A WIMBORNE-based animal welfare charity has opened a brand-new Critical Care Unit at their veterinary facility in northern Thailand to support the increasing number of critically sick and injured dogs on the streets.

The opening of Worldwide Veterinary Service's CCU at their Chiang Mai veterinary facility is set to triple the number of cases the charity’s vets can treat, allowing them to help deal with the effect the pandemic has had on the city’s free-roaming dogs.

Now, the WVS is urging the public to raise £6,000 to equip the new facility in Thailand through a fund-matching campaign, which will double all donations the charity receives between Tuesday, December 1 and December 8.

Director of Operations for WVS Thailand, Ian Clarke said: "With improved ventilation and climate control, environmental enrichment, purpose-built drainage, natural lighting, bio-secure entry and a much larger floor space for each individual kennel, we’ll be able to give even more street dogs a high standard of veterinary care."

The centre provides free veterinary care to the community’s animals, many of which live on the streets and are therefore more susceptible to deadly infections and parasites, road traffic accidents and mistreatment.

CEO and Founder of WVS, Luke Gamble said: "Our passionate team in Thailand deal with some of the most intensely injured or sick dogs I’ve ever seen. From horrific road accidents to debilitating diseases and so much more in between.

"Many of these dogs are barely holding on to life and the new CCU will give them a fighting chance."

Donnie, a street dog who was admitted to the centre in October, required urgent veterinary attention due to a large wound measuring at seven centimetres in diameter in his head, which was infested with live maggots.

The charity's vets treated Donnie with wound flushing, laser therapy and medication, including pain relief and antibiotics, whilst housing and feeding him.

After weeks in care, Donnie’s head wound had completely healed and his demeanour had changed, so he was released back into his local community, illustrating the vital work the centre in Thailand does.

To support the match-funding campaign, visit: https://go.wvs.org.uk/big-give

Donations will only be matched between 12pm on December 1 and 12pm on December 8.