Tick Awareness for Pet Owners: How to Protect Your Cat or Dog
May 15, 2025
Ticks may be small, but they can cause serious health problems for your pets if left unnoticed or untreated. At Rain Rescue, we see firsthand
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Our 2023 Impact
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Latest News From Rain Rescue
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Meg & Wilma’s Happy Tail
May 15, 2025
A second chance for a beautiful mother and daughter duo. Meg and Wilma arrived at Rain Rescue through no fault of their own, after the
A Little Change, a Lot of Love for Rain Rescue!
May 13, 2025
We’re excited to share some news—our Rain Rescue logo has had a little makeover! You’ll still recognise it instantly—it’s the same familiar logo that’s stood
Rain Rescue Staff & Volunteers Complete Dog First Aid Training
May 12, 2025
At Rain Rescue, the safety and wellbeing of the animals in our care is always our top priority – and that means making sure our
Latest News From Rain Rescue
Ticks may be small, but they can cause serious health problems for your pets if left unnoticed or untreated. At Rain Rescue, we see firsthand the importance of regular checks and prevention, especially during peak tick season (spring to autumn in the UK). Whether you’re a dog walker or a cat cuddler, this guide will help you keep your furry family members safe and tick-free.
🕷️ What Are Ticks and Why Are They a Problem?
Ticks are tiny parasitic creatures that feed on the blood of animals (and sometimes humans). They’re often found in grassy, wooded or rural areas — which means countryside strolls, garden explorations, or even lounging in the backyard can all put pets at risk.
While most tick bites are harmless, some ticks carry serious diseases such as Lyme disease or babesiosis, which can affect both dogs and cats. Early detection and prevention are key.
🔍 Where to Check for Ticks on Your Pet
After walks or outdoor playtime, give your pet a thorough once-over — ticks love to hide in warm, sheltered areas. The most common places ticks attach include:
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Around the ears and eyes
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Under collars or harnesses
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Between the toes
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In the armpits (under the front legs)
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Around the groin area
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Under the tail and around the rear
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Along the neck and shoulders
Run your fingers through their fur slowly, applying gentle pressure so you can feel any small bumps.
🛑 How to Safely Remove a Tick
If you find a tick on your pet, don’t panic — and don’t pull it off with your fingers. Doing so could leave parts of the tick embedded, leading to infection.
Here’s the safe way to remove a tick:
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Use a tick removal tool – These are inexpensive and available at most vets or pet shops.
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Slide the tool under the tick, as close to your pet’s skin as possible.
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Gently twist while pulling upward — this should remove the tick in one piece.
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Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet or sealing it in a bag before binning it.
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Clean the area with a pet-safe antiseptic.
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Wash your hands thoroughly after removal.
Keep an eye on the area for a few days. If it becomes red, swollen, or your pet seems unwell, always contact your vet.
🚫 Tick Prevention: How to Protect Your Pets
Prevention is always better than cure. Here are some simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of ticks:
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✅ Use a vet-recommended tick prevention treatment — these come in the form of spot-on treatments, chewable tablets, or collars.
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✅ Regularly groom your pet — it helps you spot ticks and other parasites early.
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✅ Keep your garden tidy — trimming back long grass and overgrown bushes makes it less inviting for ticks.
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✅ Avoid areas known to be tick hotspots — especially during warmer months.
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✅ Check pets thoroughly after walks — especially if they’ve been exploring wooded or grassy areas.
When to See a Vet
If you notice symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, limping, or unusual behaviour after a tick bite, it’s best to seek veterinary advice. These could be signs of a tick-borne illness and early treatment can make all the difference.
A second chance for a beautiful mother and daughter duo.
Meg and Wilma arrived at Rain Rescue through no fault of their own, after the heartbreaking loss of their previous owner. This mother and daughter pair were understandably confused and a little timid when they first came into our care. At first, both Meg and Wilma kept their distance, unsure of their new surroundings and the unfamiliar faces around them. They needed time, space, and gentle reassurance – and that’s exactly what our team gave them.
With daily care, calm words, and patience, we began to see glimpses of their sweet personalities shine through. Meg, the mum, was always slightly braver – stepping out first, curious but cautious. Wilma would follow her lead, slowly building her own confidence as she realised she was safe. Day by day, their trust grew. Before long, they were accepting strokes and curling up in their cosy beds, finally beginning to relax.
We knew both Meg and Wilma would need calm, patient homes where they could continue to grow in confidence. While they could have been rehomed separately if needed, we secretly hoped a family would come along who had room in their hearts for both – and thankfully, that wish came true.
