ANIMAL lovers across East Lancashire today urged people not to turf pets onto the streets this Christmas -- and give them a call instead.

Traditional pets such as cats and dogs join the more unusual, including sheep and horses, which are often thrown out during the festive period as owners become to busy to look after them.

But local sanctuaries today issued a Christmas message to people.

Cat rescue volunteer, Maureen Savage, of Moggies in Stansfield Street, Darwen, is urging cat-owners to call in an emergency.

She expects to be extra busy over the next few weeks and has set aside emergency pens for cats who are cast aside.

Maureen said: "It's a sad situation but many people decide to get rid of their pets because they have people around at their house, or because they're going away and can't feed them.

"I would like people to know that, if they have any problems, I am always on the end of the phone and if I'm not there, leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Maureen has already taken in nine cats since the beginning of December.

She said: "If you talk to people about their problems they might be able to work their way around them and keep the pets. There is no problem so big that it can't be solved. I hate to think of cats out in the cold, I would rather people phone me and we can sort it out together."

Olive Lomas, of Only Foals and Horses, Redshell Lane, Oswaldtwistle, currently has 112 horses and ponies and 42 sheep, goats, pigs and rabbits at the sanctuary.

She said it is not just cats and dogs that suffer at Christmas.

"It is a difficult time for most animals. It's important to take care of these animals over Christmas because there are times when they can be neglected with everything else going on.

"At Christmas you get the two extremes where animals are looked after really well and have an indoor as well as an outdoor area.

"And you get the others who are outside all the time and are left with the grass which has no nutrients at this time of year.

"It's important that owners feed them supplementary food as well as water and just take care of them because they are very precious."

Tracy Sutcliffe, owner of Great Harwood's Animal Lodge, Kennels and Cattery, deals with pets who have been left behind by owners at Christmas.

She said: "We have the well looked after pets here where their families have gone away and left them in our hands.

"I would think Christmas is a very important time for owners to take extra care of their animals."

The lodge is looking after nine dogs over the festive period.

The RSPCA has supported the call for compassion towards animals at Christmas.

The charity, which has a base in Altham, received almost 22,000 calls from concerned pet-owners across the country last year and looked after 700 dumped animals between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.

Emma Nutbrown, RSPCA spokeswoman, said: "There are problems associated with Christmas because it's a very stressful time and frequently animals take the rap for things going wrong.

"People just need to remember that their pets are part of the family too and Christmas can often be a very unnerving time for them."