A lifelong animal lover, Paul O'Grady always looked out for the underdog. He became ambassador of Battersea in 2012, and with 11 successful seasons of ITV show For The Love Of Dogs, was a huge supporter of the rescue centre.
A tribute fund in his honour
Following his death in March, the charity decided to set up a tribute fund, to raise money in memory of the TV star. Raising £480,000 to date, Battersea revealed their plans for the donations earlier today.
Having consulted with Paul's friends and family, it was decided that £100,000 would be split between 5 animal charities that were close to his heart. Three of the charities, Freshfields Animal Rescue, Carla Lane Animals in Need and Oldies Club are located near the city of Liverpool, where O'Grady was born. He was an ambassador of StreetVet UK and president of the RSPCA Ashford Garden Cattery, which works to rehome unwanted and abandoned cats each year.
The remaining funds will be used by Battersea to provide medical treatments to animals in their care.
Paul O'Grady Veterinary Hospital
In addition to allocating the donations, the charity also announced the renaming of their clinic facilities. Moving forward, this will become the Paul O'Grady Veterinary Hospital. Having supported animals recuperating from surgery during his time at the centre, Battersea felt it fitting that the hospital take his name.
"Fantastic tribute to such a lovely man", commented one viewer, while another responded, "what a lovely way to remember how much he always loved being at Battersea and how much they loved him being there. A true legend and a fantastic ambassador for animals".
