Hello, it's Anthony Chadwick from the Webinarett welcoming you to another episode of Vet Chat, the UK's number one veterinary podcast. I'm honoured and privileged to have Jade Stat on the line today. Jade is the founder, co-founder of Street Vet, which is a fabulous charity that helps to support people on the street with their pets.

I'm gonna let Jade tell us a little bit about the story and how it forms and everything, but maybe Jade, obviously I, you're very well known in the profession, but I'm sure there will be people listening who amazingly don't know who you are. So perhaps if you can give us a little intro, obviously you're a veterinary surgeon, but tell us where, where about where and when did you qualify if it's not too personal a question. Oh man, when I graduated from Glasgow Vet School in 2002.

I know, it's a long time. Now just 20 years, you, you really can't class yourself as a young vet anymore, James. I'm still trying after 32, but nobody, nobody takes me seriously.

No, I don't, I don't even like thinking about it. But yeah, no, Glasgow, born in Glasgow, went to Glasgow school, graduated, went into small animal medicine like clinics did a medicine certificate, had no inclination really of ever doing what I'm doing now. I don't think anyone that sets up a charity sort of plans to do that.

And yeah, just had a real inclination that I wanted to volunteer or give my time back in some way. So that was kind of the kind of initial seed, I suppose, of street be. And I looked into it, looked at, you know, going abroad and doing various different things, but I really, really wanted to do something in the UK and find it actually not as easy as I thought it would be to sort of volunteer my time like one day a week or something.

So yeah, that's, that's what started it in terms of me wanting to volunteer. And then, yeah, a chance meeting in 2016 with a homeless gentleman and his dog was what sort of gave me the impetus to get on and actually do something in the UK. You know, what a fabulous charity it is sort of 6 years, 7 years in, so well known, multiple award winner, fellow of the Royal College.

I mean, things have happened. So, so quickly and from the outside, we would look at it and say it's been an untrammelled success, but I'm sure along the way you've had, as well as the blessings of those things I've talked about, you've had some challenges as well. So perhaps tell us some of the high points and some of the, the, the times that you learned probably the most in the, in the challenging times.

Yeah, I mean, I guess, yeah, I think whenever you look at something from the outset, it does look like things have just gone and it has gone on a ridiculous trajectory of speed, which has been a blessing and and also sometimes really hard because yeah, when you start something like this, you don't really think that's what's going to happen. So initially, it's just a massive learning curve because I just wanted to go out and do this myself. And then there's a realisation that Sam was doing it.

And then there was the meeting of Sam and I and realising that we thought it was way bigger than us and we need to do something together. But yeah, getting the I guess everything in place, so dotting the I's, crossing the T's, making sure that everything was professionally signed so that we could get other professionals to do it safely. So, you know, give two hours of their time and know that there was no risk to their MRCVS.

That was a challenge. Like we couldn't get anybody to insure us. And the minute you start seeing.

You know, drugs, the public pavements, animals, you know, people like, no, high risk. No, we're not doing that. So, you know, I'm talking about, I guess, public liability here and employee liability was, was, yeah, that was nearly a real stumbling block, because without that we couldn't have proceeded any further.

So that that was a challenge to start with out of hours care and making sure that we had provision and was a was a big challenge as well at the start. But I think the biggest sort of challenge throughout it really has been. My naivety about what was involved in what we were actually doing, so and how.

In a way, I straight I was taking some of the most giving, compassionate human beings, which is what the veterinary profession is in my opinion, you know, the vets and the nurses wanting to go out there and and give back and and natural or personality is to fix, right? And you're going out onto the streets with people who Actually are probably have a life expectancy of less than 45 years old. And so, What happened to me, it was I was meant to be speaking at VSGD and remember it exactly because I had to phone Ebony and tell her I couldn't, I wasn't gonna come.

But one of my clients who I've been really, really close to, Used to speak to every single day. We, the week before him and I had been on the Lorraine show with his dog, and the title of the of the section was Street Be Saved My Life, and a week later him and his dog were found dead. And I was done.

I just was like, I can't do this anymore. I'm not doing this anymore. How if we created a charity that's going to be sending people like me who care out into a situation where you can't help but get involved in these people's lives because you're seeing them so regularly and also they trust you because you're talking to them about their pay, etc.

