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SALFORD COUNCIL RUNNING FIRST AID FOR DOGS AFTER £1.6MILLION CUT TO HEALTH IMPROVEMENT
 

Star date: 19th January 2018 

DOGS FIRST AID COURSE AFTER HUMAN GROUPS CUT

"An insult to the people of Salford..."

Salford City Council is using its Health Improvement Team to run First Aid For Dogs courses, after slashing £1.6million from its budget which helped improve the lives of humans.

The courses, run in conjunction with the PDSA, cover doggy bloat, doggy bandaging and resuscitating doggies... "It's an insult to the people of Salford that managers are putting the health of dogs before the health of people" says one resident affected by the Health Improvement cuts.

Full details here...


Salford City Council recently slashed £1.6million from its Health Improvement Team budget. At the cuts meeting two years ago, Lisa Stone, the then Assistant Mayor, insisted that the Council had to "prioritise outcomes" (see here).

Residents are now seeing those priorities, with Health Improvement officers facilitating new courses on First Aid For Dogs. Three four hour sessions are planned for this month and next at the Civic Centre and Beacon Centre, run in conjunction with the PDSA.

They will be covering 'Heatstroke, Bandaging, Bloat, Poisoning, Seizures, Choking and Resuscitation'. No real mutts will be used, due to health and safety and 'stress factor for the pets'. However, states the Council, "there are a range of models to practice on and a resuscitation dog..."

The Council will be providing room hire, refreshments and at least one officer from its Health Improvement Team. The Salford Star understands that a senior officer from the Health improvement Team is also involved with running Paws For Walks, eight weeks of dog walking sessions at Blackleach Country Park and Peel Park.

"I think it is disgusting that at a time when money is so tight and we really should be prioritising our health objectives, that the only service that is out there specifically to tackle health inequalities is messing about doing doggy health care" says one resident who has been affected by the cuts.

"Salford suffers from some of the worst health inequalities and health outcomes in the country, where its population are dying sooner than that of neighbouring areas" they add "I cannot see the benefit for the population with this health improvement initiative, and think that it is a insult to the people of Salford that its managers are putting the health of its dogs before the health of its people."

Salford Council doesn't respond to requests for comments from the Salford Star, so the PDSA was approached for a quote but, as yet, hasn't responded.

