Brit hospital's pet plan raises objections

LONDON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Britain's Conservative party and a hospital workers union have objected to a proposal to open a hospital's radiotherapy unit to dogs and cats with cancer.

Hospital worker's union, Unison, has objected to the debt-ridden National Health Service hospital's plan, saying the unused equipment could be put to better use treating humans, The Guardian reported Monday.

"There must be other places where people are waiting for treatment or treatment could be speeded up," she said. "That would be a much better, proper use of the facilities, and ($95,000) is neither here or there in terms of debt. Why not use the hospital for humans as it is intended -- not for dogs and cats?"

The sentiment was echoed by shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley.

"These are the lengths the NHS is being driven to by the government's financial mismanagement and the way deficits are impacting on hospitals. One would normally expect NHS equipment to be fully occupied providing services to NHS patients."