A campaign to raise money to replace a much-loved Scottish institution launches this week. The University of Glasgow is asking animal lovers to help raise £5 million for a new small animal hospital. The new hospital will be based at the worldﾖrenowned Glasgow University Vet School - the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The hospital carries out vital work in treating animals referred by vet practices throughout the UK. It is one of the busiest hospitals in the country, treating thousands of cats, dogs, rabbits and other pets and helping to teach over 600 students annually. Due to rapid growth, the current building is too small.

Professor Stuart Reid, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine explains: "We have very ambitious plans for new services, including a Centre for Comparative Oncology: a first for Scotland, which will offer advanced treatments to the rapidly-growing numbers of animals with cancer.

"Another exciting innovation will be a unique Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, to benefit both sick, injured and ageing animals and those in chronic pain, with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, pain clinics and complimentary therapies.

"We have studied leading hospitals around the world and have drawn up plans for what we believe will be a world-class centre for veterinary medicine, challenging current concepts in the care of sick and injured animals and teaching, and pioneering future standards in animal treatment and welfare".

The University of Glasgow has already sourced funds of £5.2 million and are now working to raise the remaining £4.8 million.

Professor Reid continues: "This campaign is not just about raising money for bricks and mortar. It is about providing a hospital for the 21st century and beyond, which will allow us to teach the best future vets and develop the most effective approaches to ensure the lifetime well-being of small animals. Every gift, of whatever size, will help us reach this goal."

To make a donation, offer help or for further information, please contact Ailsa Macmillan, Vet School Development Campaign, Development and Alumni Office, 2 The Square, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Tel. 0141 330 4951, email a.macmillan@admin.gla.ac.uk.

Kate Richardson (K.richardson@admin.gla.ac.uk)

You are invited to send a photographer to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Garscube Estate, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, at 1.30 pm, on Friday 17 February for the launch of the campaign to build a new small animal hospital for the West of Scotland.

Available for photographs will be long-term Vet School patients, Huntley and Missie (dogs) along with a JCB digger to mark the spot where the new hospital will be constructed.

For more information please contact the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 3535 or email pressoffice@gla.ac.uk.

First published: 16 February 2006