Advice: Your own pet is sick or injured

(If you are on low income or benefits, see our separate advice.)

If your own pet is sick or injured it is your legal responsibility to take it to a vet. Visit Find a Vet for your nearest. All vets have details of 24-hour services on their messages if you telephone out of opening hours. Private vets will make house calls for an extra charge.

If you are not on benefits or low income, you cannot use charity vets and they will have to turn you away as they usually all have more people on low income / benefits needing their help than they can cope with.

It is highly advisable to insure your pet against illness or accident, and you can help support the RSPCA at the same time if you choose MoreThan. Ask your vet to advise you on the various schemes available, many of which are very reasonably priced.

Please note that we cannot send an animal ambulance to an owned pet. There are private ambulances that you can pay. Refer to your local vet or Yellow Pages or ask a friend or neighbour with a car to help you.

The Cinnamon Trust helps elderly people with transport for their pets; call 01736 757 900 for more information.