ISVSG – The Isles of Scilly Veterinary Support Group
An independent charitable group dedicated to maintaining and extending veterinary services on Scilly.

Before the arrival in 2007 of Dr Heike Dorn, our present vet, animal owners on Scilly spent several anxious months without a resident vet. It was an eye-opener for one and all, and it taught many of us that taking on islands’ veterinary practice was by no means an attractive proposition. In fact – no one wanted to do it.

Finance was the key issue. There just simply wasn’t enough regular business to maintain a normal small veterinary practice. The tiny, poorly equipped surgery was another ‘turn-off’ as far as prospective vets were concerned. Thank goodness that Heike was brave and optimistic enough to take on the risks for the sake of all the good things that life on Scilly offers. The ISVSG was set up soon after Heike’s arrival so that animal owners could express their moral and material support for the practice. The group was determined to make sure that the islands were never without a resident vet again.

Our main purpose is to raise money to purchase and maintain better equipment and surgery facilities, so that the practice can take on a wider range of services independently. This meets the dual aims of making the practice sustainable, and providing the best possible care for the animal population of the islands. Examples of recent improvements have been the donation of an x-ray machine, and provision of blood testing facilities on the islands for the first time. Support from friends and well-wishers on the mainland has been instrumental in this. But there is still a long way to go, and still surgery facilities and vital equipment which needs to be improved to aid in the care of our islands animals.

We are always open to offers of help and, of course, donations.

If you would like to make a donation, please send a cheque payable to IOS Veterinary Support Group
To : Clare Stone, The Flat, Lloyds TSB Bank, St Mary`s, Isles Of Scilly, TR21 OLL

Many thanks for your support.