LDR Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 $3m benefactor Frank Samways is a dog's - and the Lost Dogs Home's - best friend WOW! :D ___________________________________ A BIG-HEARTED businessman has left Melbourne's Lost Dogs Home $3 million - the largest bequest in its 100-year history. Staff at the animal shelter described the donor, Frank Samways, as a man so empathetic for abandoned pets that he wouldn't enter the animal shelter in Gracie Street, North Melbourne. The home's managing director, Graeme Smith, said Mr Samways, ''a charming, charismatic person'', used to attend donor functions in the home's courtyard. ''But [he] never set foot inside the shelter because he thought it would be too disturbing for him. He didn't want to see any dog or cat incarcerated.'' A lifelong owner of Jack Russell terriers, Mr Samways ''had a wonderful love of animals''. Mr Samways, of Strathmore, a single man with no children, was a furniture factory owner. Before he died, aged 82, three years ago, he confided to Dr Smith that the home would be a beneficiary in his will. But Dr Smith said the $3 million figure revealed by the executor had floored him. ''He'd said 'I'm worth a bit', but he didn't indicate to me how much.'' The home has used the funds to buy a factory, 50 metres from the Gracie Street complex, to be converted into its new private vet clinic. It will be named after Mr Samways. Last week the City of Melbourne approved plans for the clinic, which will be three times the size of the current one, with a car park, five consulting rooms, two operating theatres and a waiting room. The present vet clinic in Gracie Street raises $1 million in income each year. Dr Smith said the new one's larger size and longer opening hours should bring in increased income to save pets' lives. He said it had a ''beautiful'' position overlooking a fenced dog park that would attract customers. The old vet clinic would be turned into a cat and dog adoption centre. The home, founded by a group of animal lovers in 1911, gets no government funding. However, Dr Smith revealed that in the past year - apart from Mr Samways's gift - it had received more than $6 million in bequests and donations. The windfalls have led to a frenzy of development including a $2 million sick and injured animal shelter and a $2 million training and education centre. And in January the home opened its Lost Cats Home, with 150 cat ''condos'' - glass-fronted, heated cubicles with shelves. Each has an ''en suite'' - cats jump through a hole from the sleeping cubicle to a space with their litter trays. Dr Smith said that when he started as the home's manager in 1986 ''it was a financial basket case'' facing imminent closure. But higher standards and public profile, not to mention donors such as Mr Samways, had made the future more secure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJean Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 (edited) $3m benefactor Frank Samways is a dog's - and the Lost Dogs Home's - best friend WOW! :D ___________________________________ A BIG-HEARTED businessman has left Melbourne's Lost Dogs Home $3 million - the largest bequest in its 100-year history. Staff at the animal shelter described the donor, Frank Samways, as a man so empathetic for abandoned pets that he wouldn't enter the animal shelter in Gracie Street, North Melbourne. The home's managing director, Graeme Smith, said Mr Samways, ''a charming, charismatic person'', used to attend donor functions in the home's courtyard. ''But [he] never set foot inside the shelter because he thought it would be too disturbing for him. He didn't want to see any dog or cat incarcerated.'' A lifelong owner of Jack Russell terriers, Mr Samways ''had a wonderful love of animals''. Mr Samways, of Strathmore, a single man with no children, was a furniture factory owner. Before he died, aged 82, three years ago, he confided to Dr Smith that the home would be a beneficiary in his will. But Dr Smith said the $3 million figure revealed by the executor had floored him. ''He'd said 'I'm worth a bit', but he didn't indicate to me how much.'' The home has used the funds to buy a factory, 50 metres from the Gracie Street complex, to be converted into its new private vet clinic. It will be named after Mr Samways. Last week the City of Melbourne approved plans for the clinic, which will be three times the size of the current one, with a car park, five consulting rooms, two operating theatres and a waiting room. The present vet clinic in Gracie Street raises $1 million in income each year. Dr Smith said the new one's larger size and longer opening hours should bring in increased income to save pets' lives. He said it had a ''beautiful'' position overlooking a fenced dog park that would attract customers. The old vet clinic would be turned into a cat and dog adoption centre. The home, founded by a group of animal lovers in 1911, gets no government funding. However, Dr Smith revealed that in the past year - apart from Mr Samways's gift - it had received more than $6 million in bequests and donations. The windfalls have led to a frenzy of development including a $2 million sick and injured animal shelter and a $2 million training and education centre. And in January the home opened its Lost Cats Home, with 150 cat ''condos'' - glass-fronted, heated cubicles with shelves. Each has an ''en suite'' - cats jump through a hole from the sleeping cubicle to a space with their litter trays. Dr Smith said that when he started as the home's manager in 1986 ''it was a financial basket case'' facing imminent closure. But higher standards and public profile, not to mention donors such as Mr Samways, had made the future more secure. Ah, that explains it - He hasn't actually seen the good work of the LDH! The home has used the funds to buy a factory, 50 metres from the Gracie Street complex, to be converted into its new private vet clinic. It will be named after Mr Samways. how nice. The funds wil be used to build more private practise to help animals who already have homes, and of course, who can bring in more revenue to the LDH. Wouldn't want to use a cent of the bequest to go towards building facilities for any LOST animals in need of care? Nooo. Oh well doesn't matter. Benefactors dont seem to venture indoors anyway. Edited July 29, 2011 by lilli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 shame he didn't go inside and see what I saw when I visited, a place of terrible misery, needless suffering and far too many needless deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Pity he didn't leave the money to a more worthy institution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kora Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 RIP Mr Samway. I'm not surprised that he never set foot in the shelter as he truly would have be upset with what he saw in the shelter. Sadly if he had of seen with his own eyes what went