The JSPCA has announced that it will close its assisted vet clinic to help manage demand for its services – less than a year after the charity’s outgoing president warned that it was becoming “increasingly onerous” to operate amid rising regulation and operational pressures in the third sector.
The announcement, which was made yesterday afternoon, cited “staff resourcing challenges” and “increased demand for in-house animal vet care services” as some of the factors involved.
The closure of the assisted vet clinic is due to take effect from 29 May, with all affected clients – including those on income support, assisted adoptions, and old fosters – to be contacted by the JSPCA directly.
It comes at a busy time for the charity, which has seen an increase in wildlife being brought into care, alongside a rise in animals requiring more complex support – including behavioural rehabilitation and ongoing medical treatment.
And last year, outgoing JSPCA president Ben Shenton – who will be replaced by Lisa Springate later this year – spoke about the impact of increased regulation on running costs and warned that it was “becoming increasingly onerous to run a charity”.
In a statement yesterday, the animal shelter said: “Providing an external veterinary clinic, whilst not specifically in the JSPCA constitution, has been seen as a way for the charity to promote and protect animal welfare and has evolved over the past 25 years.”
It continued: “This decision has not been easy and has come about as a result of the increased demand for in-house animal vet care services, as well as staff resourcing challenges.
“We will be closing our veterinary clinic to all external clients which includes all clients on income support, all assisted adoptions, and all old fosters.”
The JSPCA has a team of approximately 50 employees, including veterinary professionals, behaviourists, animal carers, reception staff, ambulance drivers and administrative teams.
It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to close the assisted veterinary clinic in order to responsibly manage the current demand and ensure we can continue to provide safe, timely and high quality care
JSPCA statement
The statement noted “an ongoing increase in demand across our veterinary services”, particularly in the number of wildlife cases – which “has continued to rise year on year”.
“We recognise there is a significant risk that this demand will continue to grow and
alongside current staff resourcing and funding challenges,” it continued.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to close the assisted veterinary clinic in order to responsibly manage the current demand and ensure we can continue to provide safe, timely and high-quality care.”
Highlighting some of the support that will be available once the clinic closes, the charity stated that it would “continue to provide pets with medication via a prescription at a reduced rate” and would be offering “a referral service for one-off procedures which your pet may require”.
It acknowledged that the clinic’s closure “may come as a shock and disappointment to our clients, particularly at a time when individuals are facing increased financial pressures due to the rising cost of living”.
But it added that: “As a charity we are also juggling resources and costs to ensure we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the animals in our care and the team [members] that are providing them.”
Will you be impacted by this closure?
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