A CHARITY that enhances the health and wellbeing of communities will be the focus of a UK veterinary group’s fundraising efforts in 2020.
VetPartners has named Pets As Therapy (PAT) as its chosen charity for the coming year.
VetPartners’ UK-wide practices and central team, based at its headquarters in York, are planning fundraising events to raise as much money as possible over the next 12 months.
The charity supports communities through the visit of trusted volunteers and pets to hospitals, hospices, special needs schools and nursing and care homes. More than 6,000 children a week benefit from dogs being taken into schools to encourage reading in a relaxed environment, with dog and child sitting together.
The money raised by VetPartners will support Pets As Therapy to recruit new volunteers, register them and ultimately set them up with an establishment on the charity’s waiting list.
VetPartners has raised a magnificent £20,000 for its 2019 chosen charity, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, which helps to transform lives by training dogs to alert deaf people to important and sometimes life-saving sounds, such as fire alarms, intruder alarms, oven timers and baby monitors.
VetPartners Senior Business Development Manager Caroline Queen, who oversees the group’s fundraising efforts, said: “From sky diving to baking cupcakes, scaling mountain tops to running marathons, everyone from VetPartners throws themselves into the challenge of supporting our chosen charities.
“We’re delighted to be supporting Pets As Therapy this year. Volunteers and their pets bring joy, comfort and companionship to many individuals, who appreciate being able to touch and stroke a friendly animal. Many people benefit from this unique experience and the results are outstanding.
“I’m sure everyone will have great ideas on ways of raising money. Having a chosen charity is a great way for teams to bond, while helping others boosts wellbeing and self-esteem.”
Matthew Robinson, Pets As Therapy National Volunteer and Events Manager, said the support of VetPartners will be a huge boost to the work of the charity.
Mr Robinson said: “The support of VetPartners will help us to achieve our goal of closing the gap between the ever-increasing demand for our volunteer team visits against our current ability to meet it.
“Money raised will support us in recruiting new volunteer teams, registering them and ultimately setting them up with an establishment on our waiting list
“VetPartners is also in a unique position to further support PAT through their interaction with clients’ dogs or cats in their practices.
“If a dog or cat has a great temperament, the clinician could bring into conversation that they think the animal would make a great therapy animal and ask if the owner had considered joining PAT, before referring them to our website for further information and ultimately enable them to register with us online.”
For media enquiries, please contact Amanda Little, VetPartners Senior PR and Communications Manager, on 07970 198 492 or email amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk