A vital subsidised veterinary service for hard-up pet owners is facing closure.

The walk-in clinic at Wealden Forest Park at Herne Common, run by the Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary Fund, has been operating for almost 30 years.

But the service has dwindled to just one day a week as the resident vet approaches retirement and is now due to stop completely on April 19 - unless the charity can find a replacement animal medic.

Now sanctuary founder Margaret Todd fears pet owners will be discouraged from seeking help for their sick animals.

“Clearly that is a concern and we would urge anyone with a poorly pet to get some veterinary help,” she said.

But Mrs Todd says her charity has drawn a blank in finding a new vet to take on the Herne clinic.

“Having to close it is a great shame because the clinic is very popular and has helped thousands of pets and their owners over the years,” she said.

“We really need a vet who can commit to at least three days a week and take full responsibility for its operation, but that is proving quite difficult to find so its look like we will have to shut.”

The vet is paid the going rate but the fees are subsidised by the charity for those on benefits and low incomes who cannot otherwise afford to have their sick pets treated.

Every year it spends tens of thousands of pounds supporting the veterinary care of animals.

Mrs Todd says that if the clinic is forced to close, there would be a saving on the rent for the unit which the charity could divert to its main clinic at the Sanctuary Centre at Rhodes Minnis, which will continue on its appointment-only basis.

It also runs a mobile animal ambulance service which visits the car park of Macknade Fine Foods in Faversham fortnightly on a Wednesday.

“The trouble is that many pet owners do not have the transport to get out to us at Rhodes Minnis and the clinic at Herne has been very useful to people living that way,” said Mrs Todd.

“But if we have to close it, then we may be able to utilise our ambulance more.”

The Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary Fund was established in 1982 and currently cares for around 200 animals, many of which cannot be re-homed for a variety of reasons.