And then have a situation where something like that happens. I was just like, what have I done? Like I feel like I've created, you know, veinary medicine, mental health, all these things we already know are already on the radar.

I had, I suffered with my mental health. I've had recurrent depressive disorder and part of that led me to doing street vet, to be honest. But at that time, yeah, I just I sat there and I thought, I don't think this should continue, and we don't have the correct support for people and and I think it's too much.

And yeah, I spoke to Rosie Allister, we sat down, we had some fairly good conversations with Rosie Allister, chair of Life helpline. And, you know, looked at the benefits that volunteering brought to people and how we could try and improve the support so that we could continue in a way that I felt that we had a really good support system. So yeah, it taught me, it taught me so much about how our clients kind of give us the best that they have of themselves.

So you see the best side because they don't want to disappoint you, they don't want to let you down sometimes. So In that particular instant, that client, Dean, you know, he always showed up for me. He always, you know, responded to me, but outside of that, he was, yeah, massively struggling clearly.

I didn't, and I didn't realise. So it's, it's had a lot of learnings from providing better support for volunteers, and acknowledging what we can do and what we can't do and get getting good safeguarding and things in place for the charity. But also about.

I guess protecting our clients in the future when we're doing, you know, media things and and working out and how we best want to it's made me rethink a lot of media things that we do with that. Hm. It it's difficult, isn't it, because.

Whatever we do, even the small things that we do, so you know I'm. Quite concerned about, well, no, very concerned about where the environment is going at the moment and, and obviously that doesn't mean that I don't care about people, but I suppose we all have our different focuses and we look as a company at the sustainable development goals and you know, we all have individual different ones, and mine is sort of life on Earth because. If, if we poison the last river and cut down the last tree, we'll understand we can't eat money, so we have to have somewhere to live on.

And yet what we can do often, I mean you're doing a lot, but actually, even that little thing matters and sometimes we can't solve all the problems because actually, You know, in your case, the the people themselves have to also. Step up to it and I think we can end up, you know, as vets wanting to be saviours, we save lives all the time, you know, with our, with our pets and things. And then sometimes it's really difficult when a pet passes away or we have to put it to sleep.

We can see that as a failure, so we, we are, we can only do our best, I suppose is the point I'm making, isn't it? Yeah. No, definitely.

And I think it was, yeah, just understanding. That the biggest feeling we did a feedback sort of survey with our volunteers and one of the things they sort of reported feeling most in street that that was frustrating them was helplessness and that they could go, they could do the vet. But then they were walking away and leaving people in the same situation in which they found them.

And so I guess that sparked the hostel scheme for us, you know, we started looking at ways in which We could be involved in maybe more than just not not even just because the veterinary care is massive for the owners, but more than the ve care, but actually helping our owners and our clients stay together by getting more hostels to accept pets. So I think that has helped you know, with with some of that helplessness that people feel. But yeah, the hostel schemes by no means, you know, not every hostel takes dogs now, but you know, we're we're working on it.

It's a long term, a long term project. And again, it's it's holistic, isn't it, you know, but a charity or anything starts in a small step and then it develops, doesn't it? And I, I think it's so important because, you know, seeing lads and girls on the street with, with dogs, often this has been the problem that they can't get in anywhere and they're not going to give their dog up because actually their dog is their best friend to.

Has supported them through thick and thin when perhaps we humans, you know, relationships and individuals have let them down. So, you know, I don't see many cats, but you know, on the street I see quite a lot of people with dogs and it is that huge connection for them, isn't it? And it it it kind of can make a pretty horrible situation seem just that bit more bearable, can't it?

Yeah, well. Having, you know, having the dog with them rather than. For for most of our clients, they feel like their dog is their only family, their only sort of support network and provide them a massive amount of mental health support where they may not have any access to that at all in their situation.

So Yeah, the dogs just give them, give people a, well, we all know ourselves, you know, they give you a reason to interact with other people, they give you a reason to get up in the morning because you need to walk the dog, you need to feed the dog, you know, and it's definitely that whole sort of structure that people feel and having being responsible for someone else and having someone else need you. Is is a massive thing that that our clients talk about when they're they're talking about their their pets. So yeah, they will not go into a hostel without them.

