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Street clinics held for homeless people's pets

BBC Cassie Kilty is crouching down level with a brown and white Husky dog which has ice blue eyes. Cassie is wearing a stethoscope which she is holding to the dog's chest and is stroking the dog with the other hand. The dog has its tongue out as it tries to lick the vet's face. They are on a pavement and there are Biffa bins behind them.BBC
Volunteer vet Cassie Kilty said she had seen strong bonds between people sleeping rough and their pets

Vets are offering free pop-up clinics for pets owned by homeless people in Truro.

National charity StreetVet offers the animals free health checks, medicine and vaccinations by volunteer vets and veterinary nurses.

The charity has found as few as 10% of hostels across the UK allow people to stay with their animal, leading to "really difficult decisions" for owners sleeping on the streets.

Jo Thomas, who brings her Jack Russell and French Bulldog to a street clinic service every month, said she was offered a flat but the offer was withdrawn when the landlord learnt she had dogs.

A dog that looks like a cross between a red Labrador and a German Shepherd has its ears pricked and brown eyes. Its mouth is open as if it panting and it has a bandana around its neck. He is standing on a road with double yellow lines painted on it.
Martin Ahronson said he and his dog, Josie, regularly use the veterinary outreach service

"It was a bit heart-breaking but I wouldn't give them up for the world," she said.

Volunteer vet Cassie Kilty said the bond she had seen between people sleeping rough and their pets was "like none I've ever seen".

She said: "They take amazing care of them. They would feed the dog before they would feed themselves and we've seen that lots of times."

Lois Wild of St Petroc's, a Cornish homelessness charity, said securing accommodation posed a particular challenge to animal owners.

"Having a pet can, unfortunately, force someone into having to make a really difficult decision because so many housing provision and landlords won't allow pets," she said.

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