This week sees a huge milestone in the history of Donaldson’s vets and Veterinary Care in Kirklees with the move to our new Veterinary hospital at Somerset Road.
The familiar surgery at Maple Street first opened its doors to the pet owners of Huddersfield in 1952. For the last 67 years, generations of Huddersfield pet owners have sought Veterinary care at Donaldson’s Maple Street surgery. Over the years, the Practice has developed new surgeries at Miry Lane at Thongsbridge, Birchencliffe Hill Road at Birchencliffe, Queen Street at Mirfield, Bolton Brow at Sowerby Bridge and Abbey Road at Shepley yet Maple Street has remained the hub of the Practice being the clinic that is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
The farm animal and equine sides of the practice are very much run and coordinated from Maple Street and, although many farmers and horse owners find it more convenient to collect medicines from a local Donaldson’s branch, Maple Street is the port of call to book a visit or place a larger medicines order.
Maple Street is also the administration centre for the Donaldson’s group. As Donaldson’s has grown from the 6 Vet Practice I joined in 1995 to the staff of 118 we now have, the administrative workload has grown similarly.
Over the last few years, as other practices in the area have sold out to corporate consolidators, the volume of cases being seen at Maple Street and the complexity of the diagnostics we are able to offer along with the advanced medical and surgical caseload we see has put a lot of strain on the facilities at Maple Street.
Nearly 2 years ago, we were fortunate to acquire a plot of land just up the hill from Maple Street surgery on Somerset Road and plans started to be drawn up for the creation of a truly state-of-the art Veterinary Hospital. Over the last 12 months, those plans have gradually evolved into reality and I just could not be more delighted with the results.
Maple Street surgery will close to the public on the evening of Wednesday 31 July to allow the move up the hill to Somerset Road. The all-important 24 hour emergency service will run at Shepley Surgery through until Sunday 4 August and the new Hospital at Somerset road will open on Monday 5 August. All the usual telephone numbers will remain unchanged throughout the transition and after the move.
Next week, I will be writing about the fantastic facilities at the new Somerset Road clinic but today, I wanted to show some photographs of the surgery at Maple street which will be familiar to so many people who have visited us over the last 67 years. I look forward to welcoming you to the new Hospital at Somerset Road.
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