AN ELLESMERE Port-based vets is helping stray animals in Morocco by sending urgent medical equipment.

Darrin Stiles, of Bootle, is a veterinary care assistant at Animal Trust, the UK’s only not-for-profit veterinary company, at its clinic on Cedab Road.

This month he is travelling to Essaouira with HSAM – Help the Street Animals of Morocco. The charity was started when its founder, also a veterinary nurse, first visited the country and saw the extent of strays and sick animals.

Darrin will spend two weeks with HSAM, working with a local vet to neuter the street animals, providing injections to help prevent the spread of rabies – and offering assistance in surgery for the range of injuries.

Said Darrin of his trip: “I’ve been helping HSAM for a number of years now but this time, it’s great to be taking some of the medications these pets desperately need, courtesy of Animal Trust.

"It will make such a difference and is a great donation to a really worthwhile charity.”

Owen Monie, founder of Animal Trust, added: “Our entire ethos is that veterinary care should be about making animals better, and not about making profits.

"We were set up by vets with the main focus being the welfare of animals, so when we heard about Darrin’s planned trip, we were only too happy to help out.”

Darrin, himself a foster carer for sick and recovering animals at his home in Bootle, added: “I’m really looking forward to the trip; the pets of Merseyside have great vetcare and it will be nice to provide some of the same service to the needy animals of Essaouira.

"As HSAM is a charity, the trip is all self-funded, so donations and support like this really help.”

Animal Trust opened in Cedab Road in January 2017 and since then has treated thousands of animals, whose owners bring their pets to clinic for free consultations as soon as they are unwell. Animal Trust offers preventative health care.

The clinic can be reached at ellesmereport@animaltrust.org.uk or 0151 203 0943.

For further information on HSAM, go to www.helpthestreetanimalsofmorocco.org.