Middlesex North West & South Hertfordshire Branch

How we can help

Animals in distress

If you see an animal in distress and need urgent assistance please call the National RSPCA hotline on 0300 1234 999 calling any other number could cause a delay in getting help.

Financial assistance

As the branch does not have a clinic we are unable to provide veterinary services, however, if your pet has become unwell or been injured we may be able to provide financial assistance in some circumstances if you are in our area. Click here to see our Branch area.

Neutering has many health benefits for your pet as well as preventing unwanted litters. The branch may be able to contribute towards the cost of neutering your pet at a local vets, please contact your preferred local vet and ask for a quote before calling us.

The branch is only able to give one-off assistance therefore we strongly recommend you look into pet insurance for future costs.  We are only in a position to help those living within our branch area, who are receiving means tested Benefits or who have a low household income. Please contact us on 0208 966 9688 to discuss available options and eligibility.

If we are unable to help, you may be eligible for assistance from the Cat Protection, PDSA, Blue Cross, The Dogs Trust, The Mayhew or other similar charities.

Neutering

Neutering has many health benefits for your pet. It can prevent them from developing serious health issues in the future, such as certain types of cancer or Pyometra – a life-threatening infection of the womb.  Neutering also stops your pet from having unwanted litters – leaving you with the associated costs and the difficult task of finding loving homes. There are already thousands of unwanted animals in shelters and rescue centres and neutering your pet means you won’t add to the problem. Whether you own a dog, cat or a smaller animal neutering can help your pet to live longer and enjoy a better quality of life.

If you are struggling to afford the cost of neutering please contact us on 0208 966 9688 to see if we can help.

Stray cats

When you find a stray cat please do not assume no one is looking for her - she may simply be lost, and could have been lost many months. You may already know how distressing it is to lose a pet. How would you feel if someone in the next street, found your cat, and kept her without ever reporting it?

Is your stray cat sick or injured?

  • If you find a sick or injured cat, please call the RSPCA emergency line on 0300 1234 999.

Check if the cat has an owner

  • Ask neighbors in your street and adjoining streets. If your stray is friendly, you could take her to your local vet who can scan the cat to see if she has a microchip - for free.
  • If she doesn’t have a microchip – secure a paper collar with sellotape around her neck. Put your telephone number on the collar asking ‘if you own this cat please call me’. If you cannot get close to your stray or are unable to safely transport a cat to the vets, please call us on 0208 966 9688, and we will come out to you.
  • If you have done everything you can to find the cat’s owner, and you have had no response from your paper collar for seven days, you now have to choose whether you want to keep the cat.

To keep or not to keep?

  • Seeing a hungry cat – it is the natural to want to feed them. Thank you for caring, but please think beyond their immediate needs. If decide to keep feeding a cat, you are taking responsibility for that animal. This means getting them neutered, and taking them to the vets for treatment when they get sick. We can help with neutering costs if you are on a low income, or receiving benefits.
  • If you don’t want to adopt the stray, but she is a healthy cat – we can take her in if we have space, but as we have to prioritise sick and injured animals you can also try Cats Protection on 0300 0121 212. A healthy stray cat could take up space needed for an abused or neglected animal in RSPCA centres.

Please do not just feed a stray cat – what happens if she gets pregnant, or gets sick? If you aren’t prepared to do more than just feed a cat, you should give her the opportunity to find a loving home where all her needs are met.

If you have any questions about stray cats, please call us on 0208 966 9688 for free professional advice.

Animal Welfare Talks

Our volunteer speakers are part of a network of trained speakers who are committed to visiting schools and organised groups, giving talks about animal welfare and our work. They're often retired teachers, our staff or volunteers. They're passionate about education and animal welfare, and know the best ways to inspire children and adults about the importance of kindness to animals.

A talk from an RSPCA volunteer can help get the whole group involved in learning about animal welfare.  The talk delivered will focus on key animal welfare issues, such as understanding the five aninmal welfare needs, as well as exploring the work of the RSPCA and our mission.  

Animal welfare issues often arise because people don't know the best ways to look after different kinds of pets. That's why we want to extend this programme to include more focused talks and training sessions, based on specific animals.  

Would you like a visit from a volunteer speaker?

If you'd like to arrange a speaker visit, simply contact us by email on info@rspcamiddlesex.org.uk and and we'll be in touch to arrange a visit.