Volunteers locked in kennels for charity

Maisie LillywhiteGloucestershire
News imageBBC A group of five people wearing inflatable animal costumes - including a lobster and a monkey costume - sit on the floor of a brick kennel at animal shelter.BBC
Teams taking part will not be freed until they each raise £1,000 for Cheltenham Animal Shelter

Volunteers dressed in inflatable lobster, monkey, and cat outfits have been locked in kennels, and will not be released until £1,000 has been raised.

Cheltenham Animal Shelter launched its lock-in at 09:30 BST on Wednesday to mark its 100th year and raise funds for abandoned pets.

Four teams from the shelter and nearby businesses have each been locked in four kennels, and will not be freed until the money has been raised.

Nicky Merifield, the shelter's operations manager, said: "For every milestone of £250 we raise, we will have a treat; that might be a game to keep us occupied, or it could be a cup of tea or a cake."

The shelter takes care of cats, dogs, and small animals.

"We're doing lots of different events throughout the year to try and raise additional funds for the shelter and just to mark our amazing achievement of 100 years of still helping animals," Merifield said.

About 14 people are taking part in the fundraiser, including those who work at the shelter, and employees from aviation company Ontic and Marley Risk Consultants.

Merifield said the kennels are "a good size" but, as those partaking get a dog bed each, "there isn't going to be too much room".

News imageThree people - a woman and two men - sit in a small brick kennel enclosure at an animal shelter. They have dog beds and toys around them.
The teams will not be let out until £1,000 is raised

Michelle Smith from Ontic and her colleagues dressed in inflatable animal costumes for the event, and said the sausage dog costume was "nearly the whole length of the kennel when it's blown out".

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