The Social Implications of Improved Animal Welfare 37ContinuedCase Study 8 – Vets in the Community (ViC) (by Jenny Stavisky, ViC, England)
The Vets in the Community (ViC) project is based in Nottingham, UK. It was set
up in 2012 with the aim of facilitating access to veterinary care for homeless pet
owners. Although in the UK there is a strong tradition of charitable veterinary care,
accessing free care generally requires an individual to prove they are in receipt of
government benefits. For those living outside the social support structure this is a
barrier to access. The charitable care available often also focuses on treatment of ill-
ness and emergencies, mean ing that preventive care (e.g. vaccines and par asite treat-
ments) remains out of reach for many homeless pet owners.
The ViC clinic is run fortnightly and is open to homeless and vulnerably housed
individuals who are referred from a network of local services including hostels,
drop-in centres, substance abuse treatment facilities and agencies supporting
families fleeing domestic abuse. The service is led by students from the University
of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science (SVMS), under super-
vision of qualified and experienced veterinary surgeons from SVMS. They provide
basic care including health checks, advice, vaccination, parasite control, micro-
chipping and treatment for basic ailments. Where more intensive treatment is
needed, referral to other veterinary services is facilitated where possible. Vouchers
to cover neutering costs are donated by the Cats Protection and Dogs Trust, and
distributed at the clinic sessions.
This project benefits not only the clients but also the students, who gain prac-
tical experience in clinical and communication skills. A student committee man-
ages other aspects of ViC. This includes: (i) fundraising, to cover service costs,
outreach, pet food and veterinary drug donations; (ii) raising awareness; and (iii)
volunteering at each session, to ensure clients are offered a hot drink and home-
made cake to make sure they feel welcome and find a warm and inclusive
environment.