Local woman Trudy Elliott believes that pet care, medical or otherwise, should be available for everyone, and not just those that can afford it, and this is why she is organising a petition to bring a PDSA Centre to Inverness.

The PDSA is the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals and was founded by Maria Dickin in 1917, a public spirited Victorian woman whose mission became animal welfare. The PDSA’s evolution from a small dank cellar in London’s East End to its present day status as a major charity is well documented and makes interesting reading for social historians. The fundamental principle established by Maria Dickin was to provide free veterinary treatment to sick and injured pets if owners could not afford to pay private veterinary fees.

An annual booster can cost as much as £35 for each animal, a fair amount of money to those on low incomes. To qualify for PDSA assistance, pet owners must be able to show that they are in receipt of state benefits.

Trudy has distributed the petition to local shops and the post office and is hoping that the people of Merkinch will find a few seconds of their time and go and add their name to it. And as Trudy says "I think a PDSA centre or even a PetAid scheme is a much needed facility for Inverness as a whole and for the people of Merkinch in particular. Loads of us have pets, and the bills are absolutely horrendous, especially if you are unemployed or on a low income. Even if it’s just people getting their dogs and cats dressed, or getting help to enable them to afford the annual booster jags. People get the jags for their pets when they are puppies or kittens, if at all, then don’t go back, and it means that when the animals are running around they can catch everything that’s going."

95% of pets treated by the PDSA are dogs and cats. Whether the animal requires a simple course of treatment for a mild condition or complex orthopaedic surgery, treatment is free of charge. Pet care advice and encouraging responsible ownership is also a vital part of PDSA work

According to the PDSA headquarters in Shropshire a PetAid scheme should be up and running in Inverness by the start of the new year if the new charity shop in town raises enough funds to make the scheme financially viable. The PetAid scheme operates in smaller towns and communities where the PDSA feel it is not feasible to have it’s own veterinary centre. This service provides free veterinary treatment to pet owners eligible for PDSA care. Participating private practices provide the treatment to registered PetAid patients, for which they are paid by the PDSA. This joint co-operation between the PDSA and the private veterinary surgeons ensures that pets get the care they need locally regardless of the owners lack of means.

At least one veterinary practice in Inverness has already registered interest in joining the scheme and here’s hoping that the many other practices in the Inverness area, will take their lead.