Welfare clinics.
Our welfare clinics offer owners on low-income access to reduced-cost veterinary care for their pets. Eligible owners must have a household income below £26,437 per year, they also need to live in the branch area.
All our subsided veterinary services are funded thanks to donations, fundraising and sales from our charity shops, and with the support of our partner vets.
Our branch area
Please note
If you are breeding for monetary gain or any of your animals have repeated litters, we reserve our right not to see any of your animals and recommend you should attend a private vet. Whilst we are here to ensure animals get the best care possible, we are a charity and valuable funds could be used to help other animals not associated with financial gain. For full details, please read our Anti-Breeding Policy.
Our clinics
Ipswich
Our flagship, Branch-run welfare assistance clinic is located in the heart of Ipswich.
We are now offering pre-bookable appointments for £25 by telephone or using the online form. Please call 0300 330 1406 between 9am-11.30am Monday-Friday to make an appointment. A non-refundable deposit of £10 will be required at time of booking and this will be deducted from your vet consultation fee payable when you attend.
Walk-in appointments are are still welcome. Gates open at 11.30am and we ask you to be registered by 12.50pm to enable you to see the vet on the day.
To order repeat medications complete our new online order form or email clinic@rspca-suffolkcentral.org.uk with your full name, post code, your pets details and the medication details. Please make sure you leave plenty of time for the medication to be prepared, you must order at least 1 week in advance.
To be eligible for this clinic your pet must comply with our neutering and vaccination guidelines listed below.
Please note, our clinic will be closed on Good Friday, 3 April 2026.
Address
35a St. Georges Street, Ipswich, IP1 3NF
Phone
01473 231972 (only answered during clinic opening hours)
Opening Times
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Closed
11.30am - 1pm
Closed
Closed
11.30am - 1pm
Closed
Closed
Felixstowe
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new Felixstowe Clinic based at Whitworth Vets. If you live in IP3, IP5, IP10, IP11 or IP12 you can apply to visit this clinic using the link below.
Once you have been approved to use this clinic service you will receive an email with detail on how to book. A non-refundable deposit of £10 will be required at time of booking and this will be deducted from your vet consultation fee of £25 payable when you attend.
Prices at this clinic are the same as our Ipswich Clinic (displayed below).
To be eligible for this clinic your pet must comply with our neutering and vaccination guidelines listed below. Whitworths offer vaccinations for £20 per cat.
Address
Old Station Yard, Station Road, Trimley St Mary, Felixstowe, IP11 0UB
Phone
01394 271112
Apply for ClinicStowmarket
Velma the mobile vet clinic operated by Bury St Edmunds Veterinary Centre is based at Stowmarket Football Club Carpark, Stowmarket, IP14 1JQ, every other Wednesday offering RSPCA clients walk-up appointments for £15 between 1pm and 3pm (please take proof of benefits with you).
To check the location of Velma the mobile veterinary van run by Bury Veterinary Centre please call on the number below.
Address
Stowmarket Football Club Carpark, Stowmarket, IP14 1JQ,
Phone
01284 630650
Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds Veterinary Centre takes their mobile vet van to Barton Road Retail Park, Barton Road, Bury St. Edmunds, IP32 7BE every other Wednesday offering RSPCA clients walk-up appointments for £15 between 1pm and 3pm (please take proof of benefits with you).
To check the location of Velma the mobile veterinary van run by Bury Veterinary Centre please call on the number below.
Address
Barton Road Retail Park, Barton Road, Bury St. Edmunds, IP32 7BE
Phone
01284 630650
About our Ipswich clinic
Our Ipswich clinic offers consultations for £25 per animal and can help with health checks, flea and worm treatment, and minor ailments. Please note, to help promote responsible pet ownership, we are limiting the number of pets registered to each client to two.
OPENING TIMES
The clinic is open every Tuesday and Friday from 12noon – 1pm for walk-in appointments.
Our waiting area is small so please try to limit attendance to one person per pet.
Reception opens from 11.30am, with vet appointments between 12-1pm on first come, first served basis. Please note that the last appointment to be booked-in is at 12.50pm.
You can now book appointments online using the form below!
PRICES
We charge £25 per animal to see the vet.
Other costs are as follows:
Extra charges:
Medication Cost price + 5% plus £3.50 dispensing charge per item
(for repeat prescriptions only)
General care:
Prices inclusive of vet consultation fee
Cat vaccination £45.00 per pet
Microchipping (cats) £15.00 per pet
Microchipping (puppy) £35.00 per pet
Nail clipping £20.00 per pet
Anal gland drain £20.00 per pet
Euthanasia:
Prices inclusive of vet consultation fee
No additional charge for group cremation, but we cannot return your pets ashes.
Dogs over 25kgs £60.00
Dogs under 25kgs £50.00
Cats £40.00
Small animals £40.00
(e.g. Rabbits, rats)
Please note we no longer offer dog vaccinations or boosters at our Ipswich clinic.
FACILITIES
There are no surgical facilities or a laboratory on site, so for operations, blood tests or X-rays you will need to visit a private veterinary practice.
Unfortunately, we do not have the facilities to put small mammals (ferrets, hamsters, gerbils and mice) to sleep at the clinic. If unsure, please check with the clinic team before booking your appointment.
