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Trusty Paws: providing free veterinary care to dogs of the homeless and vulnerable

2 min read

Better Society
Source: Facebook/TrustyPaws

A vaccination clinic scheme in Glasgow, run by veterinary students to treat dogs belonging to the homeless, is catching on in other cities.

Student vets give their time and skills to treat the companions of the homeless

The Trusty Paws Clinic is a clinic for dogs belonging to homeless people in Glasgow and London. The clinic is run by 4th year veterinary students and provides free vaccinations, flea/worming treatment and microchips to the dogs. They also give out food, clothing and bedding for the dogs and their people. 

Helping the hounds of the homeless: meet the vets who treat homeless people's pets for free With a basic vet consultation out of the homeless' reach at upwards of £20, this scheme makes it possible for these cherished companions to get checked over for a clean bill of health, along with receiving pet essentials like regular vaccinations, flea jabs, and worming tablets. Source: Facebook/BBCThree

In Glasgow and London Trusty Paws clinics provide a service otherwise unavailable to the homeless

The Scottish city of Glasgow is in desperate need of a project like this as there is very little in the way of support for homeless people with dogs, and there are no dog-friendly hostels at all.

Homelessness in London is also a big problem, and many of those people have dogs.

The clinic provides much needed preventative care for the dogs and general aid to both dog and owner. It is also a welcoming environment for the people where they can get a hot drink and have a friendly chat. 

The clinic relies solely on fundraising, and they also fundraise for any dogs with major health problems so that they can be treated and be more comfortable on the streets.

To many of the homeless, their dogs provide company, love and friendship and are very special to their owners. Preventing the dogs from catching nasty diseases and parasites is an easy way to make sure their lives are comfortable.

Source: Facebook/TheTrustyPawsClinic

Interview on The Riverside Show – STV 4th-year veterinary students from Glasgow Universtity give an interview on Scottish television about the need for the scheme and the impact it’s having. Source: Youtube/TheTrustyPawsClinic

Preventative care still comes at a cost, so the charity is always looking for help

The Trusty Paws Clinic is a dedicated team of 4th-year veterinary students providing preventative veterinary care for dogs belonging to the homeless and vulnerably housed living in Glasgow and London. The clinics are run on a monthly basis out of drop-in centres in homelessness charities and they provide: 

  • Vaccinations
  • Microchipping 
  • Flea/worming treatment 
  • Dog care supplies and accessories
  •  Referral for extra veterinary care.

While everything is undertaken by veterinary students, it is under the supervision of a RCVS qualified vet.

See below for ways you can help out, and you can also follow them on Twitter, and check out their Facebook Page.

Make an Impact

Help Trusty Paws help the hounds of the homeless

Donations of any kind are extremely important to The Trusty Paws Clinic and we could not function without them! Everything we receive is put towards running the monthly clinics and improving and expanding our services. There are lots of ways to help us out, be it making a monetary donation or organising a fundraising event.