sometimes the young animals and birds do need to be rescued, and the person reporting the problem is unable to bring them to Ard Jerkyll or to a vet.

This can mean that our ambulances are travelling the length and breadth of the island several times in one day, and it would be quicker and more efficient if volunteers were able to help with some of the rescues.

We would like to recruit and train more wildlife wardens - members of the public who are happy to be called upon to rescue wildlife, in particular birds,

in their local area. This will often involve capturing the animal and containing it safely, and then transporting it to the nearest veterinary practice.

If you would like to find out more about the scheme please contact us by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 851672.

And spring is often a time when people have a clearout in their houses. O

ur Ramsey charity shop on Parliament Street is looking for bric-a-brac and small items of furniture to sell, as well as clothes, jewellery and accessories.

The shop is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, as is our Douglas charity shop on Bucks Road, or you can drop off donated goods seven days a week at Ard Jerkyll.