A DRONE company has helped rescue animals in a quite different fashion this Christmas with a charity appeal.

Networx3’s 2020 Santa Paws Christmas appeal has smashed its fundraising target of feeding all the animals for three months at seven North West animal charities – including the East Lancashire RSPCA.

Every year the Great Harwood-based blown fibre optic installation and professional drone inspection company sends hundreds of pounds worth of cash, food donations and essential supplies to rescue centres, cats and dogs’ homes and animal sanctuaries.

Networx3 Drones commercial director Caroline Earnshaw said: “The response to Santa Paws 2020 has been tremendous.

“We’re thrilled to be able to help these amazing animal charities who’ve been severely affected by the pandemic.

“Thanks to the generosity of our colleagues, suppliers and business network every animal will be fed until the end of March, which is a fantastic Christmas present from Networx3.”

The Santa Paws annual charity appeal has been running since 2015 and has donated thousands of pounds of vital food and supplies to animal charities across Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester.

This year the company started their campaign a month early in a bid to make Santa Paws 2020 the best year ever.

The animal charities they’re helping this year have been massively impacted by the pandemic with fundraising income slashed in half, events cancelled and valuable volunteers having to shield or self isolate.

The aim of Santa Paws 2020 is to feed all the animals at each centre for three months with that target smashed by mid-December thanks to the firm’s business network of staff, suppliers and associates.

This year’s chosen charities are East Lancashire RSPCA, Blackpool and North Lancashire RSPCA, Cheshire Dogs’ Home in Warrington, Furry Tails and Easterleigh Animal Sanctuary in Blackpool, Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Bury, and a Spanish animal rescue centre GPAR.

Altham Animal Centre manager Jeannette Ainscough said: “We’re currently looking after 32 dogs and 8 rabbits and because of the generosity of the Networx3 Santa Paws appeal all the animals will have a present to open on Christmas Day.

“The donations mean that the animals will have some little extras like toys and treats that we don’t normally buy.

“We’ve been struggling for the last few years financially and Covid has not done us any favours. Our main source of income comes from our charity shops but they’ve had to close and we’ve had no fundraising events either.

“The generosity has been amazing, we’re so grateful.”

To find out more about Networx3 Drones, visit: https://www.networx3drones.co.uk/.