For more details of First Aid For Dogs – click here

Kerry wrote
at 08:07:44 on 26 January 2018
On This Occasion Salford Star Gets It Wrong. I attended this course. Am a Salford woman born and bred and am now a dog walker and work between Salford/Central Manchester. This course was put on in a council buiding & the PDSA along with Salford Health Improvement and Salford Dog Wardens delivered it. I asuume the costs, if any, were absolutely minimal. We had free tea and coffee but all brought a packed lunch or paid for our own lunch in the Cafe in the building (adding to the local economy. I (and the other course attendees) now know how to administer basic first aid/to advise the basic minimum to any dog owner in a park I walk in and we know what to keep in our kit bag (other than poo bags) in case of emergencies. I am lucky enough to have a car. If I ever see someone with a sick dog and no car, I know how to help them get to a vet and obtain treatment. Local dog wardens were on hand to help us with Salford rules/regulations/use of parks. You might think you know it all! I did! I was wrong. LOADS of studies have shown that dog/pet companionship helps mental and physical health. It gets people out, it gets people, talking, it keeps people alive. On the course we learned about making friendships. Salford Council also organize group on-lead dog walks which are great for making friends, learning new parks, socializing your dogs and getting your confidence back after an attack or if your dog can be slightly unruly. This course is free to Salford residents and comes with a certificate of attendance. There is a test at the end, and if you pass, you get an extra certificate. It is ideal for anyone in Salford who has a dog, who might be a Salford dog-walker or any person who is unemployed or looking for a potential career in animal care or leisure. There are many people in Salford who are retired or on a low income (this includes me) that would benefit so much from this course. Don't knock it til you have tried it! They wouldn't be putting it on if it cost lots of money and in the private sector, this course would cost upwards of £50! I have learned a lot and will be giving something back to Salford via, as a professional local dog walker, providing seriously minimal costs (like petrol and insurance only)to local pensioners via my business in a specific park. They say what comes around, goes around right? Anyway, Salford Star, Not often you get it wrong, but on this occasion, you did. Don't knock it til you have tried it. It will save you a fortune in vet fees, make you some friends and may save some of your BEST FRIEND'S lives! x
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Mary ferrer wrote
at 08:23:13 on 23 January 2018
They can find money for this,but not to keep the Grange open or funding for transport for children and adults with disabilities.If they are that keen on pets.Why didn’t they revoke the license for Dogs4us
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richard cranium wrote
at 08:22:59 on 23 January 2018
BW. A sensible proposal. I am sure that the Health Improvement service do not soley engage with pet owners. Maybe we should be slightly more open to look at all they do and everything they offer for non pet owners in the city. Let's report this with all facts.
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bw wrote
at 18:11:07 on 22 January 2018
Alison, you've hit the nail on the head, pets are good for your health and those of us who own pets tend to be healthier. It is because of this that it is even more important to target those in the community that would suffer worse health and so delivering a doggy 1st aid course is not only wrong but it is also targeting those that are potentially more healthy and so doubly wrong. You are also right when you say that public money should be spent on improving health and well being. However I also believe that the council should be held accountable for its decisions and so should be providing projects that are targeted to the most needy, most cost effective and can be backed up by evidence. I very much doubt that the Health Improvement Service have done this. however I would be willing to be proved wrong. Show us the evidence behind this project health improvement
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allison wrote
at 21:57:57 on 21 January 2018
As ghandi said; a nation should be judged on how they treat their animals. Pets and working assistance animals are part of our community. They are companions for the lonely, a reason to get up and be part of the community. They can improve health especially depression and anxiety. Im happy for public money to be used in improving health and well being, and thankyou to health improvement and the PDSA,,keep up the good work.
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BW wrote
at 10:13:34 on 20 January 2018
Is this a joke? Salford council you really have lost touch with the people you serve. It would seem that you have found your very own magic money tree. Cuts to the services that support the most vulnerable in society but money found to deliver rubbish such as this. Get a grip Salford Council and work for the people not the animals
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Jo wrote
at 08:43:48 on 20 January 2018
Robert, I think that it may be you who is confused. This project is not about engaging with the community, if it was surely Salford council would have a duty to engage with the whole community and not just the 24% minority that are dog owners? I also believe that Salford Star and any other citizen in Salford should be angry, why wouldn't they be when then see money squandered on ridiculous projects when money is being taken out of vital front-line services year on year. Salford council seem to have lost complete grasp of reality here and it would also seem that any credibility that this service did once have is quickly slipping away. Come on Salford, pull your finger out and start working for the PEOPLE of salford. They are after all the ones that pay their council tax and not our furry friends.
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Leading News wrote
at 08:40:25 on 20 January 2018
Chinese New Year 2018 is the year of the Dog.
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Richard Cranium wrote
at 08:40:20 on 20 January 2018
I am so disappointed. I have always supported the Salford Star for it's honesty and integrity but this is simply lazy journalism. Is it not the Health Improvement service that has just visited over 1000 of the most vulnerable elderly people in the city to make sure they have enough food, warmth and support during the winter? Report that, along side diatribe.
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Richard Cranium wrote
at 08:40:02 on 20 January 2018
https://www.facebook.com/SalfordHealthImprovement/ both sides .
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Old Cigarette wrote
at 20:03:43 on 19 January 2018
Our rulers must be barking!
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Woof woof wrote
at 20:03:37 on 19 January 2018
Simple! They've never been good at engaging communities so now they have gone for the poor dogs! P
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Caroline Gray wrote
at 20:03:30 on 19 January 2018
sorry what a load of rubbish..never heard anything so daft ... so were is the money to help people in need ..
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Robert Jones wrote
at 20:02:02 on 19 January 2018
I am surprised and confused as to why you can not see the benefit of this initiative for local people. Perhaps you lack imagination? It seems quite obvious to me that the purpose of this is to build social networks and encourage people to get involved in community or health activities who wouldn’t ordinarily get involved. This can be important for health and wellbeing. It might also help some people save money on vets bills. I can’t understand why the Salford Star, or the resident you quote, is so outraged by this. Surely there are more legitimate issues to get angry about? I know, how about austerity which brought about the £1.6 million cuts in the first place? Just an idea.
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