PDSA PetAid Scheme
In communities too small for a PDSA Pet Aid hospital, the PDSA has arranged for some local private practices to provide free treatment on its behalf to those who qualify for PDSA help. PDSA Pet Aid practices offer a full range of medical and surgical services for sick and injured pets. There are 373 PDSA Pet Aid practices and Wrekin View is proud to be one of these practices.
Treatment for registered animals is free of charge; however, because these services are funded entirely by donations from the public, all owners are encouraged to make a donation towards the cost of their pet's treatment. It is estimated that it cost the PDSA over £55 million pounds to run its operations in 2011.
Each PDSA PetAid practice has a catchment area that is defined by postcodes. The postcodes in the Telford Area that qualify are:
TF1,2,3,4,5,7 and 8 (please note NOT TF6,9,10,11,12 or 13)
Pet owners living outside these postcodes may still be able to register with a PDSA PetAid hospital (our nearest one is in Wolverhampton).
The PDSA is a charitable organisation whose philosophy is to provide help with veterinary fees to GENUINELY NEEDY animals when such need is unexpected. It does NOT exist to provide free veterinary care to owners who choose to own an animal without accepting that they have a duty of care and a financial responsibiltiy to that animal. Owning an animal is a privilege, NOT a right, and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that an owner has a "duty of care" to their animal, which obliges them legally to provide the following:
- A suitable place to live
- A suitable diet
- To allow the animal to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (as applicable)
- To be protected from pain, injury, suffering or disease.
Wrekin View's Terms and Conditions
of Registration/Acceptance
*** A PDSA certificate for an individual animal is NOT
TRANSFERRABLE to another animal under any
circumstances ****
How do I register my pet?
“The PDSA believes that all pet owners, no matter what their circumstances, have a responsibility for the care and welfare of their pets. A good diet, proper exercise regime, regular vaccinations, parasite control and neutering are considered essential components of pet care.”
of Registration/Acceptance
- Registration is entirely at the discretion of the veterinary surgeon.
- Owners must live within a qualifying postcode area
- Owners must be in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit
- Only one pet per household will be accepted onto the scheme
- Only pets that live in the house or in a hutch will be eligible
- No pedigree animal under the age of 12 months will normally be accepted onto the scheme
- Large breeds of dog (and large breed crosses) will ONLY be registered with the direct discretionary authorisation of a veterinary surgeon.
- Before acceptance onto the scheme, the animal must be examined by a veterinary surgeon in order to confirm that it is currently well and free from any symptoms of injury or disease; the vet will have to sign the application form. IMPORTANT - a normal charge will be made for this examination.
- Wrekin View insists that the animal MUST be vaccinated up-to-date. Any charges made as a result of, or in connection with, your animal being unvaccinated will NOT be covered by the PetAid scheme. If your pet is unvaccinated, we can arrange to do this for you at the initial examination. Vaccinations will be charged for as normal, but we will then waive the charge for the initial registration consultation.
- Wrekin View strongly recommends neutering. Any charges made as a result of the animal being unneutered (eg. pregnancy diagnosis, parturition, Caesarian section, eclampsia,false pregnancy, lactational mastitis,, pyometra etc.) will NOT be covered by the PetAid scheme.
- The PDSA Pet Aid Scheme is designed to help those people who own a pet deal with unexpected veterinary costs for animals that they already own. We take the view that, if an owner has one pet on the PDSA Scheme, then it is not within the spirit of the scheme to expect any additional animals that person may acquire (whilst the registered pet is still on the scheme) to ever be eligible to be registered on the scheme. It would be that owner's measured decision to obtain another pet, whilst receiving charitable help for an existing animal.
- The PDSA PetAid scheme does NOT cover charges for:
- Call-out fees charged by any practice for treatment outside normal working hours
- Neutering
- Routine preventative treatments such as parasite (flea, worm, mite) treatments; or any treatment resulting from the lack of reasonable preventative healthcare (flea/worm infestations, obesity etc)
- Routine dentistry
- Prescription pet foods
- Laboratory tests not essential for a diagnosis
- Health checks
- House visits
- Post-mortem examinations
- Cremation services
*** A PDSA certificate for an individual animal is NOT
TRANSFERRABLE to another animal under any
circumstances ****
How do I register my pet?
- You MUST register your pet in advance to guarantee free treatment.
- An application form (which is available at Reception) must be completed; this must be signed by the veterinary surgeon (as detailed above). Once completed, we will send this away for you but you must provide:
- a £5 postal order to cover administration costs
- a photocopy of the documents proving that you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit (Council Tax or Housing Benefit)
“The PDSA believes that all pet owners, no matter what their circumstances, have a responsibility for the care and welfare of their pets. A good diet, proper exercise regime, regular vaccinations, parasite control and neutering are considered essential components of pet care.”
