Inside a treatment area
More Pet Owners And Animals In Need To Be Helped By Exciting Charity Partnership
3 months ago 
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Two leading animal charities have revealed the next step in an exciting partnership that will help more animals in need and struggling pet owners.
In spring 2024, PDSA, the vet charity for pets in need, will be opening a new clinic in North London, offering vet services from a former RSPCA clinic in Edmonton.
Once open, the newly refurbished clinic - Edmonton Green PDSA Pet Clinic - will provide support for some pet owners presently seen at RSPCA Finsbury Park Animal Hospital, as well as new eligible clients in the local area. The move will free up capacity for more animals rescued from neglect and cruelty to receive vital and specialist care from RSPCA staff at the London site.
Caroline Allen, RSPCA chief veterinary officer, said: “The exciting partnership protects and expands affordable vet care to thousands more pet owners in need at a critical time during this cost of living crisis.
“Working together allows both the RSPCA and PDSA to focus on our areas of expertise and charitable aims and objectives. For the RSPCA, that’s our core work of rescuing and caring for animals most in need at a time when our services are needed more than ever - with animal abandonments at a three year high.”
Richard Hooker, PDSA Director of Veterinary Services said: ”Providing free and low-cost vet care for those who need it most is our core mission as a charity. So we’re incredibly excited to be opening a new service in this much-needed area, as part of our partnership with RSPCA.
“The Edmonton Green PDSA Pet Clinic will bring the total number of our Pet Hospitals and Clinics in the UK to 49, and will enable us to offer services to 11 new postcodes in North London and help support thousands more pets in need. At a time when family budgets are being squeezed more than ever, improving our vital services in this area will help to keep people together with their much-loved pets.
“The new clinic will ensure we’re able to offer services to RSPCA’s former clients in the area, in addition to new eligible clients as well. Our founder, Maria Dickin, believed that no pet deserved to suffer due to poverty, and we’re extremely proud to be continuing her legacy more than 100 years on.”
RSPCA clients who will be seen by PDSA teams in the future are being written to and can visit either of the charities’ websites for more information. Some clients will attend the new Edmonton Green PDSA Pet Clinic, while others will be offered services at PDSA’s existing Pet Hospitals in the area, to keep journey times as short as possible.
Last year the two charities announced they were teaming up, with RSPCA clients in Birmingham, Manchester and Merthyr Tydfil in Wales being seen by PDSA or offered support through a £1 million treatment fund from both charities.
Caroline said the partnership had freed up RSPCA resources at a critical time: “We have been able to use the expertise of our vets and nurses more effectively to support animals rescued by frontline officers.
“Our veterinary services teams have also been able to work more closely with frontline officers, RSPCA centres and branches, with some of our colleagues now undertaking vital expert witness training, with excellent outcomes already being seen in our prosecution work.
“We know the private veterinary sector is under huge strain and we are always incredibly grateful for their continued support. This partnership allows us to reduce that by seeing more animals we rescue in-house with the ambition that PDSA will become a key provider of help to RSPCA animals in future.”
Richard added: “The collaboration between our two charities has already seen PDSA take on thousands of former RSPCA clients in other areas of the country where changes have already taken place. We’ve opened our services to 65 new postcodes in Oldham and Stockport and increased the capacity of our Manchester Pet Wellbeing Hospital, enabling us to help even more struggling pet owners in this area.
“At a time when there are considerable pressures within the veterinary industry, the decision to press ahead with these planned changes has not been taken lightly. We’re committed to putting the necessary resources in place to manage these changes, and ensure our dedicated veterinary teams aren’t overwhelmed by the expected increases in demand.”
Clients who are not affected by the changes will still be able to take their pets to RSPCA Finsbury Park Animal Hospital for treatment, or can opt to register with PDSA once the new clinic opens.
Subsidised veterinary provision provided by RSPCA branch clinics to members of the public on low incomes continues.
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