Garston Vets raises £2,000 for cat charity

YOUR feline friends have a new half-way house thanks to the staff at Garston Vets and their generous clients.

The vets, with four surgeries in Frome, Westbury, Warminster and Trowbridge, have raised much-needed cash for a variety of animal charities over the years. In the past 12 months the vets and staff have organised a series of events to raise funds for Frome and District Cats Protection and this summer reached their target of £2,000.

They sold refreshments at their stand at the Frome Cheese Show and organised a raffle for five Christmas hampers at each of their surgeries.

Partner John Gould spent hours in training and ran the Bath Half Marathon. The £2,000 target was reached in August at a cake sale held at the Westbury surgery to celebrate International Cats Day.

John said,”We are very proud to have raised these vital funds for such a fantastic local charity. Garston has a close association with Cats Protection, my family has even adopted several cats in the past, and we will continue to support it in the future.”

The money will be used to help purchase a cosy pen for the cats whilst at the charity. Pam Coward, the charity coordinator said, “Cats come into our care for lots of different reasons. We rescue, rehabilitate and rehouse the cats that need a home and the pens are used as a half-way house where they can feel safe and be looked after until we find them a suitable, new home. We are very grateful to Garston Vets for the money they have raised.”

Once the cats come into the care of the charity they are neutered, vaccinated and chipped and live temporarily with foster carers in one of the eight pens situated across the district. The charity is always looking for new fosterers and anyone interested can contact the housing officer on 07733 390345.

In previous years Garston Vets has raised £5,000 to sponsor a guide dog puppy and the next charity over the coming year will be Pets for Therapy, a national organisation founded in 1983 that enhances the health and wellbeing of people in the community through contact with animals, visiting hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes, schools.

Garston Vets have been providing care for all animals in the Frome, Westbury, Warminster and Trowbridge area for more than 100 years.