on behind closed doors the money may have gone to a better deserving charity and not this so called one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendra Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 What a shame that Mr Samways had no family otherwise they could contest the will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottnBullies Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Pity he didn't leave the money to a more worthy institution. I couldn't agree more, I can't understand why this place gets so much In donations, when there are so many others who do a hell of a lot more for their animals on less money and are so much more deserving of funds More money for that green stuff you like to use so much Dr Smith! How about actually using It for the animals In your care and their desperate need of new facilities just for starters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 What a pity Mr. Samway didn't research the modus operandi of this place he thought was deserving of his legacy. I suppose he thought the $3M would help the lost and abandoned animals. Wasn't the last $1M plus, donation they received used to purchase a property across the street which was refurbished into modern comfortable climate controlled office premises for Graeme Smith and staff? This, while the dogs are freezing in winter and boiling in summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobie Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 That money could have done so much to help so many stray animals. It is such a shame and disappointment that the money will not be spent on what it seems the donor would have truly wanted his money spent on. I wonder if Graham asked the donor before he died what he would like the money spent on as I highly doubt he would have said a private vet clinic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterlingsilver Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 (edited) What could have been a wonderful opportunity to do so much good, is wasted. Money like this does not come along very often. A lot of larger charities use donated money in this fashion....on offices, administration,money making concerns, and none on the very reason for their existance, their "clients". The same in NSW with a couple of larger animal shelters always after money but little goes on the accommodation for their dogs and cats...they get the money in, but nothing ever seems to improve for the animals they are supposedly "caring" for. Edited July 30, 2011 by sterlingsilver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Bloody hell I wish someone would turn up to donate that kind of money to Pacers here - we could prevent so many of them from ending up in places like the LDH with those kind of funds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Sometimes I really do wonder where all the money goes... Recently visted the RSPCA and was shocked to find nothing had changed since when I volunteered there 10 YEARS AGO!!!! There seemed to be a focus on the private vet clinic as oppposed to improving the facilties for the rehoming animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterlingsilver Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 (edited) Sometimes I really do wonder where all the money goes... Recently visted the RSPCA and was shocked to find nothing had changed since when I volunteered there 10 YEARS AGO!!!! There seemed to be a focus on the private vet clinic as oppposed to improving the facilties for the rehoming animals. At least, a little comfort I know, but they do put out a balance sheet where you see where they spent [or overspent] their donations or income. Others do not...all hidden behind the old cry of "for the welfare of the dogs and cats", yet visit their shelter and see no improvement there...at least for the kennels, but the admin.area had been upgraded.....a comfort I am sure for the poor dogs, who often sit for months until they finally leave....one way or another. $3 million is an amazing amount of money. The Board must be easily swayed to agree that this money would be spent where it has.......wonder do they never visit the dogs like the late Mr.Samway. Edited July 31, 2011 by sterlingsilver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kora Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Dr G. S sure looked chuffed when he was showing channel Ten news the plans for the new vet clinic, compliments of the late Mr Samways. Why did he not give a guided tour of the so called shelter to channel ten viewers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterlingsilver Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Dr G. S sure looked chuffed when he was showing channel Ten news the plans for the new vet clinic, compliments of the late Mr Samways. Why did he not give a guided tour of the so called shelter to channel ten viewers. The extra publicity will probably bring in more donations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Is the vet clinic for the dogs which are in lock up - LDH only or for all of the public? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Pity he didn't leave the money to a more worthy institution. I couldn't agree more, I can't understand why this place gets so much In donations, when there are so many others who do a hell of a lot more for their animals on less money and are so much more deserving of funds More money for that green stuff you like to use so much Dr Smith! How about actually using It for the animals In your care and their desperate need of new facilities just for starters! They are good at PR and raising money. They have a very good reputation with people who aren't "in the know". Maybe rescue could learn some things from LDH - how to fund raise being one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendra Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Pity he didn't leave the money to a more worthy institution. I couldn't agree more, I can't understand why this place gets so much In donations, when there are so many others who do a hell of a lot more for their animals on less money and are so much more deserving of funds More money for that green stuff you like to use so much Dr Smith! How about actually using It for the animals In your care and their desperate need of new facilities just for starters! They are good at PR and raising money. They have a very good reputation with people who aren't "in the know". Maybe rescue could learn some things from LDH - how to fund raise being one of them. A reputable rescue group likes to be able to sleep at night with a clear conscience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirty Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I understand the vet clinic is for the general public - so they can raise more money for the 'shelter'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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