Hi there and welcome to Vet Chat, a new podcast for the veterinary profession brought to you by the webinar vet. We're gonna discuss all things from clinical cases to hot topical debates. I'm your host Ben Sweeney, and for the first time in my life over the episodes ahead of us, I'm aiming to listen more than I talk, and I can't wait for you to join me for the adventure.
Hello again everybody and welcome to another episode of Vet Chat. Today I am delighted to be joined by the slightly prettier half of the co-founder of Street Vet Jade Stat. And I'm fairly safe to assume that unless you've been hid under a rock for the last couple of years within this profession, this is undoubtedly an organisation that has been brought to your attention in some capacity because of the great things that they're doing across the veterinary and the homeless community across the UK.
So a little bit of an introduction to Jade. She's always been a smallies vet since she graduated in 2002 from the University of Glasgow. She loves country music and takes out all of her stress when battering the set of drums.
She has openly admitted to being in active pursuit of Tom Hardy, under the guise that she wants him to be the street, street vet ambassador, and in no way, shape, or form to do with the fact that he is one of the most beautiful men alive and led to believe. So Jade, thank you so much for joining us. I'm really excited.
Have a chat with another one who's a friend, but is doing such, such great things, you know, within and around the profession. And I just wanted to start off with just asking, you know, where on earth does the idea to, to do this kind of thing come from? How did you get started?
I got started just on a night out, really. I was out with my friends and I was chatting to a homeless man with his dog, and yeah, my own dog had been really ill and I had been. Yeah, just.
Feeling that way that you do when your own animal's sick, even though you know stuff, and you just feel superbly helpless, and he just had that, that look, and I just got it and I just felt like an amazing amount of empathy and we were just sort of talking about how he was gonna get his dog seen to and it was nothing dramatic, you know, it was just just very treatable, just had bad skin, but he just looked so worried and I just, yeah, walked away thinking if I had some stuff in my bag, I could have fixed that. And, and I think that's something that, you know, undoubtedly anyone working in this profession will have sort of come across that kind of situation at some point, you know, when you're walking around the city centre or another part of the world, certainly in, you know, in, in far afield lands, and there is sometimes that, that feeling. Of helplessness, but also sort of, you know, that opportunity for us to help.
And I just wonder, you know, sort of obviously street vet has become an all-encompassing part of your life for, for the last couple of years, but what, what was life like, sort of, you know, before this became your sort of your new calling? Yeah, just normal. I don't know, just normal small animal vet did a bit of locuming, always wanted to volunteer, always had it in my.
And yeah, just in my head that that's something I would want to do, and I did look into going abroad and doing it, but I just, I just felt really strongly that I wanted to do it in the UK. So yeah, I guess I, it's just been there, but yeah, a bit of vet life. I was one of the directors of Vet Life and other cause very close to my heart, but yeah, I did not see it coming at all.
That's often the way for the best things, isn't it? But yeah, so obviously, you know, Street Vett has been through quite that journey, and you know, I've been one of, one of those who've been privileged enough to see it, you know, almost from inception right the way through, and that the hard work that you and everybody have done with it, but. You know, obviously getting these kind of things off the ground can, can be something of a, a challenge, and you know, what, what sort of, you know, to go from this idea to, to getting Street vet to being, you know, even just in the start place, an entity, how how did you, you know, how did you go about that?
I guess it was, anyone that knows me and you know me quite well now Ben knows that, you know, I. I'm quite tenacious. I don't really give up if I believe in something strongly enough.
My friends would describe me as a dog with a bone, so I don't know. I just, I just wasn't for letting it go. So at the beginning, you know, it was kind of getting around my family cause they were like, what are you doing?
You do not need to take this on, starting out with a backpack in the street, it's not safe, it's this, it's that, and then it was, you know, actually. You know, obviously the logistics of it all and actually speaking to the Royal College, speaking to the MD, speaking to the BDS, and actually thinking, is this doable? Like, can we get insurance?
That was a biggie like no one wanted to insure, you know, dogs, drugs, homeless people, public, yeah, you can imagine, so, you know, it was, it was those kind of hurdles then getting the out of hours cover, and then, yeah, like just kind of I didn't have any doubt, and Sam and I have always said this, no doubt at all that. Our, you know, our colleagues, so the other vets and nurses out there would want to do it, and they did not, you know, they did not disappoint, but I, I just, it was getting it into a structure whereby it was risk free for people just to be like, right, I'm gonna go and do 2 hour street bet now, you know, that's what we wanted, but it, it took, yeah, it did, it took quite a lot of knocks to get there but more just logistics and just, yeah, I think Sam and I, yeah, he'd be the first to say like I'm like the. The anger and he's like, he's like my calm.
