BOSSES at a canine charity have appealed for vets and homeless organisations in the Evesham area to come on board with a scheme to help pets of homeless people.

The Dogs Trust Hope Project is intended to provide free treatment for dogs belonging to the homeless or people in housing crisis.

The charity's veterinary entitlement card scheme allows homeless people to register for a card at a homeless organisation which allows them to claim free health checks, neutering, vaccinations, worming and flea treatments at vets which have joined the project as well as subsidised veterinary care.

But the nearest vets and homeless charities to the Vale who have signed up are in Birmingham and the Dogs Trust, the UK's largest welfare charity, wants organisations in Evesham to join.

"We need homeless organisations who take in pets, as well as vets, in or near Evesham to join the scheme," said Dogs Trust spokeswoman Sophie Collins.

"That part of the country is a gap in our project which we need to fill."

The nearest vets taking part at present are in Hall Green, Acocks Green and Sheldon, all in Birmingham and the nearest homeless organisations - also in the Second City - are at The Big Issue, at Summer Lane and St Anne's Hostel, Moseley Street.

For information on the scheme, and how to join it, call the Trust on 0207 837 0006 or visit www.dogstrusthopeproject.org.uk.