Vet secures cash boost for dog charity CAESSR

An elderly rescue dog who has found a forever retirement home has visited a vet who has secured a cash boost for the charity which has been looking after him. Horlicks, a 13-and-a-half-year-old lemon and white Sprocker, which is a cross between a Cocker and Springer Spaniel, has been looked after in a foster home provided by the Cocker and English Springer Spaniel Rescue (CAESSR) for the last few weeks. He extended a paw of thanks to senior small animal vet Richard Nolan of Manor Court Veterinary Centre in Church Street for a £500 donation from Willows Veterinary Group which owns the surgery in the centre of Tarvin. The independently-owned veterinary group, has a network of 25 small animal surgeries, a referral veterinary hospital, two equine centres and a seven-office farm practice located across Cheshire and into the Wirral, North Wales and Staffordshire. Nolan put forward the cause on behalf of his surgery at a Willows staff party where nominated animal charities were put into a hat and two were drawn out to receive a £500 boost each. The other £500 went to the Warrington-based Cat Homing and Rescue (CHAR). Nolan said: “CAESSR is an excellent charity which provides a lifeline for the dogs it rescues and finds new, suitable homes for. Without the charity team’s care and kindness, a lot of these dogs would face an uncertain future and I am delighted to be able to secure this money for them to put towards their excellent work. “I have known two of the charity’s founders, Di and Ian Harrison, for most of the 30 years I have been at the practice, and their dedicated, tireless work to look after the dogs in their care deserves our support wholeheartedly.” Di and Ian Harrison of Duddon, near Tarporley, founded CAESSR in 2010 along with John and Pat Powell from Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire where the charity has its main kennels. Sadly, Pat lost her battle with cancer two years ago and volunteer Lisa Guthrie now looks after the charity finances. CAESSR now has a network of volunteers all over the UK. John said: “It’s very kind of Richard and Willows Veterinary Group to support us in this way. It gives us a real boost to receive news like this because there are so many dogs we want to help and it is money like this which helps us to reach out to more. “Running CAESSR every year costs in the region of £55,000 so any financial support we can get is so valuable. This money goes towards medical treatment, kennelling costs, insurance, transportation and the general care of the dogs." He added: “With Horlicks, because of his age, we have pledged to cover any ongoing medical care he might need from his new owner, excluding flea, worming and vaccination costs which all dog owners would need to keep up with. “The money for supporting rescue dogs like Horlicks and finding him the right home has to come from somewhere and the £500 from Willows Veterinary Group is a tremendous boost.”