Thursday, 27 February 2025
A student-led charity, which provides free veterinary care for the pets of homeless and vulnerably housed people, is going from strength to strength and is in more demand than ever due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Vets in the Community (ViC) was set up in 2012 by students and staff from the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and gave people access to free routine veterinary care at fortnightly clinics at a city centre base. Since then, the team have carried out more than 2,000 consultations.
In 2020 the team launched a purpose-built mobile trailer so they could take their services out into the wider community, and now people who have been referred to the service, can access the clinic each week at one of two locations in Nottingham – the King Edward Park and Forest Recreation Park.
Pets of eligible people can receive free routine treatments such as vaccinations, health checks, micro-chipping and treatment for worms, fleas and minor ailments. The team also provide advice on pet health care such as nutrition, husbandry and neutering.
In 2024 the team conducted 433 consultations across 45 clinics, totalling 135 hours, which is a 22% increase in consultations compared to 2023.
The charity also recently made it onto the Big Issue’s top 100 Change Makers list for 2025 in the Health and Disability category.
Due to the capacity of the team, they can only currently offer their services to people who have been referred to them and are homeless or vulnerably housed. They accept referrals from, and work alongside numerous support services in the area, including The Big Issue, Framework, Emmanuel House, the Friary, Nottingham Recovery Network, St Ann’s Advice Centre and Women’s Aid Integrated Services.
Vets in the Community mobile clinic
Dr Kerry Williams, Clinical Associate Professor in Small Animal Practice at the University, is the academic who oversees the work done by the students, she said: "Being involved with Vets in the Community clinics is one of the highlights of my week. Seeing pre-clinical students getting their first experiences of client communication, developing their clinical skills, and working alongside students from other years is so rewarding.
“We also see the development of the students who serve on the committee as they grow in confidence, learn about the running of an organisation, liaise with multiple stakeholders, and show a genuine care for our clients. And all of this while providing much needed veterinary services for our clients. It really is a context where students, clients, animals and staff all benefit so much."
Ben Scawn, Fundraising Officer for ViC, said: “As a student, what makes Vets in the Community so rewarding is that it allows application of theory taught in lectures to the real world whilst also supporting members of our community in providing care to the pets they love. The clinics always offer a friendly and supportive environment, ensuring everyone who attends learns something new and feels a sense of contribution. It’s immensely fulfilling to see the impact of our work on both the animals and their owners.
“We collaborate with several referral services, ensuring we reach those who will benefit the most from Vets in the Community. The support we receive from these partners is invaluable; with them, our work is much more effective and far-reaching.”
The clinic is of vital importance to those in need. Working for the Big Issue and being with ViC since it started, I have seen first hand the appreciation and gratitude of a homeless/ vulnerably housed person having had their pets being looked at by a professional person. The students and staff do a fantastic job of looking after those who come to the clinics. Th clients see it as reassurance that their best, and in some cases only friend, only support mechanism is being looked after."
All of the work carried about by ViC is funded through charity donations and fundraisers organised by the students. People can donate here.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Kerry Williams from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University at Kerrywilliams@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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