The Blue Cross launches a new vet clinic for local pets in need

The Blue Cross has launched a new veterinary welfare clinic. The clinic, based at the animal adoption centre in West End, Southampton, will provide a charitable service for the pets of local residents on 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. 

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

Kellie Brooks, Blue Cross centre manager at Southampton said: “The new clinic will be vital for local pet owners who need help covering the cost of veterinary care for their pets, especially in these current hard financial times. We hope the service proves to be a lifeline for pets who might otherwise have been denied essential treatment.”
 
The veterinary clinic has been built as part of a £1.5 million project to improve The Blue Cross centre’s facilities. In addition to the new clinic, an isolation unit, admission block and dog kennels are being rebuilt and improved. The charity receives no government funding, so the project has been achieved with thanks to generous support from local residents, grants and corporate donations. Anyone who would like to make a donation should contact the centre on 023 8069 2894.

The launch of the Southampton 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, Felixstowe and Tiverton. 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.

Pre-booked appointments for the veterinary clinic will be held at The Blue Cross animal adoption centre, Bubb Lane, West End, Southampton from 2.00pm until 4.00pm every Tuesday. The new service will be available to all eligible residents who live in postcode areas SO18, SO19 or SO30. To make an appointment, pet owners should contact the centre.