BOSSES at a bird of prey centre in Renfrewshire have thanked a Johnstone pet shop for helping them buy a new gazebo.
Hootenanny Owls, based at Finlaystone Estate, in Langbank, recently appealed for donations after their hut was destroyed during last month’s storms.
In response to their urgent plea, the Pet Shop in Johnstone has now donated £200 to help the struggling centre, which has been hit hard by lockdown restrictions and a recent bird flu outbreak.
Donna Pickett, who runs the centre with her husband Billy, told The Gazette: "We have really struggled for the past two years.
"Being unable to open the centre has been hard. Then we were hit with bird flu and were forced to close again.
"We have had to fund the rescue ourselves and it hasn't been easy. Due to a number of rescues closing, we were asked to take birds but we really couldn't do it because of a lack of funds.
"We normally have a kid falconers' group on a Sunday and we can't even do that. We are hopeful that we will be able to open soon and resume our groups and hopefully be able to do some fundraising."
If you would like to help the centre, visit hootenannyowls.scot/donate.
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