Charity celebrates 100 years of helping animals in Southampton

PRESS RELEASE

24 February 2010

Charity celebrates 100 years of helping animals in Southampton

The Blue Cross animal adoption centre in Southampton is celebrating 100 years of helping animals in need after first opening its doors in 1910. Current and former staff, volunteers and supporters will be marking the occasion with a party at the Bubb Lane centre on Saturday 27 February, from 12-2pm. Among the guests will be former manager Steve Broomfield, a Southampton resident who managed the centre for 14 years, from 1987 to 2001.

Kellie Brooks, current Blue Cross centre manager at Southampton, said: “The Blue Cross has helped so many homeless and abandoned pets and their owners in this area over the last 100 years. We rely on public donations and we wouldn’t be able to continue helping poorly and homeless animals without the support of our volunteers and fundraisers, so we’d like to say a massive thank to everyone who has helped us keep going. I’m sure all the animals would like to say thank you too!”

Today, the centre on Bubb Lane, West End finds loving new homes for hundreds of dogs, cats and rabbits every year and also has a brand new veterinary clinic thanks to a £1.5m upgrade last year. The upgrade also provided state of the art kennels, a puppy and kitten unit and isolation unit, enabling them to help more animals than ever. In 2009, the centre found happy homes for an impressive 474 cats and 194 dogs.

The centre was opened at its original location on Warren Avenue in Shirley on 28 February 2010. Busy straight away, in its first year it took in 167 stray cats and 40 stray dogs. It was a welcoming place right from the beginning – certainly for one of the first stray cats to arrive at the centre who was sent to three different likely homes. On each occasion it found its way back to the centre before and finally became a permanent resident!

After a century, the centre still remains at the heart of the community with many loyal local supporters and volunteers, such as Dot Holmes and her husband Les who have been volunteering at the centre for over 12 years. Dot explains: “The Blue Cross staff at the centre do a marvellous job helping animals in the community. As a volunteer it’s great to be able to help them out. We still love spending time with the animals after all these years. It’s wonderful to see dogs who are often anxious at first, begin to enjoy their walks and start to trust you. And the best part is when they eventually go to loving new homes.”

The Blue Cross receives no government funding and relies on the generous support of the public to continue its vital work helping needy and homeless animals. To be eligible for the charity’s vet clinic services owners must be on a means tested benefit or state pension with no other income. Clients are asked to pay whatever they can afford towards their pet’s treatment, but sadly they can often only afford a fraction of the real cost.

To make a donation towards the work of The Blue Cross please contact 0300 7909903. To find out more information about the Southampton adoption centre, call 023 80692894.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Media are welcome to attend the 100^th birthday event, please contact the press office. Interviews with centre manager Kellie Brooks and former manager Steve Broomfield can be arranged on request.

Archive photos of the centre are available on request. Photos of the anniversary celebrations will be available after the event, please contact the press office.

Southampton animal adoption centre is based on a boarding kennel site formerly known as Goose Green, and has been there since 1991. Catteries were built thereafter, and the centre now serves communities across Hampshire, rehoming dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. In total, the centre has space for 40 dogs and 60 cats. In 2009 a new welfare veterinary clinic opened to treat the pets of owners on a low income who live in postcode areas SO18, SO19 and SO30. Hundreds of animals are successfully rehomed every year. To contact the centre please call 023 8069 2894. The centre is open daily between 11.00am and 4.00pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11.00am until 2.00pm, closed on Thursdays.

The Blue Cross animal charity 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

Sophia Khan, Blue Cross press office: 020 7932 4060 or sophia.khan@bluecross.org.uk