Mayhew vets lend support to the homeless
Mayhew vets and animal welfare officers gave the dogs light-up safety collars and waterproof jackets.
Vets from Mayhew animal home lent their support to homeless charity Crisis over the Christmas period by providing essential items and veterinary care.
For more than 17 years, Mayhew has been a vital part of Crisis at Christmas - a project that offers homeless people and their animals temporary shelter over the Christmas season.
During this time, homeless people can bring their dogs into specially built, temporary kennels. Each dog is given its own pen and plenty of bedding while the owners are cared for by Crisis volunteers.
Mayhew vets and animal welfare officers gave the dogs a thorough health check and administered flea and worming treatments. They also gave the dogs food, treats, light-up safety collars and waterproof jackets.
Mayhew vet Dr Emma Robinson said: “This is a great opportunity for the owners to make sure their dog undergoes a health check. We are able to identify and monitor ongoing health issues and we can also give the dogs the preventative veterinary care that they need.
“It’s been an amazing experience for me and I hope I can do it all again next year.”
Some of the patients this year included nine-year-old Survivor, who was actually born at Crisis at Christmas nine years ago, and Leo, a 15-week-old puppy.
Mayhew’s animal welfare officer, AJ Ford, added: “We work with the homeless and their dogs all year round and we are honoured to help and support Crisis at Christmas again this year.
“We can detect early on any health issues that the dogs may have so that we can refer them to our on-site Vet Clinic. We also offer free neutering and flea and worming treatments. We strive to help and support vulnerable people in need with their pets and ultimately keep the owner and animal together.”
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
