We are pleased to announce that we have opened a new X-ray and Ultrasound suite at our Colchester welfare clinic, which will enable us to help even more rescue animals and pet owners in our area.

The new suite is a result of a generous donation from the late Jennifer Simpson and it has been named in her honour.

Her brother Greg was invited to officially open the new suite which houses an X-ray and new ultrasound machine. It will benefit hundreds of animals from across the branch area and their owners who may have been struggling to pay vet bills due to the cost of living crisis. 

Anna Drake, branch manager said: “We are so incredibly grateful for this amazing legacy which has enabled us to build this much needed X-ray suite – and while it is so sad that it was a result of the passing of Jennifer we hope the suite will be a lasting memory of her dedication and love for all animals.

“Although we have two veterinary clinics in our branch area, neither of them had any imaging equipment. If any of our clients’ animals required an ultrasound or x-rays they were having to go to private practice which was incredibly expensive and sadly unaffordable for many of our clients. We want to help pet owners who are struggling and prevent people resorting to extreme actions or struggling alone. 

“Having the imagery equipment at our clinic means we have another service that we are able to provide for our clients as well as being able to support the RSPCA inspectorate team with their case animals – which are often victims of neglect or cruelty. 

“It is a huge boost for our clinic and we cannot thank the Simpson family enough for making this become a reality.”

Our branch runs two welfare clinics in Colchester and Chelmsford for pet owners who are in receipt of certain government benefits. 

Gregory Simpson said: “We are so pleased to see what the legacy was able to achieve. Jennifer would be thrilled that she has enabled so many animals to receive this help.

“Jennifer, being such an animal enthusiast, would be pleased to know that animals from her local community have gained from our sad loss.”

In the tough financial climate, the RSPCA is doing everything to keep pets in loving homes and support owners. It has committed £1.5million of extra funding to crisis measures. These include launching a new Cost of Living Hub with a dedicated telephone helpline (0300 123 0650, Mondays to Fridays, 9am-5pm) – while also expanding its pet food bank partnerships.