An animal hospital threw open its doors to its furry friends - and their owners - for an exclusive behind the scenes tour at the weekend.

Visitors got to see the operating theatres, kennels and X-ray rooms at the PDSA PetAid Hospital open day in Bow’s Malmebury Road on Sunday.

Guests also browsed a range of stalls selling plants, toys, books, clothing old and new and homemade cakes to raise funds for the hospital which looks after sick animals.

Dog owners entered their pets into a dog show and there was a special prize for bravery for ex-police explosives sniffer dog Richie, who was first on the scene at the Tavistock Square bombing in 2005.

The current hospital treats more than 200 pets every working day and performs more than 50,000 treatments every year, ranging from major life-saving surgery to x-rays and routine vaccinations. It costs over �1,000,000 a year to run the service, which is funded entirely by public support.

To be eligible for PDSA treatment, pet owners must be in receipt of Council Tax or Housing Benefit. For more information about PDSA visit www.pdsa.org.uk