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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 13th December 2012
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Magnetic-collar moggy steals keys
Image: Stian Alexander
Neighbours discover key-stealing culprit

A nine-year-old cat has been stealing keys from her neighbours, after being fitted with a magnetic collar.

Milo the tabby cat was fitted with a magnetic collar that operates with a magnetic cat flap, in order to stop other cats entering her home and eating her food.

However, in the past five weeks Milo has managed to pick up more than 20 sets of house and car keys, as she goes into her neighbours houses via their cat flaps.

Milo was caught red-pawed when her owner, 27-year-old Kirsten Alexander, spotted her coming through the cat flap dangling the keys from her collar.

"I had no idea what she was getting up to all day when I was at work," said Miss Alexander. "Obviously she likes roaming around and sneaking into other people's homes and it just so happens that her magnetic collar kept picking up people's spare keys.

"When I saw her coming through the cat flap with a set of keys round her neck I thought 'poor thing' because her neck was really weighed down, and then it dawned on me what was happening,” she said.

Miss Alexander found 12 sets of keys in her back garden, eight dotted around her home and six more in neighbours gardens that had dropped off Milo's collar.

"I've given all the keys back and luckily neighbours have seen the funny side of it," added Miss Alexander, who also found nails, pins, screws and bolts scattered around her home.

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.