care fund springer leo image 2022
Care Fund Saves Springer Leo’s Life
2 years ago 
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A dog facing euthanasia, leaving a three-year-old toddler distraught, has become the latest to be saved by a fund created by IVC Evidensia.
Launched last year, the Care Fund gives every vet within the group access to vital funds to treat animals whose future would otherwise be bleak.
The Care Fund has enabled vets to help 1500 cases so far.
18-month-old Springer Spaniel Leo fell seriously ill after swallowing a stone which became lodged in his small intestine.
“Leo is one of three dogs we have who are kennelled outside,” said owner Mrs Amanda Scott, from Ely. “There are drainage pebbles and he had dug through and got to small stones below and swallowed one.
“He had been sick, but we didn’t realise what he had done. Although he was eating a little bit and drinking, he was just a bit off, so I took him to the vet after a couple of days.”
Examinations revealed the blockage, and the only option was emergency surgery, at Isle Vet Group in Ely, Cambridgeshire, which would have taken the costs beyond what the family could afford. It looked like euthanasia may have to be considered when vet Alastair Barnes stepped in to use the Care Fund to save the puppy’s life and Leo is now fully recovered.
Mum-of-two Mrs Scott has only recently returned from maternity leave and the family had just put all their spare cash into planning applications for building work at their home.
“The dogs aren’t insured so we only had access to £500 and couldn’t raise any more,” said Mrs Scott.
“We thought the only option was to have him put down. That was absolutely devastating, ever more so because Leo is really my three-year-old son Sebastian’s dog.
“He was asking what was happening and we were thinking Leo wasn’t coming home as financially we just couldn’t pay for the operation.
“But then Alastair told us about the Care Fund and said he would see what he could do.”
IVC Evidensia vets have a budget of up to £1000 to spend on crucial care which refreshes every year. Throughout the group’s practices all over Europe and Canada, it’s anticipated that between 1500 and 2000 animals could be helped annually, with a contribution from IVC Evidensia of around £1.6million.
“The Fund is there for these individual cases where financial constraints mean the owner cannot afford a treatment that is curative, and euthanasia would be the only other viable option. We were committed to try to help Leo and the family, in this difficult and unexpected situation. The care fund literally saved a life”, said Alastair Barnes, from the IVC Evidensia practice.
The surgery was successfully carried out at the practice and, following overnight care, Leo was able to be discharged the following morning.
“We’ve had two other dogs in the family who have died after eating stones, so we knew there was still a risk with the surgery,” added Mrs Scott.
“So, we can’t thank the team enough for their skill, and we will always be thankful for the Care Fund.
“It was wonderful when Sebastian was able to walk Leo out and bring him home.”
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