RSPCA Wakefield's Summer Fun Day and Dog Show postponed due to extreme heatwave
The RSPCA Leeds, Wakefield and District branch has announced that it has postponed its upcoming family fun day and dog show at Thornes Park due to the hot weather.
The annual event was due to take place this Saturday, June 27 however, it has now been pushed back to Saturday, September 5 due to the ongoing heatwave.
The district will see highs of 35C this week with a Red Extreme Heat Warning issued by the Met Office for parts of the country.
The local branch, which is based in East Ardsley, announced on Sunday (June 21) that the event would be postponed to ensure “the safety and welfare of the dogs attending”.
The annual celebration has become a summer staple within Wakefield, with thousand of visitors attending Thornes Park each year.
Despite the change in date, visitors can still expect a variety of stalls from the East Ardsley centre as well as other local businesses, live entertainment and the popular dog show at the event later this year.
A spokesperson for the RSPCA Leeds and Wakefield branch said: “We are very sorry to share that, due to the forecast heatwave this week, we have made the difficult decision to postpone our Summer Fun Day & Dog Show on Saturday, June 27, for the safety and welfare of the dogs attending.
“With temperatures expected to exceed 30 degrees this week and remain very high on Saturday, it would not be safe for the dogs attending, or for visitors, stallholders and volunteers, for the event to go ahead as planned.
“We know this will be disappointing news, especially so close to the event. However, the welfare of the animals must always come first, and we hope you understand our decision.”