PDSA - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) is a veterinary charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. It was founded in 1917 by Maria Dickin

Maria Dickin

Maria Elisabeth Dickin CBE was an animal welfare pioneer who founded the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals in 1917.-External links:*...

to provide care for sick and injured animals of the poor. It is the UK's leading veterinary charity, carrying out more than one million free veterinary consultations a year, and is the largest private employer of fully qualified veterinary surgeon

Veterinary surgeon

Veterinary surgeon is a term used to describe:*The full title of a vet, who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals, in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries**See also Veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom...

s and veterinary nurse

Paraveterinary workers

Paraveterinary workers are those people who assist a veterinarian in the performance of their duties. The job role varies throughout the world, and common titles include veterinary nurse, veterinary technician, veterinary assistant and veterinary technologist, and variants with the prefix of...

s in the UK.

Foundation and Development

During World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, animal welfare pioneer Maria Dickin worked to improve the dreadful state of animal health in the Whitechapel

Whitechapel

Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...

area of London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. She wanted to open a clinic where East Enders living in poverty could receive free treatment for their sick and injured animals. Despite widespread scepticism, she opened her free "dispensary" in a Whitechapel basement on Saturday 17 November 1917. It was an immediate success and she was soon forced to find larger premises.

Within six years, Dickin had designed and equipped her first horse-drawn clinic, and soon a fleet of mobile dispensaries was established. PDSA vehicles soon became a comforting and familiar sight throughout the country. Eventually, PDSA's role was defined by two Acts of Parliament, in 1949 and 1956, that continue to govern its activities today.

The PDSA Dickin Medal

Maria Dickin

Maria Elisabeth Dickin CBE was an animal welfare pioneer who founded the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals in 1917.-External links:*...

instituted the Dickin Medal

Dickin Medal

The Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in war. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried on a ribbon of striped green, dark brown and pale blue...

in 1943 to acknowledges outstanding acts of bravery by animals serving with the Armed Forces or Civil Defence units. It has become recognised as the animals' Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

, and is administered by PDSA. The PDSA created a second animal bravery award, the PDSA Gold Medal

PDSA Gold Medal

The PDSA Gold Medal is an animal bravery award that acknowledges the bravery and devotion to duty of animals. It was created by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals in 2001, and is now recognised as the animal equivalent of the George Cross...

, in 2002, which is now recognised as the animal equivalent of the George Cross

George Cross

The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...

Eligibility Requirements

Today, PDSA treatment is only available to the pets of those in receipt of Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit is a means tested social security benefit in the UK that is intended to help meet Housing costs for rented accommodation. The primary legislation governing Housing Benefit is the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. Operationally, the governing Regulations are...

or Council Tax Benefit. For those eligible, treatment for sick and injured animals is free of charge. Recently, the PDSA started providing eligible pet owners with preventative services such as neutering

Neutering

Neutering, from the Latin neuter , is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The process is often used in reference to males whereas spaying is often reserved for females. Colloquially, both terms are often referred to as fixing...

, vaccinations and microchipping

Microchip implant (animal)

A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of a dog, cat, horse, parrot or other animal. The chips are about the size of a large grain of rice and are based on a passive RFID technology....

. These services are the only treatments that are not free; however, they will be offered at cost price.

Although there is no cost for all treatments except for those of a preventative nature, PDSA asks clients to make a donation of whatever they can afford towards the treatment of their animal.

Currently, PDSA is able to offer its services to 75% of eligible people, and has plans to increase this to 80% over the coming year.

In May 2009 the PDSA began requesting a donation on checking the animal in for treatment.

Areas of Operation

PDSA operates throughout Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

through animal hospitals and practices, and a vast network of charity shop

Charity shop

A charity shop, thrift shop, thrift store, hospice shop , resale shop or op shop is a retail establishment run by a charitable organization to raise money.Charity shops are a type of social enterprise...

s support the organisation. It has one animal hospital in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

, the catchment area of which covers much of the area East of the Bann

River Bann

The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, the total length being 80 miles . The river winds its way from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh...

. Although further hospitals are not currently planned for that region, some services through private clinics may be offered, and a charity shop is due to open in March 2007 in Lisburn

Lisburn

DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...

. The charity's Head Office is based in Telford

Telford

Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...

, Shropshire

Shropshire

Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...

.

In 1937, a branch of the PDSA was founded in District Six, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, which at the time was a poverty-stricken area of Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

. In 1988, the organization became autonomous but maintains a strong link with the mother society in the United Kingdom and a great deal of information is exchanged between them.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.