We will be expanding on our Pet Aid service by launching an initiative to help struggling owners with vet bills. The service has been created in partnership with several other organisations in response to a rise in people contacting the charity’s helpline seeking support due to financial problems.
Our charity saw calls to give up pets treble in 2022 along with a 16% rise in animals coming into their care needing some form of veterinary treatment.
The planned bespoke veterinary support initiative will support the work of our inspectorate team, enabling more animals to stay with their owners. These animals may otherwise be forced into the Society’s care due to owners unable to access basic, affordable veterinary care.
As part of a partnership formed by PDSA, IVC Evidensia, and StreetVet the organisations will work together to tackle the barriers to veterinary care that pet owners are currently facing in Scotland.
Scottish SPCA CEO Kirsteen Campbell said: “We know from the work our frontline teams are doing in communities across Scotland that the cost-of-living crisis means people have less income to spend on pet food, vet bills or pet insurance. This can lead to situations where people feel forced into giving up their pet or even, in the worst case scenario, consider abandoning them.
“The recent Paw Report from our partners at PDSA stated that, in total, 85% of Scottish owners say that the cost of owning a pet has increased. 32% of Scottish pet owners are making personal cost saving decisions in order to continue to care for their pet and 27% of Scottish owners say that owning a pet is more expensive than expected.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership to help knock down the barriers of accessing veterinary care. Funding has already been secured for a community veterinary nurse manager to go out with our inspectors and help with basic vet care in the home such as flea treatments, worming, and nail trimming.
“Further funding is being sought to enable us to expand this team and be in a position to respond to issues in communities where the need is greatest.
“The human-animal bond is important, and through this initiative we can help to protect it when people and pets need our help most. Nobody should have to give up their pet because they are unable to afford the cost of basic veterinary care.
Jade Statt, Clinical Director and Co-founder of StreetVet said: “StreetVet believes wholeheartedly in improving accessibility to veterinary care and keeping clients and their pets together wherever possible, and as a charity, we recognise the magnitude and impact of the human-animal bond and aim to protect it wherever possible. We are therefore delighted to collaborate with the Scottish SPCA and others to support the development of Pet Aid Veterinary.”
Steve Howard, Head of Clinical Services at PDSA said: “We are supportive of initiatives that promote collaborative working between charities, particularly when those initiatives leverage the core purposes of the charities involved and look to guard against duplication of offering and effort across the sector, whilst increasing accessibility and awareness of charitable support that is available. As such, PDSA generally supports these proposals and looks forward to working with Scottish SPCA to further define and refine the detail of them, with a view to planning how they may be best implemented to the mutual benefit of both organisations and importantly to the many thousands of pets and their owners who so much depend on our charitable support.”
David Martin, Group Animal Welfare Advisor of IVC Evidenisa said: “We are delighted to be able to partner with the Scottish SPCA in their new Pet Aid Veterinary Scheme working in the communities around Glasgow and we hope that together we can make a significant difference to the health and welfare of the animals within the communities.”
Pet Aid is currently supporting 42 food banks across 18 local authorities. A full list of food banks where Pet Aid is available can be found on the charity’s website here: https://www.scottishspca.org/pet-aid
Anyone struggling to care for their pet can call our animal helpline in strict confidence on 03000 999 999 for help and advice.
