THE mobile Tiny Vet Clinic has hit the streets helping pet owners who have difficulty accessing veterinary care due to money or transport issues.

Run by ACT Pet Crisis Support (APCS), its founder and president Eloise Bright says: “We get so many people contacting us who are having trouble getting an appointment at a vet and it breaks my heart that these pets can’t get help.”

As a local vet, Eloise began APCS in March 2019, with a group of committed animal lovers.

“The charity is passionate about animal welfare and the vital role that pets play as members of the family and social support for vulnerable people in the community,” she says.

“Veterinary care can be very expensive, with no low-cost options available to pensioners or low income earners in the ACT,” says Eloise.

“The Tiny Vet Clinic helps to encourage responsible pet ownership in an affordable way for vulnerable members of the community who would otherwise be unable to access veterinary care.

“This results in the need to euthanase or surrender beloved pets simply due to a lack of funds.”

Eloise says the Tiny Vet Clinic has been something she’s been thinking about since the charity started.

“But getting the funding a year ago from Petspiration Foundation was the final piece of the puzzle,” she says.

“It took a year to build it, and our volunteer Russell did an amazing job, we even have a solar panel on the roof!”

Eloise says people tend to be healthier and have lower blood pressure if they have pets with them.

“It’d be interesting to see if people are living longer with their pets, too.

“This just gives us another option to help even more pets.”

“It’s a loneliness issue. With having a pet, many people have said it gives them a reason to get out of bed. It’s a social thing, too, and good for mental and physical health.”

She says pet ownership is on the rise, with an estimated 27 to 40 per cent more pets, post COVID-19.

“Vet clinics are chronically overbooked and staff burnout is at an all-time high,” she says.

“There has been overwhelming support for the clinic from local vets who have already started referring patients to the Tiny Vet Clinic.”

Eloise says the charity has helped more than 500 pets over the past four years.

“Any vet clinic can access support on behalf of a pet owner who has no other option to pay for urgent, life-saving veterinary care.”

“Clinics will run regularly at Ainslie Village and Oaks Estate, and other locations as required,” says Eloise.

“The clinics are staffed entirely by volunteers and owners are encouraged to pay what they can towards medications for their pets, with consultations free of charge.

“We just ask that pet owners have a Healthcare Card in order to access veterinary care, there is more information including a form for pet owners on our website.”

The clinic will not do surgeries such as desexing, but is able to treat common conditions such as skin problems, lump checks, ear infections, sore legs, fight wounds, allergies and arthritis, and will provide routine preventative care such as vaccinations and microchipping.

“At our first clinic at Oaks Estate we saw 11 pets, including a 20-year-old cat and a tiny little puppy,” says Eloise.

“Our regular clinics will operate at Oaks Estate on the first and third Wednesday of every month, from 11am to 1pm.

“Ainslie Village will be on the second Thursday of the month from 11am to 1pm.”

Eloise says Ina Jalil, of Ina J Photography, is about to launch the annual fundraiser, the Canberra Paws 2024 calendar competition.

“This usually raises a huge amount of money for the charity,” she says.

“We will also be at Flynn’s Walk this year on May 21 to support the vet industry, and we will be bringing along the Tiny Vet Clinic so people can take a look and ask questions.”

Donate, volunteer or more information at actpetcrisis.com/tiny-veterinary-clinic