A homeless man whose beloved dog was saved by StreetVet is raising money for the charity again this Christmas.
Phil Bradshaw, 50, was staying in a hostel in St Albans when he discovered a lump on his Staffordshire bull terrier’s tummy in 2017.
He had no way of paying for the £800 operation Lucky desperately needed, but StreetVet stepped in, removing it and providing Phil with much-needed peace of mind.
He said: “I feared it was cancer but thankfully it was benign.
“Lucky has been by my side since she was a 12-week-old puppy. Her former owner kept her in a cupboard under the stairs. She is my world and when I found the lump I was terrified.
“Living in a homeless hostel, you don’t usually have access to a vet but someone told me about StreetVet who came quickly to help, and operated on Lucky.
“I was so grateful for the incredible support I got from StreetVet. The relief was overwhelming and I wanted to give something back.”
That was two years ago and Phil has managed to turn his life around and become an ambassador for the charity. He has been collecting for homeless people and dog toys to be distributed by StreetVet.
He borrowed a barge and has travelled down the Grand Union Canal from Hemel Hempstead to London, hoping to raise thousands of pounds for the charity that saved his dog. So far Phil has raised around £1,000 worth of food vouchers and 300 dog toys.
Last year he and Lucky undertook The Long Walk, a punishing journey of up to 20 miles a day around the UK.
They travelled from Cornwall to Scotland and back down the east coast of Britain. Together they have collected over £5,000 and raised awareness of the charity.
Phil pushed a special buggy and Lucky hopped in whenever she felt tired.
Their home now for their Christmas Cruise is Baloo, a small 40-year-old river cruiser donated anonymously by a
well-wisher who met them on the Long Walk last year and was utterly moved by their story and bravery.
Since it was established in 2016, StreetVet, which is run almost entirely by volunteer veterinary professionals, has helped more than 3,000 pets owned by the homeless.
See streetvet.co.uk