Meg and Wilma’s new owners shared this lovely update:
“Our girls have settled in really quickly. They seem very content and are both happy to be stroked and cuddle up on the sofa and footstools. This week we’ve started letting them out into the garden with us, which they’re really enjoying. We feel they must have come from a very loving and happy home previously. They are such a pleasure to have as part of our family.”
Hearing how relaxed and content they now are fills our hearts with joy. After experiencing loss and uncertainty, these two gentle souls have found their place again – and their new family couldn’t be happier.
Meg and Wilma’s story is a beautiful reminder that, even in the wake of sadness, brighter days can follow. With time, love and a little patience, broken hearts can heal – and new bonds can blossom.
We’re so proud to have played a part in their journey, and so grateful to their new family for opening their home and hearts to them both.
Here’s to many more happy, peaceful days ahead for Meg and Wilma – and a lifetime of love in their forever home.
We’re excited to share some news—our Rain Rescue logo has had a little makeover!
You’ll still recognise it instantly—it’s the same familiar logo that’s stood beside us for years, just with a gentle refresh to reflect who we are today. The core design remains, but with one meaningful change: the person in the logo is now crouching down, right beside the animals.
Why? Because that’s exactly what we do every single day.
Whether it’s the dogs and cats waiting for their second chance, the animals in need of calm and care, or the animals in our community whose families need support to stay together, we’re here—on their level, at their pace, meeting them where they are. This small tweak represents something big: We will always walk alongside the animals we rescue, never above them. It’s a visual nod to our mission, our compassion, our grounded approach, and our promise to always act in the best interests of those who can’t speak for themselves.
We’ll be taking a phased approach to introducing the new logo. That means, as and when existing signage, uniforms, printed materials or other items naturally need replacing, we’ll take the opportunity to update them with our refreshed look. It’s part of our commitment to sustainability and responsible spending—we’re not throwing anything away before its time.
We want to reassure you: Rain Rescue remains the same at heart. Same mission. Same values. Same determination to give dogs and cats the second chances they so desperately need. Your generosity makes everything we do possible. It’s thanks to you that we can continue rescuing animals, giving them safety, love and hope.
So from all of us here at Rain Rescue—thank you. For believing in us, standing by us, and now, embracing this new chapter with us. We hope you love the refreshed logo as much as we do. It’s still us. Just with a little more heart showing on the outside.
See What Our Supporters Have to Say
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I adopted my two from rain rescue in August 2023. It was a super smooth process and the staff were so great at supporting me. I'd never had cats before, but I randomly fell in love with two kittens when I'd taken my friends to meet a cat they wanted to adopt. Every member of staff was super helpful with advice, leaflets, product recommendations etc to help me give the kittens the best I could. Here they are a year later, fully grown and happy as anything! Couldn't recommend this rescue more!
Ashleigh Thatcher
September 3, 2024Rain Rescue were immensely supportive during our adoption process. We met our 14 year old cat and was given all of the information regarding her previous health check-ups and behaviour. Rain Rescue was a fantastic shelter to adopt from, would highly recommend!
Pippa Lucken
July 18, 2024 -
After first meeting Chica (now Olive) the adoption at Rain Rescue was straightforward and Jess was so friendly and helpful. And of course the 4 weeks Petplan insurance that was included in the adoption fee was a big help so we can just concentrate on making our new fur baby at home.
Tracy Griffin
July 6, 2024We adopted our beautiful cat Eddie from Rain Rescue, we found him through their website and were able to meet him soon after. The site is really well kept and the animals are very well looked after by the staff and volunteers who clearly love and care for the animals. We were told everything they knew about Eddie and given the time and space to meet him in a calm environment. When we picked him up we were given a months insurance and lots of food and treats to get him started. They also let us take home the bed and blankets he liked while he was there so he had some home comforts. They checked up on us to make sure Eddie was a good match and settled in, offering help and advice if we needed it. We really recommend Rain Rescue and would like to say a huge thank you for our lovely Eddie and I'm sure he would too.
Philippa Love
June 30, 2024 -
The ladies at Rain Rescue are really nice and it's obvious that the cats are well loved after and loved. We would like to say a big thank you to Rain Rescue for bringing Ozzie (Finn) into our lives, he's such a character and we love him so very much.
Laina Knight
May 26, 2024We had a great experience with Rain Rescue. All of the staff were really friendly and informative when we visited and rescued Conker. We are really grateful to everyone that helped look after Conker whilst we were still trying to find her. Thank you!
