Vet offers helping hand to homeless Toowoomba pets

"FROM the bottom of my heart, I think it is absolutely beautiful what Paul is doing."

HELPING HAND: Homeless man Robert Muller (left), and his dogs Arasmas and Sophie, benefited from Dr Paul Sheedy's free homeless pet clinic, held at Base Services, on the second Tuesday of each month. Picture: Michael Nolan

WHEN Robert Muller sleeps rough on the Toowoomba streets he knows he can count on his dogs, Sophie and Arasmas, to keep him warm.

Each night the trio would bed down, snuggle in close and protect each other from the howling wind.

"Having a dog when you are homeless is ideal," Mr Muller said.

"It is a warm body next to you and there is good bonding time in the old swag."

Mr Muller was one of two homeless Toowoomba residents who benefited from Dr Paul Sheedy's pop-up veterinary clinic at the Base Services, on Wednesday.

"From the bottom of my heart I think it is absolutely beautiful what Paul is doing."

Mr Muller struggled with drug addiction and bounced between stints on the street, couch surfing and jail.

"I am not living on the streets that moment but when I was it was more a matter of pride than anything else," he said.

"People tried to help me, but I did not want to go into their home and f*** up their life and add reasons to feel guilty about myself."

"My dad died recently and I wanted to cut the s*** so I am accepting some help."

Through all of this Mr Muller's dogs stayed faithful and the trio developed a tight, protective bond.

"They handle being homeless better than me," he said.

"Home is where your heart is, it does not matter where you are as long as you have your family around."

"The things I have done made me homeless, so I am not complaining in anyway. There is no point doing that so you just have to get on with it."

Despite sleeping rough for year Arasmas and Sophie are doing well.

"Sophie had an eye injury as a puppy that has healed, but she is starting to get a glaucoma, so we are going to look at maybe doing surgery later on," Dr Sheedy said.

"Arasmas has a bit of osteoarthritis."

The Toowoomba Veterinary Hospital homeless clinic will be held on the second Wednesday of each month, at Base Services

Phone [phone] to book a consultation.

Originally published as Vet offers helping hand to homeless Toowoomba pets