That's I think how it works, to be honest, is that, yeah, I think we balance each other out quite well. Yeah, I think you certainly both bring different things to the equation and obviously January 2019 is a big step in the street vet journey, you know, you, you achieve stat charity status. And, and, and what does that do, you know, for, for, for an organisation to go from being just, you know.
An entity to them being a charity. What, what did that do for street vets? I think it, it gives you, it opens doors, it gives you opportunities, it makes people pay more attention, you know, if you're looking for ambassadors or you're looking for funding, you know, people want to know that you're a charity so that you're accountable, you're transparent, doing everything that you should be doing in order to, you know, follow your charity remit and you have a clear sort of ways of working and.
Yeah, I mean obviouslyret was born out of just like a thought that we had to to now have like structures and processes and you know, these things in place is is superbly daunting, but also. You know, it means that, you know, it's now something like I hope like more than anything, Sam and I always say that, you know, we want this to be the profession street be so you know when we're not involved anymore, I hope it still happens and that people still go out and do it and that's the whole thing about it becoming a charity is that hopefully it's gonna, it's gonna have legs and still be around. Yeah, that's it, isn't it?
It's looking at that long term sustainability of any organisation and that, you know, not all of us will be. Around all of the time, so it's, you know, who, who carries on that, that mantle afterwards. Of course, Streetet aren't the only charity in the UK who work with homeless people and pets.
And, you know, can that create a bit of a problem with sort of a competition mentality in the sector, or, you know, sometimes we see with, with human charities, they're competing for the same pot of funds as it were, can that strain relationships or does it actually fortify the core mission? I think I mean when, when I had first thoughts of this, you know, I did actually contact trustees and and spoke to them also in my pre wanting to do something er phase, I had a really good conversation with Jenny Stavisky, who runs vets in the community. So I find in general, cos there's so many people out there doing really great things that everyone was open to conversations, open to discussion, at the end of the day, yes, we obviously are in some capacity, potentially, you know, er, going after the same funds.
But I think the the main thing to take away is that actually in the charity sector, and I'm learning all the time, but you know, people who are funding are actually more interested in charities working together and actually coming after some a pot of funding working in unison, so you know that that is something that I think is, is gonna actually start being a really popular thing to do. So I mean Street bet's been superbly fortunate we work with them as you know now like Battery, they've been amazing. To us and we've, we've just, you know, announced or we're going to be announcing shortly some funding with the PDSA Blue Cross.
I mean, everybody from that kind of angle has really embraced us and, you know, it maybe took a bit of time to, I guess, have that the respect maybe and people realised that what we were here to do was acknowledge that there was, I don't want to call it like a a hole, but you know there was lots of help being given to people on benefits and help being given in in different sectors, but maybe. In the homeless sector because people struggle to prove that they are homeless and prove eligibility, that the, the kind of USB if you want to call it a street bet is that we literally go out on the street and assess eligibility that way, and I think that acknowledging that we were doing something that was maybe bridging the gap has, you know, brought people together to, to wanting to help us. So I mean every year, well, every year, so 3rd year of having a conference, you know, we invite all the other charities, you know, doing good work in that in that area to come and we've been.
Privilege that we've had people, people attending from all the different, all the different charities. Yeah, and I think that's, you know, it becomes even more obvious, doesn't it in modern society and that the power of collaboration between organisations can be massive, er, rather than everybody sort of treading their own course. I think, you know, that's, that's been so encouraging to see.
And obviously, you know, street vet has got, you know, a massive social impact, especially to those individuals and the pets. But, but what other positives is that sort of given to, you know, to you. And Sam and the wider street vet team.
There's something quite magical, to see it is about the conference just being in a room with all these people that are giving back in in that way, and I, I love it. I love being around the street that sort of community, but I think that, yeah, there's been times where I've just got texts from people just saying I was gonna leave the profession, and now I, you know, I just love, I look forward to doing my street outreach and I've like fallen in love with with the profession again. Like that is, you know, what that does in terms of like how I feel, how Sam feels about, you know, starting this and and giving people that outlet, you know, volunteering in general is is something that makes people feel good, but if it makes you feel like, you know, you remember why you got involved with this profession in the first place, then, you know, then that's amazing.
