The RSPCA has joined forces with Pets at Home to provide the first ever in-store adoption centre.

The centre located in the Pets at Home Stockport store will aim to find new homes for cruelly treated and neglected cats, dogs and rabbits.

It comes complete with a living room area for customers to seek advice on pet care and adoption and to meet pets in a relaxed setting.

The centre has space to house up to four cats and four rabbits until new homes can be found for them. Dogs looking for new homes will be brought in at the weekends.

This is the first of four centres planned across England and Wales.

Gavin Grant, CEO of the RSPCA, said: "The RSPCA and Pets at Home want to see happy and healthy pets. With ever more animals being abandoned and abused, there's so much we can do together.

"I'm excited by the prospect of more rescued pets being rehomed and many more people being educated about better animal care and welfare."

Nick Wood, CEO of Pets at Home, said: "At Pets at Home, we are passionate about pets and their welfare. We’ve been working hard to develop Pets at Home and RSPCA joint branded pet care literature and ensure customers are making the right decision when introducing a new pet to the family."

The store in Stockport already offers services such as grooming, microchipping, free nutrition consultations, weight checks and a Companion Care veterinary surgery.