Charity to launch new vet clinic for local needy pets

18/04/2008

The Blue Cross, Britain's pet charity, is launching a new veterinary welfare clinic on 3 June 2008. The clinic, based at the animal adoption centre in Tiverton, will provide a charitable service for the pets of local residents on means tested benefits and low incomes who struggle to afford private vets' fees.

The veterinary clinic will carry out basic procedures such as microchipping and vaccinations plus treat minor ailments. More serious or complicated cases will be referred to a local veterinary practice where treatment will be subsidised by The Blue Cross.

Damian Harrison, Blue Cross centre manager at Tiverton said: We are excited about launching this important initiative which will be a vital service for local pet owners who need assistance with veterinary care for their pets. We hope the new service proves to be a lifeline for pets who might otherwise have been denied veterinary treatment.

The veterinary clinic will be held at The Blue Cross animal adoption centre, Chilton Gate, Bickleigh from 2.00pm until 4.00pm every Tuesday. Appointments are available to all eligible residents who live in postcode areas EX5, EX15, EX16 or EX17. To make an appointment, pet owners should contact the centre on 01884 855291.

To receive Blue Cross veterinary services pet owners must be in receipt of a means tested benefit or the State Retirement Pension (with no other sources of income). Proof of benefits is required, along with photo ID (passport or driver's licence) or a utility bill (gas, electricity or water) clearly stating name and address. People on low wages may also qualify for treatment. Proof of income in the form of a wage slip or bank statement is required.

The Blue Cross relies entirely on donations from the public, so people using the service will be asked to make a donation to cover some of the costs of the treatment their animals receive.

The launch of the Tiverton clinic is part of a national scheme for The Blue Cross, aiming to help more pets nationwide receive the veterinary treatment they need. Clinics already exist at The Blue Cross adoption centres in Bromsgrove and Felixstowe, with another planned for Southampton later this year. The clinics join the four Blue Cross animal hospitals situated in London and Grimsby, including the charity's flagship Victoria hospital which was the first of its kind in the world to open in 1906.

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Notes to Editors

Media are invited to attend a clinic session, please contact the press office for details.

Tiverton animal adoption centre opened in 1985 and is now one of the charity's largest centres. Located in central Devon, it serves a wide base of the local community and hundreds of animals are successfully rehomed every year. The centre has a veterinary clinic attached, which is currently open to anyone living in the postcode area of EX5, EX15, EX16 and EX17. The clinic is intended for people who cannot afford private vets' fees, so clients would be asked to show proof of income.

To contact the centre please call 01884 855291. Opening hours: Monday Wednesday & Friday Sunday & Bank Holidays: 11am - 4pm.  Closed on Thursdays.

The scheme will be run in association with the Jonathan Wood veterinary practice in Crediton, Devon.

The Blue Cross provides practical support, information and advice for pet and horse owners. Through its network of small animal and equine adoption centres it rehomes thousands of animals each year. Its hospitals provide veterinary care for the pets of people who cannot afford private vets' fees. 

For more information, please visit www.bluecross.org.uk

Media contact
Louise Lee, The Blue Cross press office, 020 7932 4066 or 07880 781637.