Zoe Parsons
May 24, 2024 -
The adoption process was so easy with Rain Rescue. I filled in my adoption form and included some photos of my house and was contacted within a few minutes. A meeting was set up with the foster carer at a time that suited both of us. Great in keeping in touch throughout the process, a wonderful rescue doing amazing work for rescue animals.
Nicola Everall
May 14, 2024The process was very easy and I could tell the animals was all put at best interest. Items supplied by rain help greatly help with our new cat icy adjusting to his new environment and is now happily part of the family.
Brendan Gallacher
May 14, 2024 -
The process was very easy and I could tell the animals was all put at best interest. Items supplied by rain help greatly help with our new cat icy adjusting to his new environment and is now happily part of the family.
Brendan Gallacher
May 14, 2024We adopted Eddie (was Cinnamon) 3 weeks ago from Rain. From the first visit, we were very impressed with just how well cared for these animals are. The whole adoption process was done with Eddie’s wellbeing as priority. The staff are friendly and welcoming. I would highly recommend Rain Rescue.
Laura Watkinson
April 24, 2024 -
From our first contact with Rain rescue, our adoption process has been very smooth and orderly. We collected the kittens directly from their foster home nearly 4 weeks ago now and everything has gone so well since. Bertie and Betty have completed our family and bring more joy and love to our home. They are brilliant with the kids and provide us all with the best cuddles. We could not be happier. Thank you
Ciara Lambert
March 20, 2024Adopting Dora has been such an easy process, the team at Rain Rescue are so friendly and helpful. When we went to meet Dora for the first time she was in a spacious catio and was really well looked after. She has become a great addition to our family and would definitely adopt from Rain Rescue again. Thank you!
Lucy Roberts
March 11, 2024 -
I thought I’d pop in to say a big thank you for changing our lives recently with Frank, he’s a loving, caring & intelligent dog that just loves lots of company and plenty of belly rubs, he would not have been the dog he is if it was not for all your input, time and love you showed him. Since Frank has become part of the family we have shared some wonderful times already, whether that be enjoying Xmas, sun bathing or going for wonderful walks in the countryside or on the beech. Thank you to all of yourselves and we look forward visiting yourselves throughout the up and coming years xxx
Barry Disley
March 6, 2024Milly has really settled into her new home. I had a great experience at Rain. They really listened and helped me find the type of cat I was looking for. They were very welcoming and made the whole experience great.
Lauren Clifford
March 6, 2024 -
Our experience with the adoption of our beautiful girl Willow was a very good one, the staff were very knowledgeable, supportive, friendly and helpful during our visit and gave us as much time as we needed with each cat to make sure we were the right match for each other. I have emailed Rain Rescue on a couple of occasions to ask questions about Willow and they have been answered in the same day, they always have time for you. I would recommend Rain Rescue to anyone wishing to adopt a cat.
Sharon
February 14, 2024Visited with my Mum who had recently lost a feline friend and wanted another companion. Staff were very helpful and polite. Very welcoming and knowledgeable. Couldn't have given s better service start to finish
Andy Ramsden
January 8, 2024 -
I’ve been so impressed by Rain Rescue from start to finish of the adoption process. We were aware that kittens are very popular but they got in touch with us really promptly after our enquiry and arranged a visit straight away. Their communication was clear and quick throughout and all the staff we interacted with were super helpful. At the shelter itself, the cats have lots of space (including an amazing play catio!) and we had a great time meeting our kitten to make sure she was right for us. The reservation and collection process went really smoothly and it was clear how much the staff enjoy their work and care for the animals. Our kitten came to us fully vaccinated, spayed and with a month of pet insurance so we had nothing to worry about. She was already well litter trained and well socialised. She adapted really well to living with us and is such a bundle of joy to live with! Rain Rescue have since followed up with us a couple of times to check in on how she’s doing and offering support and advice if we needed it — we haven’t, but it’s amazing to know it’s there. I’d recommend adopting via Rain Rescue to anyone looking for a new pet. They’re brilliant!
Daisy Hughes
January 8, 2024What a great experience for adopting a cat ..staff were awesome facilities exceptional and great work they are doing
Jason Buerman
January 8, 2024 -
Lovely rescue centre. Very enthusiastic staff. Rescued to ex racing greyhounds from here earlier in the year.
Lorraine Cottingham
January 8, 2024Absolutely wonderful re-homing centre. Very friendly and helpful people who really care. Strongly recommended
Simon Leaf
January 8, 2024
