Response from Bexhill and Battle MP Keiran Mullan

Hello all, apologies for the lack of updates, life got busy and my 16.5 year old cat has been ill.

I wrote to Bexhill and Battle MP Keiran Mullan when I first started this petition, I belive he is a dog owner and I have seen him advocate for a couple of animal issues in the past so I thought it was worth it.

Unfortunately, and infuriatingly, I received a rather lackluster response from one of his staff members. I sent the text you see in the main body of this petition and this is the response I received:

Dear Rhianna

Thank you for your recent email outlining the concerns you have about the lack of an emergency veterinary service in Bexhill. 

Kieran completely sympathizes with your query. It is unfortunate your pet had to go through the experience you described and it is noble that you are trying to raise the issue of emergency care to prevent similar situations happening in the future. 

Put simply, the reason there is no emergency veterinary provider in Bexhill is multi-faceted.

Firstly, there is a national shortage of veterinary doctors in the UK so it is difficult to retain enough staff for a 24 hour service. 

Secondly, running an emergency care unit requires significant funding and resources. Many providers simply do not have the capabilities required to set up an emergency service. 

Finally, I am not sure whether you are aware but there is an emergency veterinary service in Eastbourne. This service is intended to serve the wider community of East Sussex so you could try to approach them if you have any urgent pet related issues in the future. 

I hope the above explains some of the challenges associated with delivering emergency veterinary care in Bexhill. Kieran would be interested to know how you feel about these arrangements and your views as a constituent. 

Kind regards

Riyadh Hoque

 Caseworker to Kieran Mullan MP

I responded:

Hello, whilst I appreciate your response you clearly did not read what I wrote. 

To ask if I am aware of the emergency vet in Eastbourne when my email mentions that is where I went as that is the only available emergency vet? The whole point of the petition and email was that I, a Bexhill resident, had to travel 25+ minutes to Eastbourne with my horrifically seizing cat to reach a vet when there is a veterinary clinic literally round the corner of my road that could be part of VetsNow and provide emergency care. 

Multiple vets and nurses from clinics in Bexhill work at the emergency clinic in Eastbourne so low staff numbers is not a reason.

As for resources, the conglomerate VetsNow provide these once the clinic signs up to join them and that is how they run the emergency clinic. You can read more on their website www.vets-now.com/professionals/ 

I will continue to petition for this worthwhile cause as I refuse to let more animals and pets suffer, even if I do not have the support of our MP as it is a lot more simple than you are claiming it to be. 

Unsurprisingly I did not receive a response back to that.

But if you are a constituent of Hastings and are willing to email your MP about this issue, that would be great. Support from local councillors etc would also go a long way. 

Please continue to share the petition, especially with those who work in local animal rescues!

For my boy, Rocky, who I miss so so much every single day.