Events & News
July 2016
A dog from Braintree, Essex was reunited with his family last Friday (26 June) – nine years after going missing – after being handed into an RSPCA branch 30 miles away
Thanks to the RSPCA Stort Valley branch staff, 13 year-old Jack Russell terrier Foster, is now back in his own bed after he was stolen near to his home in White Notley, Foster’s delighted owner Kelly Twin said: “It’s just amazing to have him home. We had given up hope and can’t quite believe he’s back. “But for him, it’s like he never went away, he’s settled back in perfectly.”
Staff at RSPCA Stort Valley branch in Harlow took little Foster in their care on Friday 17 June after he was brought in by neighbours of a lady who had sadly recently died. It is thought that the lady had owned Foster for several years, not knowing that he had been stolen during a break in to a family home several years previously.
The neighbours who took Foster to the RSPCA Stort Valley branch told staff that he was microchipped, and then to limit stress, Foster was taken into a temporary foster home straight away.
RSPCA Stort Valley branch staff member Marion Wellsman said: “All we knew was that Foster had come in after his owner had passed away, we didn’t have any reason to think there was any more to it. He was due to come back into the branch for a health check so it wasn’t until a week later that we scanned his microchip to have the details changed, and discovered that he was actually chipped to another address, and had been reported as stolen!” Marion added: “Kelly and her family were overwhelmed when I called them to tell them we had Foster in our care, it was a lovely call to make. Foster is a dear old chap and we are delighted he has made his way back to his owners.”
Foster has settled back into family life with no trouble whatsoever, and has even made a new best friend. Kelly said: “We have another dog Marmite who we got a a year after Foster was stolen. The two are the best of friends already, it’s lovely to see. “Foster was also really pleased to see my 10 year old daughter, Daisy (pictured above with Foster and Marmite.) She was almost two when he went missing and as soon as he saw her her was sniffing around her and was so excited. I really can’t believe it all, it’s a dream come true.”
Since April 6th this year, it is now a legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped.
Kelly added: “Foster’s story really proves just why it is so important for dogs to be microchipped – in our case, that little tiny chip reunited us with our little dog, something we thought would never happen.”
June 2016
Please help stop the destruction of healthy animals; our shelters are full to bursting point with unwanted Staffordshire Bull Terrier dogs. We are running a campaign to assist financially with the neutering of these dogs across the Stort Valley area working with the following local vet practices.
These vets are: Kew Vets, Vets4Pets (Harlow), Vets & Pets, Bishop’s Stortford Veterinary Hospital and Mercer & Hughes.
To qualify for assisted neutering you must be in receipt of universal credit or a Senior Citizen in receipt of a State Pension. If you are outside of our branch area, please visit the main RSPCA site for your local branch.
If you live within our branch area, please email the clinic at clinic@rspcastortvalley.org.uk if you would like to apply for a neutering voucher.
Proof of Benefit must be when applying for a voucher.
Vets4Pets, Harlow – 01279 770104
Bishops Stortford Veterinary Hospital – 01279 654108
Rye Street, Bishops Stortford
Vets and Pets – 01992 478657
Unit 11B, Nazeing Glass Ind. Estate, Nazeing New Road, Broxbourne
To use Vets & Pets your dog must be weighed first at this clinic
J A C Kews – 01279 422066
11 Wych Elm, The High, Harlow
Mercer & Hughes
Stansted 01279 813780
Great Dunmow 01371 872836
Saffron Walden 01799 522082
May 2016
We need your help to continue our vital animal welfare work locally.
To make a donation please text SBVT15 followed by £2/£5/£10 to 70070.
Texts cost your standard network rate plus the amount you are donating.
December 2015
An RSPCA volunteer who has completed 20 years of service with the animal welfare charity has been hailed a hero by her colleagues.
As treasurer and co-ordinator of the RSPCA’s Stort Valley branch, Marion Wellsman has overseen public donations, accounts and membership.
Colleague Marie Shaw said: “She has completed seven days a week of unpaid work for 20 years and I feel she deserves some recognition.
“It is a full-on job as we have to be on call all of the time. Marion has done so much for the town in her time and she should be celebrated.”
Mrs Wellsman, who lives in Harlow, worked as an accountant before joining the RSPCA after she retired in 1995.
She was part of the original core team that opened the branch’s animal clinic and advice centre in The Stow in 1997 and has worked hard to serve the community ever since.
Mrs Shaw added: “We currently have nine staff and are always on the lookout for more people to help.”
Anyone interested should phone 01279 306058.
March 2015
We asked people to bring their cats along to our clinic between 2 – 6pm on the day if they were not microchipped or neutered. They were microchipped on the day and an appointment made for them to be neutered at JAC Kews, Harlow, North Weald Vets or any Walton Lodge branch.
No appointment was necessary, people just brought £10 cash purr cat to our clinic at 23 The Stow, Harlow, CM20 3AN
We saw 51 cats! – It was a great success and we hope to do this again sometime
We saw 51 cats! – It was a great success
If you missed this event please come along to our clinic during opening hours (see our clinic page for times) and get a neutering voucher for £10, microchips are £10 per cat or dog.