PAYMENTS
Consult fees and any medication costs must be paid by cash or card at the end of your appointment.
PROOF OF INCOME
Please bring proof that you have a household income of under £26,437 a year when you visit the clinic.
We check eligibility on each appointment, so please bring proof along with you for each visit.
MEDICATIONS
To order repeat prescriptions, including for flea and worm treatment, pets must have seen the vet in the last 6 months.
Any medication needs to be ordered at least 1 week in advance.
Please use the new online order form below.
OUR PET POLICY
Neutering and vaccinations
To be eligible to receive help from our clinics, we ask that your pets are neutered and vaccinated to ensure they have basic health protection.
Neutering
- Cats should be neutered as soon as possible once they weigh over 1kg
- Male dogs should be neutered once they reach 12 months old
- Female dogs should be neutered 3 months after a season
Vaccination
Cats and dogs should be vaccinated from 8 weeks old.
Your kitten will need two sets of vaccinations to get them started – their first set at nine weeks old and a second booster set at three months old. After this, kittens and cats usually need ‘booster’ vaccinations once a year.
Until your kitten is fully vaccinated and neutered, you should keep him or her inside.
IPSWICH WELFARE CLINIC
Pre-bookable appointments
As space at our clinic is limited, we recommend making a pre-bookable appointment at our Ipswich Welfare Clinic (Tuesdays and Fridays between 12noon-1pm) to save you waiting in the queue.
These can be made by telephone or using the online form below.
Please call 0300 330 1406 between 9am-11.30am Monday-Friday to make an appointment.
A non-refundable deposit of £10 will be required at time of booking and this will be deducted from your vet consultation fee payable when you attend.
Walk in clients are still welcome, gates open at 11:30 and we ask you be registered by 12:50pm to see the vet on the day.
IPSWICH WELFARE CLINIC
Repeat medication order form
You can now order your repeat medications via our online order form.
Any medication needs to be ordered at least 1 week in advance.
Medication is charged at cost price + 5% with a £3.50 dispensing charge per item for repeat prescriptions only.
Out of hours veterinary treatment
If you need urgent veterinary assistance outside of our opening hours, please contact a local veterinary practice. If you are not registered with a veterinary practice, you may wish to contact one of the following practices to see if they can assist:
- The Barn Vets in Ipswich – 01473 730213
- Needham Market Vet Centre – 01449 797111
- Bury St Edmunds Veterinary Centre – 01284 630650
Questions about our clinics
For any questions about any of our welfare clinics please email us at clinic@rspca-suffolkcentral.org.uk
2025 at a glance
2025 was a busy year for the team at our Ipswich Welfare Clinic - visitors included dogs, cats, budgies, wild birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, rats and mice!
1,574
animals visited our clinic
68
dogs and cats microchipped
101
puppies and kittens vaccinated
Success Story
Hunnie’s story
"When Hunnie developed a skin condition, we knew it could take a while to clear up, but we managed to keep vet bills to a minimum by visiting the RSPCA Ipswich Welfare clinic every month. They were also great in supporting us when Hunnie then needed an operation on her toe, contributing £150 to her care. Hunnie is now back to her best but has developed a taste in being pushed around in a buggy that we don’t think she’ll get out of!"
Success Story
Elaine’s kindness
Elaine is a wonderful customer of our Ipswich Welfare Clinic, who takes in cats in need. Here's what she had to say "I love these precious animals, but could not have cared and treated them how l would have wanted without the input of the RSPCA. I have only taken on cats that have not had a good start. They are so worthy of help. I sincerely hope in the future all cats are neutered by the time they reach 6 months old. To read and hear about the explosion of unwanted animals is so, so heart-breaking. I feel so upset by the amount of dumped and abandoned animals. The RSPCA do a fantastic job to be a safety net for some of these beautiful animals, but so need much more help in these troubling times. I thank you for all your help and support you have given me over the years. Long may you go on being the voice of our precious animals."
Success Story
Milo’s journey
"Milo woke up one morning with a very sore looking eye so I decided to visit the vet at the RSPCA Ipswich Welfare Clinic for just £15. The vet said Milo would need regular check ups and this was something I couldn't afford at a normal vet rates. By being able to visit the RSPCA it helped us financially, and Milo was happy to get the best care as well as lots of fuss and kisses from the team."
HELP & ADVICE
Further information
Branch area
Owners must live within the area of the branch’s geographical boundaries. If you are not sure whether you live in our branch area, check our map, or get in touch.
View our branch mapEligible benefits
Assistance is available to individuals who are not in receipt of the qualifying benefits, You will need to provide recent proof that you are in receipt of any of the below benefits:
- Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Employment Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Tax Credits
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Support
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Pension Credits.
Neutering vouchers
Due to the ongoing rise in the cost of living and increasing financial pressures, we regret to inform you of the closure of our neutering voucher scheme.
This decision has not been made lightly, and we understand the impact it may have on our community and the animals we care about.
Our neutering phone line will be closed from Monday 1 October 2025.
Other help & advice
Still seeking help and advice on animal care and welfare, such as how to surrender an animal if you or someone you know is struggling to care for them, or to report a concern about an animal?
