Hull Animal Welfare Trust opens in-house vet surgery

An East Yorkshire animal shelter has opened its own veterinary surgery, saving it thousands of pounds in fees.

Hull Animal Welfare Trust has hired vet Zofia Rykaczewska and nurse Laura Molton to staff the facility at its Sunnydene shelter in South Cave.

Trustee Sue Sewell said the first patient, a two-year-old cat named Millie, underwent surgery to remove a damaged eye on Wednesday.

Mrs Sewell said: "We are delighted by the new facility."

The charity, celebrating its 40th year, typically rehomes between 500 and 600 cats and dogs each year.

Mrs Sewell said: "Vet fees were rocketing. We were spending around £200,000 a year on vet fees for our animals.

"We have been lucky enough to secure a grant. We won't be spending anywhere near that now we have our facility and staff."

Most operations will be carried out in-house with more complex surgery outsourced, Mrs Sewell said.

She said of the first patient: "She is just the sweetest cat, and we've no doubt at all that she will find a loving new home once she recovers from her operation."

Despite the impact of Covid on fundraising, the charity is in good shape, reports Mrs Sewell.

"I can't thank our supporters enough," she said. "Without their donations during the pandemic we wouldn't be here now.

"To get to this stage, where we have our own vet facility, from how we started out 40 years ago with just filthy sheds, is fantastic."

Staff and volunteers have seen changes in recent times, however.

"We're no longer getting the large puppy litters we used to," said Mrs Sewell. "That's good because I think the message around the importance of neutering pets has got through.

"But the dogs that are coming to us tend to be big and boisterous. We are having to do a lot of work with them before they can be rehomed."

In many cases, these dogs cannot be rehomed with families, she added.

The surgery is not open to the general public and will only be used to treat animals in its care, the charity said.

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