Legendary documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux cut the ribbon to unveil The Mayhew Animal Home’s brand new veterinary clinic expansion last week.

Trustees and friends of The Mayhew, both two legged and four legged, turned out to watch Mr Theroux cut the ribbon at our grand vet clinic unveiling on Wednesday 27^th May.

The clinic expansion, named The Jeanne Marchig Veterinary Suite and Training Wing, will have two new operating theatres and will be an exciting move forward for us as it will enable us to reach and help even more animals in need in the community.

With the new clinic we will be able to expand the training we provide for UK and overseas vets, offer more capacity for free and low cost vaccinations and microchipping and expand our community animal welfare programmes.

Mr Theroux, said: “Mahatma Gandhi once said that the value of any society can be judged based on how it treats its animals; and this new clinic isn’t just a refurbished building, it’s a symbol of who we are as a society and how we measure up as a civilisation.”

“Animals are very like us in many ways and we have this very deep mammal based connection with cats, dogs and other animals. As much as we might want to see them as us and them, dogs, cats and other animals are us.”

Guests including Mr Theroux, Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham Mercy Umeh and Trustee at the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust Colin Moor, were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the new clinic which will be fully operational in a few weeks.

Our Head Vet Dr Ursula Goetz MRCVS, GP Cert(SAS) CVO and her vet team showed guests around the clinic expansion and even demonstrated some of the new veterinary equipment with a cuddly toy patient.

Guests were then able to enjoy drinks and vegetarian canapes in the newly refurbished back garden, where a few of our beloved feral cats even showed their faces.

Caroline Yates, our Chief Executive, said: “Our newly expanded vet clinic will enable us to reach and help even more animals and pet owners in need, both in communities locally and around the world. We are able to provide more access to affordable preventative veterinary care and welfare, and share The Mayhew’s expertise with educational and training opportunities for veterinary and animal care professionals.”

“This year marks our 130^th birthday and over the years we have helped thousands of neglected and unwanted animals in London, so this new vet clinic is a very exciting step forward for The Mayhew. We would like to thank all of our donors and supporters who made the vet clinic expansion possible, without you we wouldn’t be where we are today and we are hugely appreciative to your support and generosity.”

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated to help build the new vet clinic expansion, including institutional funders The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, The Shuman Animal Welfare Trust and Support Adoption for Pets, and all of the individual donors who so generously supported us.

Our vet team have already begun functioning and operating in the new clinic to keep our neutering and community out-reach programmes running, however the clinic will not be fully operational for a few weeks as there are still a few aspects to finish.

You can find out more about our vet clinic and veterinary services here.