AN AWARD-WINNING veterinary practice is expanding with a new branch set to open in Wetheral, near Carlisle.
Paragon Veterinary Group opened the doors of the new satellite facility at Oak Tree Farm to the public on Monday.
And regular Paragon customer Bev Pryde was given the honour of cutting the ribbon to open the new facility, watched by Paragon staff, her husband Mike, her Scotties Tiffany, Betty and Moo and Daschund Misty.
“Having Paragon here in Wetheral will be ideal for me,” she said.
The company has more than 80 years’ experience in caring for animals, and recently invested £300,000 into new state-of-the-art facilities at its headquarters in Carlisle House, Dalston.
Graham Lewis, small animal veterinary surgeon at Paragon, said: “The new branch in Wetheral will hopefully prove very useful for people in and around the village, and we believe there is demand for it in the area.
“It will supplement our other branches by providing things like health checks and vaccines, and if any more intensive treatment is needed, the pet will be brought to our Dalston headquarters where we have excellent hospital facilities.
“It is based on the same site as Oak Tree Animals’ Charity, which has been doing some great work over the past few years, and we will be working closely with them too.”
Earlier this month, Paragon’s staff members were recognised as the best Professional Services Team in this year’s Carlisle Living Awards for its standards of client care and clinical excellence.
Mr Lewis added: “The Wetheral branch will be staffed by the same award-winning team as our other branches, so people can be sure they are getting the best possible treatment for their pet.
“We’re continuing to grow as a business all the time and we’re taking on new staff fairly regularly so that we can ensure we provide a really good service.”
Paragon has developed new clinics such as Mobility, Dental and Weight Management and has also won national competitions for promoting them.
The new Wetheral branch opened on Monday and there will be an open day for members of the public to browse the new facilities and meet the team on Wednesday October 23, from 10am to 4pm.
