Here at The Grand, our staff love their pets. For National Pet Day we wanted to share some of our furry friends with you!

National Pet Day was founded in 2006 to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives and to create public awareness about the plight of many kinds of animals awaiting a forever home in shelters and rescues all around the globe.

Over the years, The Grand Theatre has played host to productions featuring animals, such as a Chihuahua and Bulldog in Legally Blonde The Musical, a Stallion, Donkey in the Ellen Kent Operas, a Chocolate Labrador in Of Mice and Men and not forgetting most recently, the Shetland Ponies in our 2017 GRANDpanto, Cinderella.

To celebrate and highlight this day, our staff members have come together to share stories on their lovely pets…

Name: Andrew Howard

Position: Head of Marketing

Pet Name: Alfie, Darcy and Chester

Breed: Chihuahua, Grey Tabby

Description: Let’s just say my house is a busy one! Alfie is a new addition to the family, a 9-week-old chihuahua puppy and boy is he full of beans! Chewing, yapping and well, you can imagine the rest! But you look at his tininess and all you can say is awwww, so cute, and his puppy eyes make your heart melt!

The office can’t wait for his regular visits!

He’s a beautiful addition though, I don’t know if my cats Darcy and Chester are loving it though? As a new addition to the family that they have ruled [and been like princes] since the day they arrived. 6 years in and they have been spoilt rotten from the day I chose them from the RSPCA. I was told they had been left in a bin and abandoned, my heart melted and they are now a huge part of my life.

Darcy and Chester are working out the hierarchy with the new addition of Alfie, but they’re all starting to butt noses and work out Alfie is here to stay, and that life goes on!

Name: Richard Everingham

Position: Marketing Admin

Pet Name: Ruby

Breed: Golden Labrador

Description: How to describe Ruby? You can see the angel in her eyes but don’t get mistaken, she fool’s you into a false sense of security then you end up chasing her for 35 minutes trying to get the toilet roll she’s stole out her mouth.

Massive fan of toilet rolls, socks, deodorant cans, pretty much anything you have in her hand she thinks it’s hers.

However, you bring a balloon into the house, different story, she goes into defensive mode, biggest wuss on planet earth.

Other than this she’s a joy, gets soppy from time to time but it’s at this time you start to think “I know she’s done something she shouldn’t have”, then you leave the room to find a big poo led in the middle of the corridor, but, that’s Ruby.

Name: Natalie Townsend

Position: Digital Marketing Officer

Pet Name: Mop

Breed: Shih Tzu

Description: I tried long and hard to think of some funny stories about Mop but the truth is, he’s quite chilled-out. We’re quite lucky that apart from destroying our first sofa, he’s never really been naughty pup. You will always receive the warmest welcome when you come through the door and if you don’t greet him…he’ll follow you until you do.

His best friend is a reindeer teddy, which is replaced every Christmas, usually because by that time Rudolf has lost a couple of limbs. We haven’t located these so can only assume Mop’s eaten them!

I’ve had Mop for half of my life. He arrived on my 12^th birthday, despite claims by my mother that he wasn’t a birthday present. This was probably to avoid arguments with my siblings, a claim she still holds today, despite the fact we’re all now in our 20s. Secretly I tell everyone he’s mine.

He’s also anyone’s best friend if you’ve got food. Honestly, he’s a traitor. He’ll be cuddled up with you until he realises someone in the house has food. Then that’s it, he’s ditched you. But we wouldn’t have him any other way!

Name: Robert Kearton

Position: Contracts and Admin Manager

Pet Name: Dart

Species: Syrian Hamster

Description: Dart is a new addition to the family. He’s about 4 months old. He got his name from a popular Netflix series Stranger Things, but also because he’s very quick. He’s nocturnal, so enjoys socialising in the evening and having a run around in his ball. Hamsters are born nibblers and escapologist. If he can get his teeth into in, he’ll bite it and if he can find an escape route, he’ll make a run for it. Fortunately, he’s not got away just yet, though we’ve had a few close calls. Despite his natural inclination Dart doesn’t mind being handled and has yet to bite anyone. Experience has taught us it’s only a matter of time!

Name: Jessica Ward

Position: Content Creator

Pets names and breeds:

Chocolate Labrador: Tyson

White Teacup Chihuahua: Robin, he’s not so teacup anymore!

Chorkie (Yorkshire Terrier and Chihuahua Cross): Tinkerbell, Crystal, Daisy, Bobby and Pixie.

Yellow Crown Amazon Parrot: Charlie

Parrotlet: Jack

7 White Fantail Doves: their names change every week according to our 7-year-old niece.

Hamster: Fluffy

A variety of rainbow tropical fish

Description

Barking, squawking and animals everywhere – absolute mayhem every day!

There is not a day that goes by where it is quiet in the Ward household. Originally, we had 14 dogs, after our little Chorkie, Tinkerbell gave birth. Being the animal lovers we are, we caved and kept them all! And the rest was history…

We own 5 Chorkies they’re a little family of love, licking and cuddling. They adore one another and snuggling on the couch is their forte. Tinkerbell, the leader of the Chorkie pack, cleans everyone’s ears and ensures all the little ones are in tip top condition, even the not so small teacup Chihuahua, her boyfriend!

Tyson, the chocolate Labrador, still believes he’s a baby and regularly jumps on all 4’s before going for a walk, it’s hilarious, but he’s meant to be feisty and our guard dog! Not a cuddly teddy bear, but we adore him nonetheless.

As for the birds, we added a true touch of the rainforest to our home… Why? I don’t know. Charlie the parrot speaks, sings and dances, it’s rather impressive! When you leave the house, he even says goodbye. Fish, fantail doves, a little Parrotlet and a fat hamster, we have everything and it’s a madhouse… But it’s the best madhouse!

Name: Jo Cleasby

Position: Creative Learning Producer

Pet Name: Bella

Breed: Little black thing with green eyes! (Cat)

Description: Bella is a loveable rescue cat that enjoys a cuddle and a tickle under her chin. Still only 10 months old she always wants to play and chase ping pong balls around the house.

She is very talented ……. unfortunately, this talent is for catching birds and mice and delivering them to us via the cat flap!!! I must say we never appreciate her generous gifts.

Name: Shaun Gorringe

Position: House Manager

Pet Name: Mackrel

Breed: Black Cat

Description: Has very strange habits like sitting on his favourite box or lying on his back on his favourite box, as though it’s a hammock and absolutely hates the vacuum cleaner. His favourite foods are prawns and tuna, although he also likes spicy food – never leave a curry around when he is nearby! Mackrel is a greedy cat, likes eating food that he shouldn’t like eating, thinks he’s a human being.

Get involved today for National Pet Day via Facebook (@blackpoolgrand) or Twitter (@Grand_Theatre) and tweet us your pet photos and stories! #NationalPetDay.

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