Vets surgery in Kingussie closes its doors
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Badenoch has lost its local veterinary surgery as part of Covid-19 forced cutbacks by the operators.
Strathspey Vets has confirmed the measure saying it was difficult to cover all three of their branches with staff given that pet owners are not allowed to enter premises because of the Covid rules.
Practice manager Heather Burns, based on Grantown's Forest Road, said: “I can confirm that we have made the very difficult decision to close our Kingussie Surgery.
"We informed all our registered clients from the area served by the surgery by mail last week.
"Restrictions on how we could operate under full lockdown put additional pressure on our veterinary and support team.
“With owners not being admitted to the surgeries we found ourselves challenged to provide full cover for all surgeries.
"We appreciate that our Kingussie clients will be disappointed, but we feel the improved facilities now available in Aviemore provides more local availability of theatre and X-rays for the western end of the strath who previously had to travel to Grantown for surgery and other treatments.”
The business is based in Grantown, and now has just the one branch, at the Dalfaber Neighbourhood Centre in Aviemore.
The practice was established in 1954 by George Rafferty, who shot to national fame as the focus of a TV series.
He dealt predominantly with farm animals, but also held evening consultations from his home on Grantown's Seafield Avenue.
His son Andrew took over the running of the practice in 1991, and following the recruitment of Jane Harley, he oversaw developments.
One social media post described the loss of the practice as 'an absolute blow for pet owners at this end of the valley' but said the move was not unexpected.
