Rossborough funds veterinary care for sick cats through sale of pet insurance policies
Submitted by Steve on 16:04, 19th Feb, 2016 |
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Rossborough is helping to pay for the veterinary care for three sick cats at the GSPCA with funds raised through the sale of pet insurance policies during 2015.
The insurance broker sold and renewed 151 policies last year and donated £10 from each to the GSPCA, bringing the donation to £1,510.
‘Caring for around 300 animals a day and helping in excess of 3,000 a year, we are always looking at ways to raise funds to help those in need and it is amazing that Rossborough have supported us with the GSPCA Pet Insurance, which has helped raise invaluable funds,’ said Steve Byrne, GSPCA manager.
‘Every penny helps make a real difference, and after our biggest rebuild in our 143-year history last year we are always looking to raise funds for animals like Monkey – a cat that we have found has diabetes. This donation from Rossborough will help pay for the veterinary treatment needed by Monkey and two other sick cats in our care.’
Rossborough launched its GSPCA pet insurance scheme in 2014 and raised £400 for the charity that year. Director Tony De Sousa said pet insurance was increasingly popular.
‘It’s really important as you never know when your beloved pet may become extremely ill and require life saving veterinary treatment, which can be very expensive. Pet insurance can give you peace of mind in these difficult times,’ he said.
‘We are very proud to be able to help the GSPCA in its care of these sick animals. We always like to help out local charities charities and organisations where our donations can make a real difference.’
Pet insurance is primarily designed to cover vets’ bills for the treatment of illness and injury. Other policy benefits can include meeting the cost of advertising should a pet go missing, rewards for lost pets and care for your animal should you have to go into hospital.
The average pet insurance claim is now £420 for pedigree cats and £469 for pedigree dogs, but claims can run into thousands of pounds. Pedigree animals are often prone to specific illnesses, so pet insurance can be very cost-effective.
For example, Labradors often need surgical treatment for torn cranial cruciate ligaments, which can cost thousands.
Preventative treatments like neutering, vaccinations and flea or worm control, along with any pre-existing conditions, will not be covered. Nor will anything to do with pregnancy or birth.
Policies range from £9 to £35 a month.
To find out more about GSPCA Pet Insurance with Rossborough please click here
Picture caption: Diabetic cat, Monkey, with Steve Byrne from the GSPCA and Rossborough director Tony de Sousa, left. The insurance broker donated £1,510 to the Animal Shelter from the sale of pet insurance policies sold during 2015.
About Rossborough
Rossborough was established on the 17th October 1936 by Reginald A Rossborough. Little is known about Mr Rossborough other than he was a familiar member of the local social scene and a very proficient business “getter”.
Rossborough is committed to being the broker of choice to buyers of insurance in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
In 2012, Rossborough became Jersey’s only Chartered Insurance Broker. This celebrated accolade, which only around 100 companies in the UK hold, is awarded in recognition of a company’s professionalism and high levels of customer service.
In December 2013, Rossborough’s parent group was acquired by a leading global broker, Arthur J Gallagher & Co, giving Rossborough clients access to specialist insurance teams around the world.
8 days on and Bonnie the seal pup is doing better than we could have hoped http://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/10-days-and-bonnie-seal-pup-doing-better-we-could-have-hoped
The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus, meaning "hooked-nosed sea pig") is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus. Its name is spelled gray seal in the US; it is also known as Atlantic grey seal and the horsehead seal
Grey seal adults may be up to 2.5 metres in length and weigh up to 250kg, with males tending to be larger than females.
Previous seal pups rescued Jethou Bumblebee was 17kg on entry and Hanois 20kg, Eden 18kg and Trinity 15kg which was less than half the 40kg they should have been for their age with Bonnie only 14kg.
Male grey seals reach sexual maturity at 6 years, Females at 3 to 5 years and the latter give birth to their pups in the Autumn and early Winter.
Typically the first British pups are born off the Scillies and Cornwall in August and September and the time of pupping is progressively later as you move clockwise around the British Isles, the latest pups being born off the east coast of Scotland in late December.
All seal pups rescued locally were born early November to late December.
At, birth, grey seal pups weigh about 13 kg. and are covered in long, creamy white hair. A bond is formed between mother and pup at birth, and a mother can recognise her pup from its call and smell. For the first 3 weeks of their lives, pups rarely swim, suckling from their mothers 5 to 6 times a day, for up to 10 minutes at a time. The mothers milk is rich in fat and the pups rapidly put on weight.
The seal pups rescued have all been around two to three weeks when they were brought into the GSPCA.
The mother tends to remain just offshore between suckling bouts and rarely feeds, losing up to a quarter of her body weight before her pup is weaned.
Grey seal pups are weaned after losing their baby coat at 3 to 4 weeks of age. At this point, they weigh 40 to 50 kg; three times their birth weight.
The pups live off these fat reserves whilst learning to feed, which may take several weeks.
The adult females which are called cows become fertile soon after weaning their pups, mating with the adult males which are called bulls, who hold territories during the breeding season and may mate with over half a dozen cows.
Mating can take place on land or in water and pregnancy last for 11.5 months, there being a period of 3.5 months when the fertilised embryo does not attached to the wall of the uterus and its development is arrested ("delayed implantation"). As a result, pups are born at the same time each year.
Grey seals moult annually in the spring, 3 to 5 months, after the end of the breeding season.
In the wild, males may live for about 25 years, females for about 35 years.
We will of course keep you up to date with Bonnie's progress and keep your eyes open for pictures and videos.
If anyone see's a pup with or without a mum we really do appreciate a call so that we are aware of its location and condition but here is some advice.
A healthy pup looks like a big, stuffed maggot without a neck. However, a thin pup looks sleek (but not bony) and has a visible neck, like a healthy dog.
PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL. They can give a nasty bite, which will become infected by bacteria that live in a seal’s mouths.
Note: Do not allow dogs or other animals to harass a seal.
If a Seal is scared back into the water, it could then be washed out to sea by strong currents and be lost. You should not put a seal pup back in the sea as it may get into difficulty.
If a Seal pup is sick, thin or injured then we would ask you to contact the GSPCA immediately on 01481 257261 day or night
When reporting an injured, sick or abandoned seal to the GSPCA, please make sure you are able to supply the following information:
Exact location; nearest town / village
Position on the beach, and state of the tide
How long you have observed the pup; any disturbance / risk to it; whether the mother has been seen
Any wounds / obvious signs of illness
Length/colour/condition.
Caution:- Handling of any animal either domestic, wild, dead or alive may be potentially hazardous. Obvious dangers include bites, scratches and general hygiene issues. Common sense should be applied in all instances and, if unsure, seek additional advice or assistance. Personal hygiene should be taken into consideration after handling any animal, whether it’s domestic, wild, dead or alive.
To see some of the previous stories follow the links below
Extremely sick and weak Grey Seal Pup rescued at Corbier now at the GSPCAhttp://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/extremely-sick-and-weak-grey-seal-pup-rescued-corbier-now-gspca
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