A Hampshire charity vet clinic is set to close and reopen as a budget vet business.

RSPCA Southampton provided 276 treatments in May last year and saw 1400 clients in the last 14 months but has announced the Shirley practise will close on February 23 this year.

The premises on Shirley High Street will be rented out to low cost vet service provider Easipetcare, who will also take over the vet services at Fareham’s Stubbington Ark branch.

It comes six years after the Shirley branch was threatened with closure.

In 2011 trustees at the branch sent letters to staff warning of redundancies - with hundreds of supporters signing a petition to save the branch.

But now pet owners are warning that with just a week before closing there is no time to for campaigners to help keep the clinic open.

New Forest resident Becky Tattersall said after visiting the clinic this week staff looked “devastated".

She said this time round there’s unlikely to be a campaign to save the clinic: “We’ve had hardly any notice of the closure."

Speaking anonymously another Southampton-based RSPCA supporter said: “The public who finance these charities care about them - but they don’t look after the money. You have got to question where it goes.

“It’s a lot better off than it was ten years ago.

“It’s charity money that people work so hard to raise.

“Do we really need another budget practise in Southampton?

“If a business can run it why can’t the RSPCA?”

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said the closure was due to a fall in donations.

She said: “The branch is an independent charity reliant on legacies as well as its shops for funding.

“Unfortunately the branch’s legacy income has reduced significantly in recent years while the number of animals needing help has increased.

“This means the branch has to restructure the way it works. A thorough review of all aspects of the branch’s work has been carried out to create a business model that helps target the animals with the greatest need while securing the services for the long-term future.

“The new provider will offer the same low cost rate for anyone who walks through the door, irrespective of their own personal circumstances.

“A new plan to secure the long-term future of animal welfare services in the Southampton area is being carried out by the Solent branch of the RSPCA.

“Frontline services will continue to be a priority at the branch’s Stubbington Ark Animal Centre in Fareham which will continue to rescue, rehome and care for the many animals in need in the region.

“Existing RSPCA clients have the option of registering their animals with the new veterinary practice, where they will be able to access treatment for a reasonable rate.

“RSPCA inspectors will continue to work tirelessly within the RSPCA Solent Branch area to help all animals in need.”