They were not going to hospital. They will forgo a lot of their own needs because they will not, you know, be parted from their pet. So yeah, the bonds that I've seen through street bet and the clients that I meet are yeah, just unbelievable relationships, to be honest.

It it's interesting you were talking about the volunteers and saying, you know, that they feel that hopelessness because they can't get more involved and obviously the hustling is helping. We, we recently did our virtual congress and we were talking about regenerating hope and that was particularly around, you know, the environment because it's such an existential threat, the climate crisis. How do we increase hope within the profession because sometimes, you know, I look and I say, gosh, you know, there are people who are.

Really struggling. I mean, volunteering for me is, is a big help if you give something, you know, to somebody, you go out and you help, you know, with, with their, with themselves and their dogs. You, you're giving something but in my experience, whenever I've volunteered and done things, I always feel I get so much more back in return.

I mean, is that something that that you have a sense of and that. You know, other volunteers sort of come back to you with that as well. Yeah, I mean, 100% at the beginning of Street Bay, again, it wasn't sort of the reason for for creating it or creating the platform, but I love the fact that as a kind of byproduct of it, there are lots of people who will say that their time of street that has actually reconnected them to profession.

They were going to leave and they've kind of fallen out of love with it. And I guess it comes down to probably quite, quite a few things like one is that You know, you don't have to worry about time, really. You've got loads of time to talk to people.

You've got time to build relationships with people. Very simple things make such a huge difference. Our clients so microchipping their pay is like such a weight off their minds and a really easy thing for us to do that has this massive impact, whereas in practise, obviously, you know, that's just a given.

You know, people don't really sort of think about the wider ramifications of it. And I guess also, you know, you don't have to worry about money and you don't have to worry about insurance, you know, none of these things. You're just doing what you set out to do when you went to vet school or you decided to be a vet nurse.

You're just helping someone with their pet, and it just strips all the other stuff away and also. Street that has become like a big community. So I think people have met like-minded people, people who share their values and, you know, and at conference, it's a really lovely thing to sort of see all the friendships and all the long lasting relationships that have come out from people sort of connecting with other people in the profession.

So yeah, I think volunteering has, it certainly helped me at the beginning to reconnect with more what I felt like I'd lost from from what I needed from the profession. And certainly when you ask the volunteers why they do it, a lot of it comes back to just, you know, not wanting to have a different sort of feel than what they get in the consultation and feeling a different like, no pressure, just feeling feeling valued, to be honest, because the clients will give you that because they're so appreciative of of the of your time and skills. The webinar vet has been serving the veterinary community with CPD for over a decade, but did you know we offer so much more than just that?

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And obviously there's a journey that that people go on, you know, sometimes people, you know, unfortunately never leave that street situation, you know, they, they may end up in a hostel, but obviously they're not going to do that if they have to give up their dogs. So, you know, I think it's fantastic you're doing the hostel scheme, but if we can get people from the hostel. Into maybe a rental into a home, of course, then there's another issue because not all landlords want to have animals in their properties, do they?

Yeah. I mean, it's it's a little. It's, you know, it's it's, it's a cycle and at some point, so street it's kind of helping at one end, but there's we get this bottleneck at the other end because if we can get people off the street and get them into a hostel, some of the hostel's reasons for not wanting to take people with pets is that those people usually get stuck because they can't get them to move on and because they can't get them into.

Properties because of the fact that they've got pets. I mean, and that's, you know, not just in the homeless sector, that's like across the whole of the public really that people are struggling to get rental with their pets. So yeah, I think the area, the whole thing goes hand in hand with what street that is doing because sometimes people end up in the street because of that reason, and sometimes people can't get off the street because of that reason.

So if there's work. That we can do as a charity to help people be in the best possible position for getting into rental accommodation once they've stepped out of the hostel. That's what we want to do.

