An urgent recruitment appeal for qualified vets has been issued in Wales as animals needlessly die due to a lack of staff.
There has been an eight per cent drop in qualified vets applying for positions within Wales, leading to animals dying from their illnesses or injuries because they have not been able to receive professional care.
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Caroline Smith, clinical director of Summerhill Vets, has recalled an emergency where owners rushed their chocking puppy to their closest vets - but when they arrived, there was no vet to be found.
She added: "By the time the puppy got to me, it was dead."
It comes as 66 per cent of vets in small animal practices received abuse from clients over the past year.
Since Brexit, the veterinary industry has struggled to plug the skills gap of workers as rule changes have made it more difficult for workers from the EU to work in Britain. Wales is one of the worst affected areas.
About 900 students graduate with veterinary degrees from approved universities each year - and vets from the EU would usually step in to help plug the gap in the UK.
However, new rules on English fluency, brought in since Brexit, have caused a significant drop in the numbers applying for work visas, as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons now requires vets to meet level seven English, rather than the previous 4.1 requirement.
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