Yeah, I think that's it, you know, it's, it's such a a positive overall message, but have you ever had any circumstances where, you know, there's been sort of. Negative reaction to what you've been trying to do for someone and their pet. I think they, yeah, I mean when I first started doing it, I, I was superbly naive, you know, I was literally just this little idiot with a backpack on like wandering around and you know I had in my sort of naive head that wandering up to somebody and offering them my help, of course they would just think that was, you know, a great thing to do, but you know, you forget and now, you know, there's so much more that I've learned through.
Working with people experiencing homelessness, but you know, sometimes they, they haven't spoken to someone for days and then, you know, some little upstart just rocks up and and tries to offer help and it's not that they don't want it, it's they don't trust it. And you know, they've been let down so many times and so yeah, I've had situations where people have, you know, their immediate response is defensive, you know, to, to withdraw and and not want to speak to you or to immediately get almost a bit aggressive because they, they feel that. You're implying that they're not doing a good job at what, you know, at looking after their pets, so I think that, yeah, it it's been the biggest sort of learning curve in in terms of understanding, you know, as vets in practise and nurses in practise, you know, people are coming to us for help, whereas we're going to them to offer help and you know that help, you've got to have some kind of sort of relationship there, you know, nobody's asking you for your help, you're just like trying to give it, so you've, it's a totally different way of approaching people and and I think it's.
Yeah, it's definitely opened my eyes up to, you know, different skills in my communication with people, I hope. Yeah, I think that's it, and it's, it really builds that bond with somebody as well. I they're saying that actually, you know, it's not just them coming to you for help, it's you, you know, you've got to build that relationship for them to just want to trust you, I suppose as well, which I think, you know, makes it extra special, I suppose, but obviously, you know, with any.
Business or with any charity, people will see the positives and they'll see the successes. But you know, have there been any sort of real downsides and negatives for you in in taking this sort of journey down your career path? Yeah, you know, I, I mean not negatives, but just like moments where I'm like, OK, you have to be all in, like, you know, there's no kind of stopping this snowball, you know, .
And I guess Sam and I and I've had moments where we're just like, we can't actually, you know, it's the the trajectory of street that has just been so, yeah, just so steep and the support has just been so amazing, but you know, it's almost like, you know, what point are you at the point of no return. So, I think, you know, there's been that moment where Sam was like and I were discussing, you know, who's gonna step out of practise to, you know, kind of look after street Bet and. Yeah.
You know, it was an obvious sort of discussion. I've been qualified for longer to, you know, I, I said that I would, but yeah, the, the, the moment of handing handing in my notice and you know, starting as, you know, whatever you want to call me, CEO of Street bet, yeah, it's really daunting. I I have no idea what I'm doing.
I still sometimes have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm doing the best that I can, and I'm very fortunate that. You know, there's so many people out there that, that seem, you know, really to believe in what we're doing and really want to help us, so. Yeah, I miss I miss being a vet, I definitely do.
I miss putting the backpack on and just going out and outreaching cos I don't get to do that anywhere near like I did, but the other skills and the connections and the relationships that I have had the good fortune to, to make as a result of, of doing this, yeah, far outweighs it. I mean, I genuinely believe it's, you know, it is the most sort of satisfying thing I've I've ever done with my career, definitely. I think certainly one thing I'd add to that is that, you know, you definitely.
Not, not being a vet anymore, you're just being a vet in a different capacity, and I think that's one of the great things with the degree that we do is that, you know, it does open up so many opportunities in all avenues of life to do positive things. And I think, you know, out of all of the positive things that you've done through street vet, you know, have you got sort of, you know, one stand out proudest moments, or? Do you know what, I think it was when we had a client, I mean, there's loads, but we had a client who had been with our client for a while and.
His dog was hit by a train and it was at that moment, I remember phoning Sam, like I distinctly remember phoning it and phoning him and just being like, it works, works, and he was just like, I know, I know, because he knew what to do, he had the out of hours number, he phoned the out of hours number, the free phone number, you know, the dog was retrieved, taken to the practise, and, you know, all the team just got really involved in communicating with the owner because obviously he was without his dog for a couple of weeks while she received the treatment that she needed and. It was just the whole thing just kind of encompassed why we did what we did, so that that guy would never feel like helpless and not know what to do, and I think, you know, you know, she's fine, bless her, she lost an eye, she broke her jaw and she lost a leg, but you know, she is with her owner and yeah, I. I think that was a moment for us where we were just like, yeah, this thing works.
