MORE than 3,000 animals have been helped by a RSPCA clinic during the pandemic.

The Clwyd & Colwyn Branch, on Vaughan Street in Rhyl, received 28,000 calls for assistance in 2020.

The branch delivered frontline support to 3,464 animals, an increase of 27.5 percent compared with the 2,716 animals they assisted the previous year.

Kieren Barlow, branch manager, said: "We've crunched the numbers, and are delighted to see a huge increase in the number of animals we were able to help in 2020 - with 3,464 animals seen by our clinic.

"It's been an incredibly difficult and unprecedented period - and we quickly had to introduce new safety protocols to ensure we could help clients and treat thousands of animals in a safe way.

"Not all animal-related services were able to remain open last year, and our Rhyl clinic had to vastly increase our reach to help animals all across North Wales."

In total, the branch saw 2,171 dogs, 1,255 cats and 38 other animals at their clinic in 2020, which provides affordable veterinary treatment to animals whose owners are in receipt of state benefits or have lower annual incomes.

Following the first lockdown, the clinic expanded their services to RSPCA clients from across the whole North Wales.