Kind-hearted vets to give free health checks to homeless people's pets

A team of vets will take to the streets of Huddersfield to provide free care for homeless people’s pets.

Staff from Calder Vets, which has 12 practices across Yorkshire, will visit an on-street soup kitchen in the town on Tuesday, March 20, to support the homeless and their companion animals.

Staff will be on hand to provide the animals with a full health check and any medication or pain relief which may be needed as well as treatments for infections, ticks, fleas and worms.

It’s not the first time the Calder team has provided support to Huddersfield’s homeless. Staff helped spread festive cheer at Christmas by packing 11 rucksacks with essentials and gifts to hand out around the town – as well as 25kg of food, treats, blankets and towels for dogs.

The latest initiative is led by Laura Du Pre and Rachael McGregor, lead veterinary surgeons at Calder Vets’ Denby Dale and Dewsbury practices.

Laura said: “There is often a very close bond between homeless people and their pets. They’re a friend and a companion animal in every sense. We know how much these animals mean to their owners, so we are delighted to be able to offer our support in this way.

“The concept of street vets is a growing one, particularly in London due to the work of the Street Vet charity. We want to bring some of that goodwill to the streets of Yorkshire.”

Staff at Calder Vets are appealing for keen knitters to support the project by knitting blankets for homeless people and their pets.

Anyone who can help can drop a blanket off at Calder Vets branches in Lockwood, Waterloo, Denby Dale, Brighouse, Mirfield, Heckmonwike, Dewsbury, Penistone, Wakefield, Sandal, Horbury and Tingley,