Great. Yeah. And I think that's the one thing that, you know, I, I certainly see, you know, when you have fleeting conversations with people who are living on the streets who have pets and stuff like that, and I dare say many others out there will, will turn and have a conversation and you know, these, these, these pets really are almost to another level compared to your average family.
Pets, someone's, you know, true companion, and that, you know, that level of friendship and relationship almost goes to a whole new level and the importance of that animal to them certainly from the outside looking in seems to be escalated even higher than, you know, as I say, your everyday pet. Yeah, no, I mean, there's just I've never seen a a, you know, human animal bond like it, to be honest. You know, it's these people are giving up access to, you know, sometimes soup kitchens, doctors, hospitals, hostel accommodation, everything because they will not leave that animal, and, you know, that you can see it, you know how people always say like, I don't know, they never have their dogs on leads, and I, I wish they did, but they don't need to.
I mean they should, but they look, they just watch their owners 100% of the time if you're sitting next to somebody and the dog, they, they just have their eye just. On their owner the entire time, it's, it's great, it's really special to see actually. I mean, I know certainly the only time I get that much attention from my spaniel is when I'm holding a biscuit or a steak.
There you go, so yeah, so he, he's got a vested interest in whatever I have to offer. So, so obviously like, you know, so much has gone on in 3 years, almost too much to sort of to to count really. You know, you're in 16 cities, you've got umpteen, you know.
10s and hundreds of people helping out all across all of those sites. You know, what, what's what's next for Street? And what's next for Street bet?
We, yeah, we've just applied for some funding for a project that we really want to do. We've been lucky enough to get through to the next round, so we're down to the final 38. I started with I think it was about 160.
But yeah, we want to do street be accredited hostel schemes. Basically just try and provide a kind of 360 help for hostels to decide to take pets. So from an education point of view of the people that work there to, you know, provisions for the dogs to the vetting provisions to the out of hours help policy, all of it basically.
So yeah, it's it's something that having been in hostels now quite a few times myself, you can see, you know, the staff struggle, you know, they're looking after people and then there's a dog there and maybe they don't know how to. Around a dog or you know they feel this weight of responsibility for a dog as well as the person and maybe the dogs are running around, they're not on a lead and you know, you just think if there was more structure, more policy, more support, then maybe there'd be more hostels willing to do it. So yeah, it's something that that we would really like to to make a difference with, really.
And I think that probably leads quite nicely on to sort of, you know, my, my final question, and potentially the most important, you know, how, how can people help? How can people get involved with street vet or if there isn't a street vet in in in their area, how can they help you as an organisation, as a charity, and as individuals that make that up. So yeah, like loads of ways really, so obviously they can get volunteering, if they are in an area where they think that our services are needed, I think that, you know, they've got enough support to set up a street bet in their area, then, you know, get in touch and we can go through some of the criteria that we need to fill before.
We start looking into that. Obviously there's fundraising, we've had like amazing people doing amazing stuff for us to raise money, practises naming us as like charity of the year and getting money and support that way also practises giving us pro bono help or, you know, giving us cost cost price procedures is amazing. And yeah, notifications, that's the, the last way in which people are getting involved, which is, you know, you see a person with their dog, have a conversation, engage with them, ask them.
If they would like, you know, any help from street vet, and if they, if they will, and they do, we can you know more information, ideally a phone number if possible, then we can get in touch and if we're in that location, arrange a visit, if we're not, then we'll fund them to go to, to go to a practise. Awesome. Well, I think that's absolutely perfect, Jade.
I can't thank you enough for joining me and for telling us more about Street Vett. I'm really excited to see how everything moves forward in the next 3 years and beyond the charity. I know Tom Hardy is an avid listener, so I'm I'm sure that he'll be keen to get on board as ambassador.
If anybody out there knows Tom Hardy or knows someone who knows him, tell him to get on board, and yeah, there'll be a street vet hoodie in it for you, which we will happily fund. So perfect. Jade, thank you so much for your time and yeah, looking forward to watching everything moving forwards.
Thanks. Thanks for joining us for today's episode of Vet Chat. If you've enjoyed listening to my dulcet scouse tones as I interview people much more intelligent than myself, then please do click follow and join us for future episodes.
