ANIMAL HOSPITAL DONATES FUNDS TO HELP RETIRED POLICE DOGS CHARITY

A leading veterinary hospital in Wiltshire has donated money to a regional animal charity which is set to help boost their charitable work at key events across the region.

Swindon-based Eastcott Veterinary Referrals, which is part of Linnaeus, has handed over a £1,000 cheque to WAGS Retired Police Dog Charity, an independent foundation set up to help retired police dogs from Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire police.

The donation from Eastcott has enabled WAGS to purchase a gazebo which will significantly help it stand out at events and raise further awareness of the importance of the work done by the charity.

Claire Todd, trustee and treasurer at the charity, said: “It is not always possible to get full insurance cover for retired police dogs.

“WAGS can really make a difference to the health and wellbeing of these amazing pets who have helped our forces for much of their lives, and it’s been our mission to really ramp up building awareness on the importance of it.

“This donation from Eastcott has really altered how we are seen at events. The gazebo is very eye-catching and has helped us look more professional and really attract more people to our stand to talk them through what they could be doing to make a difference.

“We are so thankful to the entire team at Eastcott who have gone the extra mile and have been very generous with this donation, helping us continue to make a difference in these amazing animals’ lives.”

Duncan Barnes, clinical director at Eastcott, said: “The team at Eastcott always goes above and beyond to help improve the care we provide to our patients.

“Over the years, we’ve provided veterinary care to a number of serving and retired police dogs so we’re delighted to be able to support WAGS.

“WAGS is a fantastic charity and really resonates with the ethos of our hospital. We are so pleased to have been able to help it out with this donation. We hope that it will continue to raise awareness and the funds needed to help dogs who have worked hard their whole lives keeping us all safe.”

Eastcott offers specialist expert care in cardiology, dentistry, internal medicine, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oncology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, laparoscopy, neurology, diagnostic imaging, CT and MRI, anaesthesia and analgesia and emergency and critical care.

For more information about Eastcott Referrals visit www.eastcottreferrals.co.uk or search for Eastcott Veterinary Referrals on social media.