Alesha Dixon Helps Raise Vital Funds For Three New Pet Hospitals

Pet Charity T-Shirts Are Strictly ‘Paw-fect’ For Cat and Dog Lovers

Pop sensation and Strictly judge, Alesha Dixon, is backing the UK’s biggest vet charity, PDSA, by modelling its new cat and dog t-shirts – designed to raise vital funds for three new pet hospitals.

Pop sensation and Strictly judge, Alesha Dixon, is backing the UK’s biggest vet charity, http://www.pdsa.org.uk PDSA, by modelling its new cat and dog t-shirts – designed to raise vital funds for three new pet hospitals.

Alesha who has three dogs, Roxy, Rosy and Daisy, and is also a former cat owner, has pledged her support to PDSA’s £6 million Pet Hospital Appeal. She was the first to wear its brand new T-shirt designs starring cult ‘70s characters Roobarb & Custard.

The cartoon duo star on vintage style ‘I Love Dogs’ and ‘I Love Cats’ t-shirts. Available for women and men in white and grey marl, the t-shirts were created by online t-shirt store moreTvicar.com which will donate £5 from each t-shirt sold to the PDSA appeal.

Alesha said: “As a pet lover, I know how important it is to care for our animals, that’s why I’m backing PDSA’s Pet Hospital Appeal. Millions of pets, including my dogs, bring us so much happiness and deserve the very best care in return, so it’s great to know that PDSA is there to help pets when they really need it. Buying these t-shirts is a great way of showing your support.”

PDSA has launched its fundraising appeal after seeing demand for its charity services soar by 50% in five years.

The ‘I Love Dogs’ and ‘I Love Cats’ t-shirts cost £15.99 each, available exclusively from online t-shirt store http://www.moreTvicar.com in white or grey marl.

* Women – sizes 8 - 16
* Men – sizes S – XXL

£5 from each t-shirt sold will be donated to the PDSA Pet Hospital Appeal.

P&P on UK standard orders is free.

For more information please contact .hjh.pr on 0207 486 3368 or email;

Roslyn Duffy / roslyn(at)hjhpr.co(dot)uk - Sally Burlison / sally(at)hjhpr.co(dot)uk

For more information about PDSA please contact Lisa Nickless on

01952 204775 or 01952 290999 or email: nickless.lisa(at)pdsa.org(dot)uk

Editors notes:

PDSA helps alleviate poverty by providing free treatment for the pets of owners on certain means-tested benefits. More than 400,000 UK pets will rely on PDSA’s service this year alone. Many of these suffer from life-threatening illness or injury, and are nursed back to health by the charity’s highly-skilled veterinary teams.

By 2011 the charity will have seen a 50% increase in pet patients for its service nationally over the last five years (a period which includes the worst recession since the 1930s). This equates to more than 120,000 more pet patients through PDSA’s pet hospital doors.

This unprecedented demand has led to PDSA launching its biggest ever fundraising appeal. The charity needs to build three brand new pet hospitals, in Birmingham, Plymouth and Cardiff, to replace outdated facilities in these areas. In total, £6 million is needed to build and equip the new facilities.

PDSA receives no HM Government or National Lottery funding for its UK wide veterinary services, which include 48 pet hospitals and branches. The £50 million-plus annual running costs are funded entirely through charitable giving, including gifts in wills, donations, fundraising events and proceeds from its 170 high street charity stores.

PDSA’s history in the UK dates back to 1917. During that time it has provided an estimated 100 million treatments to around 20 million different pets. Today its network of pet hospitals stretches from Aberdeen to the south coast, Humberside to Belfast. In addition to its dedicated pet hospitals, PDSA provides funded veterinary care in smaller communities, through a network of participating private practices.

For more information about PDSA's Pet Hospital Appeal, and to find out how you can help the charity raise £6 million for sick and injured pets visit http://www.pdsa.org.uk/build or call free on 0800 0199 004.