Help Keep Best Friends Together

In StreetVet’s new Christmas campaign film, StreetVet Ambassador and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly poses a stark thought experiment.

“Imagine waking up tomorrow with no home to go back to, and knowing that your best friend, your pet, might be taken away. That choice, keep a roof over your head or keep your dog, is one nobody should ever have to make.”

For many people experiencing homelessness, that dilemma is real and immediate. It shapes where they sleep, what help they can accept, and how they survive day to day.

StreetVet is working to change that. From 2 to 9 December, the charity is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge. For one week only, donations made through its campaign page will be doubled while match funds last.

The funds raised will make a direct impact on StreetVet’s services, helping more people remain with the animals who support them through some of the hardest moments of their lives.

StreetVet provides free veterinary care to animals whose owners are experiencing homelessness. Its volunteers deliver a wide range of treatments and arrange surgery through partner practices when pets need routine operations or urgent intervention. Much of the work takes place on the street, in support centres, or in hostels and temporary accommodation, wherever owners feel safe meeting the team.

Broadcaster Clare Balding, a StreetVet Ambassador who also appears in the campaign film, describes the charity’s work simply. StreetVet helps people experiencing homelessness stay together with their most loved companion, providing free, accessible veterinary care including health checks, vaccinations, pain relief, preventative medicine and surgery when needed.

For many owners, a pet is their only source of comfort and safety. Animals provide routine, companionship and protection at times when people are otherwise isolated.

StreetVet co-founder, Clinical Director and Brand Ambassador Jade Statt understands that bond personally. “I have had two quite severe episodes of depression in my life,” she says. “During that time, the only thing that got me through was my dog.”

Her mother recalls the charity’s early days, when it began with just one Sunday a month and a backpack. What started as a small outreach effort has since grown into a national operation, with more than 390 volunteers working across 24 outreach locations in the UK.

Since launching, StreetVet has carried out over 13,200 free consultations and supported more than 3,250 pets. While most are dogs, the teams also work with cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds, rats and reptiles. The charity also supports hostels and day centres to become pet-inclusive through its Accredited Hostel and Day Centre Scheme. Eighty sites across 50 locations now participate, allowing people to access accommodation and essential services without abandoning their pets.

Personal stories sit at the heart of the campaign. Dom describes his dog as a lifeline. Chilli’s owner calls her “my angel” and says she saved his life. Andy, who appears in the film with his dog Bailey, reflects that while he is not particularly spiritual, he believes Bailey was sent to him.

Others face stigma that affects both them and their animals. Debs, who took part in the campaign with her dog Bluebell, describes how people in hostels are often unfairly judged. With Bluebell by her side, Debs rebuilt her life and now volunteers with StreetVet to help others in similar situations.

During the Big Give Christmas Challenge week, StreetVet is highlighting seven stories to show how donations make a difference. Mick and his dog Benson are among them, illustrating the role a pet can play when someone is facing extreme hardship.

Other stories include Steve and Hunni, who supported each other through unstable housing; Lola, whose cancer treatment allowed her to remain with her owner; and Tiny the cat and Dingo the dog, each showing the impact of veterinary care offered without judgement or cost.

These stories reflect wider barriers faced by people seeking support. Many hostels and day centres still do not accept pets, and some people choose to sleep rough rather than give up an animal. By providing veterinary care and working with accommodation and homelessness services, StreetVet aims to keep people and pets together wherever possible.

The need continues to grow. More than 300,000 households experienced severe homelessness in 2023, and up to one in four people experiencing homelessness has a pet. Rising living costs have increased pressure on both owners and animals, with volunteer teams reporting growing demand.

StreetVet hopes to raise £30,000 during the Big Give Christmas Challenge. If the target is met, that total will be doubled to £60,000. The funding will support preventative treatments, microchipping, medication, vaccinations, routine and emergency surgery, warm coats and essential daily supplies throughout the winter months.

Artist and campaign supporter Hercule Van Wolfwinkle sums up the importance of the appeal simply: “Your donation will be doubled. Double your donation and double the impact.”

For someone sleeping outside with their pet beside them, that support could make all the difference.

The Big Give Christmas Challenge runs from midday on 2 December to midday on 9 December. Donations must be made through the official campaign page. For more information, visit streetvet.org.uk.