On a warm morning in Woolloomooloo, the HopeStreet pet clinic is bustling. The clinic, run by the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Sydney in partnership with BaptistCare, hums with activity聽as pets and their owners wait their turn. Some sit close to their animals, stroking their fur or whispering soothing words, while others speak to the staff and students working at the clinic. For many here, their pets are more than companions鈥攖hey are family, lifelines, and a source of unconditional love.
One such visitor is Ion, a soft-spoken man who sits beside his dog, Chocky, a nine-year-old Kelpie cross who had a rough start to life. 鈥淚 rescued her from a farm where she'd been mauled by a pack of dogs,鈥 Ion says. 鈥淪he almost didn't survive. She had a punctured lung and a broken sternum.鈥澛
With Ion鈥檚 help, Chocky was able to recover from her injuries, however, that wasn鈥檛 the last of her struggles. Chocky went on to develop a rapidly growing and painful tumour on her bottom.
Dr Nicolle Kirkwood, Head of Primary Care at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Sydney, explains how Chocky underwent successful surgery to remove the tumour and made a full recovery.
鈥淭hrough the clinic and then later at the hospital we were able to diagnose the mass as a benign tumour and therefore have a good prognosis. We then used the available funding to pay for its removal.鈥澛犅
Looking at her now, you wouldn鈥檛 think Chocky had survived such trauma. A placid dog, Chocky undergoes the checks at the clinic with little complaint.聽聽
鈥淪he seems very quiet, but when you throw the ball for her, she just comes alive. She's a different dog,鈥 Ion says. 鈥淥ccasionally I take her to my daughter鈥檚 farm down South and she can run around with other dogs. She seems very happy.鈥
India Newton, HopeStreet鈥檚 Community Development Coordinator, shared a heartwarming story about a young family helped by the pet clinic. The family, who had recently welcomed a new baby, were struggling to manage their energetic dog, who had become overly excitable around the newborn.
They couldn鈥檛 afford the necessary desexing procedure to address the dog鈥檚 behaviour. HopeStreet stepped in, supporting and coordinating the procedure. This intervention allowed the family to keep their beloved pet, providing stability and preserving the bond between them and their dog.
These are just two of the many stories that unfold every month at the HopeStreet clinic, a grassroots initiative supported by the University of Sydney and now bolstered by a donation from the Petstock Foundation.
By partnering with the University of Sydney and the HopeStreet clinic, we鈥檙e solving problems big and small while keeping pets and people together.
Jessica Curtis
Head of the Petstock Foundation
The role of philanthropy
The recent donation from the Petstock Foundation will help to cover the cost of treatments that would otherwise be unaffordable to those visiting the HopeStreet clinic. The Foundation鈥檚 support ensures pets like Chocky receive the care they need and deserve.
Jessica Curtis, Head of the Petstock Foundation, emphasised the importance of the partnership: 鈥淏y partnering with the University of Sydney and the HopeStreet clinic, we鈥檙e solving problems big and small while keeping pets and people together. This aligns perfectly with our mission to empower a better future for pets and people.鈥
The funding doesn鈥檛 just address immediate needs; it also contributes to the long-term sustainability of the program, allowing it to serve more families and provide more complex care when necessary.
Offering help for a vulnerable community
HopeStreet is located in a neighbourhood with significant levels of marginalisation. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an inequity here,鈥 explains India. 鈥淔or people living on the margins, vet bills are simply unaffordable. But their animals are their rocks鈥攖hey鈥檙e the ones who keep everything together.鈥
The monthly pet clinic, staffed by students and veterinarians from the University of Sydney鈥檚 School of Veterinary Science, is one of HopeStreet鈥檚 most popular programs. 鈥淲e do more than just provide services,鈥 India says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e about building relationships, capacity, and community. The clinic helps people care for their pets, and in doing so, it helps people feel supported too.鈥澛
The clinic helps people care for their pets, and in doing so, it helps people feel supported too.
India Newton
Community Development Coordinator, HopeStreet
Empowering the next generation of vets
For the students who volunteer at HopeStreet, the clinic offers an education that extends far beyond the classroom. 鈥淭he students run the clinic鈥攎anaging consultations, medical records, and treatment鈥攁ll under supervision,鈥 Dr Kirkwood explains. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fast-paced, real-world learning that builds confidence, compassion, and empathy.鈥
The clinic also exposes students to the concept of a 鈥渟pectrum of care鈥濃攑roviding solutions tailored to the needs and resources of each client. 鈥淭his experience broadens their understanding of what veterinary care can look like and the role they can play in supporting both animal and human welfare,鈥 Dr Kirkwood adds.
India, who has worked at HopeStreet for over a year, has witnessed the positive impact of these interactions on the community. 鈥淭he students are fantastic. They bring such energy and care. They鈥檙e not just here to help animals鈥攖hey鈥檙e here to make people feel seen and valued.鈥澛
Looking ahead with hope
For Ion and Chocky, for the young family and their excitable dog, and for countless others, the HopeStreet pet clinic is a lifeline. It鈥檚 a place where pets and people find healing, care, and compassion. As Jessica Curtis puts it: 鈥淲e are continually inspired by pets and animals to be better people. This program, and the people who make it possible, allow this to come to life.鈥
Run by a community of staff, volunteers, clinicians, veterinary nurses and students, HopeStreet is a unique and special place. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those places you can鈥檛 explain鈥攜ou have to be here to feel it,鈥 India says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much love and generosity in what we do.鈥