New PDSA Pet Wellbeing Centre in Nottingham gets underway

29 June 2021

Animal lovers urged to dig deep for charity appeal

Thousands of Nottingham’s pets will soon feel the benefit from a pioneering Pet Wellbeing Centre, as building work starts on a new PDSA hospital.

The PDSA Nottingham Pet Wellbeing Centre, The Marian and Christina Ionescu Hospital, in Basford, will support pet owners across Nottingham, replacing the current PDSA facility on Dunkirk Road.

Our veterinary staff, including Senior Veterinary Surgeon Sarah Campbell made the first dig to help kick-start the building work.

Commenting on the new Centre, PDSA Senior Vet Sarah said: "We are all excited to see work start on our Wellbeing Centre. PDSA provides a vital service for Nottingham pets whose owners struggle to afford treatment costs for their sick and injured pets. For many vulnerable pets, we are there to help when there is nowhere else for their owners to turn.

“I’m delighted that work is underway and I’m hoping this will inspire the local community to help us raise the remaining funds we need. I can’t wait to see the doors open to the new hospital next year.”

With the support of local animal lovers, charity supporters, businesses, and a significant donation from long-standing PDSA supporters Mr and Mrs Ionescu, whose name the hospital will carry, building work has now begun. We have so far raised £2.4million to fund the new build but we are urging local people and businesses for their support to help reach our £3.7million goal.

PDSA Director General Jan McLoughlin also visited the site with her dog, Chester, to lend a paw and help the construction work get underway.

Jan said: “We’re thrilled to see work start on our new Pet Wellbeing Centre. PDSA has been helping pets across Nottingham since 1927 when we opened a small dispensary at 10 Longden Street. The current site, located in Dunkirk, is much-loved, but now desperately needs replacing. The pandemic has been a hugely challenging time and we’ve worked hard to continue to keep our doors open for pets in need, despite all of the difficulties we’ve faced. Covid has brought into focus the unique and special relationship we share with our pets, enriching our lives and combatting loneliness, so we are truly excited to welcome a new, positive chapter for the people and pet owners of Nottingham so we can continue to be there for those that need us most.”

The new hospital will replace our current premises, which has now reached breaking point. The Centre will feature a larger, brighter waiting area, with separate areas for cats and dogs, reducing the stress a visit to the vet can cause. It will also house improved kennel facilities to allow pets to recover from surgery and treatment in a better environment, a diagnostic room, digital x-ray facilities, and a bigger car park.

Jan added: “We’re delighted that the Wellbeing Centre will also help train and educate the next generation of veterinary surgeons through our close links with the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, who we are proud to have worked with for over a decade. This new Centre will also be made possible thanks to a financial contribution from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. The entire Pet Wellbeing Centre has been designed with teaching in mind; from larger consult rooms, to glass fronted theatres. Additional space means students can get up close and personal to the real work they’ll be undertaking after graduating. Digital capabilities will be built in to provide live streaming and recording opportunities for greater class numbers and enable the potential for remote learning.”

Thanks to the generous support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery, our new Wellbeing facilities in Nottingham will enable greater engagement with the local community through the creation of dedicated community and pet ‘MOT’ rooms for pet health checks, to help educate the next generation on keeping their four-legged friends happy and healthy.

You can support the Nottingham PDSA appeal here.