Creature Comforts Campaign

Animal attraction

The new PDSA Hospital

By Jessica Forster
Published on Mon Nov 01 12:17:51 GMT 2010

TODAY readers are being asked to reach into their pockets – and their hearts – to find any spare cash for our Creature Comforts Campaign.
Animal charity PDSA has responded to record levels of need in Sunderland by building a £1.6million pet hospital in North Hylton Road in Castletown – due to open before Christmas.
Through the Echo, we want to raise £15,000 to cover the building costs of a much-needed waiting room in the hospital, to give pets in need and their owners a helping hand, and free up cash for the project’s running costs.
PDSA head nurse Lindsay Atkinson, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Sunderland Echo and incredibly grateful for their support.
“Pets play such an important part in our lives and, in some cases, are a person’s only companion.
“PDSA is a wonderful charity to work for and one of the most rewarding parts of our jobs here is re-uniting a pet with its owner after treatment.
“It’s a great feeling to know we’ve had a hand in their recovery.
“Knowing that your pet can be cared for even if your circumstances change is a real life-line to many pet owners who, if PDSA wasn’t here, may have no choice but to re-home their beloved companion.”
In 2009 Sunderland’s PDSA veterinary team provided 54,000 free treatments to sick and injured pets, including dental procedures, life-saving surgery and preventive procedures, and they expect an even higher level of demand in 2011.

The new Sunderland PetAid hospital cost £1.6million to build and equip and once it is open the facility will cost the charity about £900,000 a year to run, that works out as £75,000 a month.
PDSA receives no Government or National Lottery funding and relies solely on the kindness and generosity of donations.
The Sunderland branch has more than 7,600 pets using the service and has seen a 16 per cent increase in pet patients, more than 1,050 extra animals requiring treatment, since 2006.
Staff at the PDSA expect numbers to increase by another 10 per cent in 2011, with a further 780 pets needing help.
To make your donation to the appeal send cheques or postal orders, made payable to Northeast Press Limited – Sunderland Echo Charity Account, to Creature Comforts Campaign, Sunderland Echo, Pennywell Industrial Estate, Sunderland, SR4 9ER, or drop donations into reception staff at the city centre or Pennywell offices.
Donations can also be made at www.pdsa.org.uk/sunderlandappeal.html

Published in Sunderland Echo 1 November 2010