Worthing Animal Clinic

Our Annual Report for 2007/08, including the Accounts for 2007, is now available. The report gives comprehensive information about the work of the charity. Extracts appear on our About and Charity pages. Details of how to get a copy or access it via this website are on our Charity page.

The Report and Accounts were presented to our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 18 June, at East Worthing Community Centre.

Nick John became the charity's Patron at our Open Evening on Wednesday 14 May. Around 40 supporters, members and clients had the opportunity to see the work of the Clinic via guided tours, a Powerpoint presentation, a dummy operation and chatting with staff. They also heard about the charity's achievements over the last year and its current plans.

During the evening former Mayor of Worthing Geraldine Lissenburg, the charity's Patron since 1997, was presented with an inscribed piggy bank to mark her retirement, and handed over as Patron to Nick John. Nick is also a former Mayor of the town, and selected Worthing Animal Clinic as one of his Mayoral Charities for his year of office, 2005/06.

Neutering Fund

Our long-planned Neutering Fund is now open, thanks to a donation of £500 from Worthing Lions. One of three schemes we aim at promoting responsible pet ownership, it provides an additional subsidy for owners wishing to have puppies neutered, preventing the birth of unplanned and unwanted puppies through providing affordable spaying and castration whilst dogs and bitches are still young (up to one year old for bitches, two for dogs). The subsidy is an additional 30% reduction in the cost to the owner, over and above our existing 35% subsidy compared to the charges made by local private practices. In practical terms, it reduces the costs from, typically, £145 for bitches and £85 for dogs to about £100 and £60 respectively, the exact cost depending on the animal's weight.

Despite our sizeable canine patient base of 2,334, the Clinic carried out only 18 canine spayings and 32 castrations in 2007. We believe that the previously high cost of these necessary procedures, even with the existing subsidy, dissuaded owners from having them undertaken. The aim of the fund is that, by significantly further reducing the charity’s already subsidized charges for them, we will make them more affordable to owners, increasing take-up.

The Lions' donation is being backed up by a transfer from the charity's own reserves, and further funding bids are in progress. The Clinic already offers additional subsidies for neutering kittens, through a programme offered by Cats Protection, and for micro-chipping and vaccinating puppies and kittens, from funds bequeathed by the late Mrs Betty Van Peperzeel.