So, you know, we provide as a charity, we provide pet references. We're looking at the hostel scheme now having a responsible dog ownership certificate that people can do while they're in the hostel sort of show, obviously, I mean, they'll have And references from street vets say they've looked after their pet that it's had ve new treatment, but also to show that they understand how to train and look after a pet. And then there's been quite a lot of work done in the head to tails campaign about looking at damages insurance is something that, you know, the government should be looking at as potentially adding that as a caveat for people going to try and rent so that landlords, if people have their own pet damages insurance, it will increase the number of landlords that are willing to accept pets and As a charity again, I mean, these are all things that to aim for and aspire to, but we'd love to be in a situation where any of our clients that were graduating out the hostel that we could work with an insurance company to provide them with pet damages insurance so that it stood them in the best position possible to be accepted into rental accommodation with their pet.

Jane, tell me a little bit about, you know, you find that obviously you go out and you do the, the general vaccinations, delaing, deworming, but you know, a dog that is quite a lot sicker and perhaps can't be dealt with, you know, just on the streets. What, what is the network that you're building up there for people to actually go to a veterinary practise and, you know, leave their dog, go on a drip or or whatever? Yeah, so I mean, the, the premise of street that is, yeah, anything that can be done in a consulting room we'll do in the street.

So we will do everything we possibly can with that owner and that is because we've got their compliance, we've got their. And involvement in the case and it's just, you know, they feel empowered and part of the decision making process. So we will take blood, we sample lumps, we'll test urine, and we are just about to start with an ultrasound scanner as well, which I'm quite excited about and and do that kind of stuff.

But If yes, as you say, if there are things that need to be done outside of what we're able to, so if the animal needs more diagnostics, needs to be hospitalised or need surgery, then we work with a network of practises all over the UK where we will then usually help them with transport to get there and then fund the treatment once they get there. So we are in Ah, yeah, a very, I mean, the profession's been incredible, and, you know, hands down in terms of their support. So we have quite a lot of relationships with different corporates and different vet groups where we have set charity discounts or we've got funds within within them that we can draw down on or a certain number of pro bono procedures a month.

So Yeah, we're doing everything we can to ask more and more practises and to be involved and be willing to work with us and see our patients because what's happened, Antony, in the last year is that the need for our services have gone up by over 250%. And that's because we're just getting, I guess it's partly obviously the situation of life. It's also maybe the street that's.

More well known in this area. So we get emails coming in from all over the country now, so not where we just have teams with people asking for our help. So we now have to full time RVNs who's basically triage these emails, speak to the owners, find out if they're eligible, and then arrange if they are for them to be seen at a practise and arrange, you know, hopefully a charity discount and And all of that.

So and that has obviously put our costs up massively, but also we are always looking for practises all over the country that are happy to work with us. So, you know, if anyone's listening that thinks their practise would be happy to work with street bet, you may not get. Many cases, but the fact that we've had a conversation and you're happy and you know, we've gone through our guidelines and things.

It just means it's another. It means so much easier for us to get cases seen and because sometimes they're urgent, obviously. And so having relationships, practises is really, really important.

And it's very much, you know, I always look and I think that but for the grace of God go I, it's very easy to become homeless, isn't it? You know, a relationship breaks down, you know, you lose your job or whatever, and very quickly people can run out of money and the ability to. You know, to to have a a an apartment or a flat or a house to live in.

So it, it is, and I think with the cost of living crisis that's probably partly also fueled your, You know, in some ways it's sad to see that you're growing, but that's fueling it, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, the number of people who, you know, for instance, were, I don't know, during COVID and maybe got made redundant, and then can get another job or were in had a small business and it just didn't manage to cope and they're like literally on the phone thinking I, I never in a million years thought I'd be in this situation, you know, people don't. Become homeless until they have exhausted every option that they have going and that will be so for surfing with friends, family.

It's only when you get past that, that you end up in that situation and then you're like, how did I end up here? So we've had a lot of people who you know are Caravans or boats or, you know, who, who were in, you know, had jobs and had flats before and they're, you know, really can't believe where what has happened and where they are having to reach out for support. So yeah, there's been some really I guess Stories that make you think how lucky you are, you know, and, and yeah, it's it's been an exponential kind of increase and asks for help, but that would be across all the charities.

I know that. And so it's just people need help and they're asking everyone they can and some are eligible for our support, others, you know, we, we send on to to other organisations that we hope can help. But yeah, there's, we all know how how much of a yeah.

Crisis there is coming, unfortunately. Hm. Sometimes not having a dress restricts some of the things that you can then go on and do, so it was quite nice to see.

