FAMILY pets lapped up the attention at an RSPCA action day on an Oxford estate.

Animal lovers in Blackbird Leys were given advice on all aspects of pet care by representatives of the RSPCA, Oxford City Council and the police.

Financial help was also given to some owners towards the cost of neutering and microchipping their pets.

Dog owners were reminded of their responsibility to control and clean up after their animals.

The all-day event, at Blackbird Leys Community Centre, was organised by RSPCA inspector Doug Davidson alongside the area's police community support officers (PCSOs) and Pc Alex Shepherd.

Insp Davidson hailed the event a great success, with a total of 50 cats and dogs being micro-chipped at a reduced cost of £10 during the day - it can cost twice that to have the device installed.

He said: "I was delighted with it because until we ran it, we didn't have a clue if anybody would come. So to get that many people, a couple of hundred, and 50 pets with a microchip is a good result.

"Those cats and dogs have a much better chance of being returned to their owners if they get lost or stolen now, so those owners have got peace of mind."

The RSPCA recommends that all adult cats and dogs should be neutered, and the charity may be able to help people pay for the operation.

Insp Davidson said: "If somebody has a cat or a dog and is in genuine financial difficulty, the Oxfordshire branch can sometimes pay up to 50 per cent of the cost of the operation.

"We would rather use the money from fundraising from the Oxfordshire public to prevent unwanted kittens or puppies being born."

He said similar events could be run again, adding: "This was a proactive thing for us to do and there is hopefully a feeling of goodwill from residents on the estate and we have shown them all the help there is available."