StreetVet, a charity that provides free veterinary treatment to homeless people who struggle to access care for their animals, says pets often give their owners a sense of stability. The charity runs outreach clinics in Cornwall, including Penzance, Truro, Falmouth, Redruth, St Austell and Newquay.
One pet owner at a Penzance outreach centre said he did not know what he would have done without the charity. Paul, who attended with his dog Fury, had spent almost a month sleeping in a car with two dogs. He said StreetVet's support had been invaluable.
"I couldn't afford to buy any more of my spaniel's heart medication," he said. "Once the help kicked in, there's just nothing they won't do for you." He added that the charity had provided food, parasite treatments and veterinary care. "I don't know what I would have done without their help."
Charity chief executive Zoe Abbott said pets were often "security" and "friends" for people experiencing homelessness. "For our clients, their pets are so important," she said. She noted that the charity was often challenged over whether homeless people should own pets, but many animals had entered homelessness alongside their owners. "Why should they give that up when everything else has fallen apart? It's the only thing in their life that gives them any stability," she added.
The charity relies on volunteer vets and nurses to deliver care through the clinics.
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Cornwall Vets Say Pets Give Homeless Stability