I think it was one of the banks, I'm not gonna name just in case you get the wrong name, actually, you know, offering bank accounts for homeless people because that's, you know, it's essential, isn't it? Yeah, all, all of these things. No, go on, sorry, Jade, you carry on.

No, no, I was just, yeah, I was just gonna say I'd never really thought, you know, when. People are trying to access help, you know, PTSA or, you know, any of the charities and when they're experiencing homelessness, that the first question they'll get asked is about benefits and things that they may or may not have because if you don't have an address, that's not something you would have. And so yeah, it was like.

OK, so how do you prove you're homeless? And that was how the whole concept of street that really started was this conversation where I was like, OK, well, there are charities that could help you, but you don't want to go in and ask for their help because you don't have any proof of your situation. So then that becomes quite obviously intimidating and, you know, you're feeding judgement, fearing rejection.

All of those things. So that was when the idea of, OK, well, we can assess eligibility physically on the street with you and work within the homelessness environment. And that's how is, you know, it's the better way to do it.

But yeah, absolutely proving a homeless situation is not easy. And we ask for people, obviously, if we're with them in their situation and we're known within the homeless community, we will know if they're eligible. If it's out with that, you know, You're looking for referrals from soup kitchens, outreach teams, you know, sometimes the police will refer to us, RSPCA will refer to us and other vets, you know, will contact us and say, you know, can you help this client say it's tricky, but it's doable.

But, but that is, that is the difficulty, as you say, if you don't have an address, you don't have a bank account. Where's where's the proof of your situation? And it's hard.

Yeah. Maybe just finally to finish Jane, because obviously. These things are frustrating and and, you know, incredibly sad.

But I do like to look at, you know, what you're doing and the amazing stuff that you have done and the hope that you, you bring to so many people. What, what's your maybe one or two. Top stories that have have made you so proud and have made you carry on, because you had that sad occasion that almost stopped you carrying on with the work and what what keeps you going and what are the things, you know, the, the sort of maybe the big events that have happened that have been really positive and and helped to to fuel and continue journey.

I, I guess like we've just had, we have just lovely situations where people will get in touch like years later now and send us a photo of their dog and their garden. And we've had a client recently, he's just like send a photo of his dog in his garden and his new place, just saying, you know, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for for you guys. I wouldn't have been able to keep my dog.

You know, we get quite, quite a few of those and we also get. People, I mean, who say, I want to make a donation and you're like, lesson, that's not what this is about, you know, just get yourself on your feet. And then they get in touch and they've been like saving £5 a month for however long since they've managed to get themselves a job and then they make a 500 pounds donation, like again, years, years after the event, this was one.

Particular client that we operated our pymetra and then we got, yeah, a 500 pounds donation, like 2 years down the road, like people, people remember and it and it touches them and they it just, yeah, those are the things that always stick in your mind, I guess is is the the down the road sort of nice to hear how people are getting on after the event and they and they keep in touch, but . Yeah, I mean, I've got lots of stories, but of of individual patients and things. But I think it's and and the conference makes me incredibly happy.

And just being in a room with all the people that do what we do and them all sort of connecting and sharing stories and yeah, the feedback that we get after the conference and it's, it's. Not anything I ever envisaged happening or that I was going to be doing in my career. But yeah, I'm I'm incredibly proud.

It makes me very proud to be part of the profession is is the honest answer street that has really yeah, introduced me to some incredible people both in the profession and those experiencing homelessness. So yeah, it's been, it's been amazing. Jade, thank you so much for all that you do do.

Thanks for the conversation, it's always lovely to chat and to be inspired by you, so thank you so much. Obviously, as you said, if people do want to get in touch with you, we can leave details at the bottom, but what's kind of a best email address for vets, nurses, etc. To get in contact?

Aim if the email [email protected] and then they will, yeah, get directed from there depending if it's they're interested in their practise getting involved or individually getting involved or fundraising or just questions, whatever it will get, it will get directed from there.

Jade, thanks so much. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Yeah, you too.

Thanks, Anthony. Take care. Thanks Jade.

Thanks everyone for listening, this is Anthony Chadwick from the Webinar vets, and this was Bet Chat. Bye bye.