Tom&Co supplies rescue centre ahead of winter

Belgian pet retailer Tom&Co has donated 2.5 tonnes of food to Creaves La Tanière des Fagnes, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation centre in Sourbrodt in the High Fens region of Wallonia. According to the company, the donation was made possible by the involvement of customers in its stores.

The centre, which relies on volunteers, takes in injured, sick, orphaned or disoriented wild animals such as roe deer, foxes, badgers, squirrels, hedgehogs and birds of prey, and releases them once they have recovered. Autumn is regarded as a critical period for wildlife, and the retailer says the situation has been aggravated this year by the fires that hit the High Fens in the summer, forcing many large mammals to move to other areas and increasing the risk of collisions.

Valérie Serroyen, who heads the centre, said the donation would secure food for the animals in its care during this period and allow the centre to keep its funds for veterinary care, medication and equipment. Tom&Co operates 195 stores in Belgium, France and Luxembourg.