A NEW outreach programme to support pets belonging to homeless people is to launch after its pilot event went down like a ball of wool with a box full of kittens.

On Wednesday those being supported by Threshold Housing Link were invited to bring their furry, four-legged friends along for a health check courtesy of Drove Veterinary Hospital in an event to test the water.

Veterinary surgeon Craig Waldron from the practice’s Taw Hill surgery is the project lead on Drove’s Veterinary Outreach, which was held for the first time at St Luke’s Church on Wednesday. He said he had been delighted with how the event had gone, and plans were now afoot to hold a regular, monthly session to offer support and best practice with those facing difficulties that had pet cats and dogs.

The idea is for the surgeons to offer an outreach clinic for cats and dogs where they will offer basic veterinary care including worming, flea treatments, microchipping and vaccinations.

“I wanted to do something charitable with my skillset, and the most obvious thing it could be was to help people with animals,” said Craig. “I spoke to Threshold, who area great charity, about how we could help with the wellbeing of some of these people’s pets.”

He hopes that in time they will be able to establish a charitable fund so they can offer more extensive treatments such as spaying and more complicated forms of surgery.

He said: “It seemed to go really well and the people that turned up to the service all seem to be doing a really good job. It’s nice to know that we are able to help those in need.”