Pet care charity PDSA, which helps thousands of local animals a year at its Dunkirk hospital, is celebrating 100 years of practice.
Maria Dickin initially set up a dispensary for ill animals in need of care in London’s East End and after public demand developed it into a nationwide chain.
PDSA now operates over 48 hospitals across the UK, including one in Dunkirk in Nottingham, which have helped with the recovery of 20 million animals.
It costs the charity £60 million to delivery veterinary services alone, and with no Government funding, they rely heavily on donations and support from the public.
Florine Morrison, senior vet at the PDSA said: “We help families that are hard done by, people on benefits or that have been on them for a long time to help them care for their pets when they’re in need.”
As well as supplying veterinary care, the charity provides education to adults and children on how to look after their animals and take proper care of them.
The Dunkirk hospital provides around 65,000 treatments annually and can treat up to 200 pets in a single day.