Veterinary charity warns support need may be greater than ever

A major veterinary sector charity has said it fears its services are now needed more than ever in its latest annual report.

Last month, Vetlife officials revealed contacts to its helpline hit an all-time high in 2023, exceeding 4,000 cases for the first time.

Now the organisation has published its impact report for the year, which sets out both the full range of its work and its assessment of the developing demand within the sector.

‘Proud to support’

In his foreword, the charity’s president James Russell wrote: “As we enter 2024, we see the need for our charity being greater than at any time in its history. We are proud to support the whole veterinary team.”

The 4,042 helpline contacts recorded during last year equate to an average of around 11 single requests every day.

The report also revealed that around four people a week were referred for additional professional psychological care through the charity’s health support programme, though the annual total of 198 was slightly down on the 216 referrals made during 2022.

Financial support

Meanwhile, there was also a 38% rise in applications for financial support, from 47 cases to 65, with more than £100,000 being spent on assistance payments.

Of the charity’s total £1.16 million income for 2023, more than half (54%) was generated through general donations.

The group had previously warned that it would need to raise at least £1 million for the first time in 2023 to sustain its activities and the report admitted that a “small cash deficit” had been expected.

Surplus

But it said a small surplus had been generated through its own work and the generosity of supporters, adding: “The charity moves into 2024 in a strong financial position, able to continue to provide much needed support to the veterinary community.

“However, as that need continues to grow, we remain focused on maintaining, and increasing, income levels to ensure sustainability for the future.”

The full report is available online.