A new £250,000 state-of-the-art vehicle designed to “revolutionise” animal welfare awareness across the UK has been launched by PDSA.

The new 18-tonne PetWise Mobile Unit, made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, will enable the charity to treat animals and boost disease prevention.

Rebecca Ashman, veterinary campaigns manager at PDSA, said: “As well as treating pets in need, we are passionate about preventing sickness and helping people their pets healthy and happy. So our PDSA PetWise Mobile Unit is a major new addition for the charity. Together with our two smaller PetWise vans, it can revolutionise how animal welfare is promoted in communities up and down the country.

“From this vehicle we can perform minor operations, run vaccination clinics and offer free dog health checks. But its benefits don’t end there, because the truck can also open up to host classroom lessons for schoolchildren or even pet first aid courses.”

The new unit boasts two vet consulting rooms with oxygen facilities, moveable seating, a widescreen TV and built-in iPads so schoolchildren can take part in interactive educational games.

Hazel Johnstone, senior programmes manager at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “The new PDSA PetWise Mobile Unit is absolutely fantastic and we’re delighted that support from players will be making a huge difference to animal welfare through this important project.

“Not only will it provide a mobile unit to deliver potentially lifesaving vaccinations and procedures, but it will also provide a modern, high-tech mobile unit for PDSA to educate the pet owners of today and the future.”