Vets in Richmond
Your local independent vet
Our Richmond practice is on Sheen Road and our East Sheen branch is just a short drive from Richmond on Upper Richmond Road West. We're proud to care for pets and their people right across south-west London – from Putney to Barnes, Roehampton and beyond.
If you're looking for a vet in Richmond, we'd love to welcome you. Our Richmond practice is open 5 days a week and our East Sheen practice is open seven days a week and both with easy on-site parking. Our teams are always happy to show you around – from our separate cat and dog waiting areas to our state-of-the-art facilities, including in-house CT imaging and keyhole surgery. You can find out more about everything we offer by selecting your local practice below.
Dog walks in Richmond
Richmond park
There are few places in London quite like Richmond Park. Two thousand five hundred acres of ancient landscape, where wild deer move quietly through open meadow and woodland, the skies feel enormous and the city seems miles away – even though our practice on Sheen Road is just a few minutes' drive from the gates.
Dogs can roam freely across the vast majority of the park, with the open grassland and woodland trails offering endless space to explore. Leads are required across the whole park from 1 May to 31 July during deer birthing season– but outside of that period, it's as good as it gets for an off-lead walk in London.
The Isabella Plantation is worth a visit at any time of year – a beautiful 40-acre woodland garden with evergreen azaleas, ponds, rhododendrons and camellias – but spring is when it really comes into its own, with bluebells carpeting the woodland floor and the whole place feeling quietly spectacular. Dogs are welcome on leads throughout.
For a longer outing, the Tamsin Trail circles the entire perimeter of the park at just over 7 miles – a well-surfaced, largely traffic-free route that takes you past woodland, ponds and open grassland, with a section along the pretty Beverley Brook. You don't need to complete the full loop to enjoy it – dip in and out from any of the park gates.
The thames path (richmond to ham)
One of the most scenic stretches of the Thames Path, this beautiful riverside walk takes you from Richmond along the south bank of the river to Ham House – a magnificent 17th-century National Trust manor whose formal gardens sweep right down to the water's edge.
The walk starts at Richmond Station, taking you through some of the most beautiful urban green spaces in England, past the iconic view from Richmond Hill and down through Petersham Meadows to the riverbank. From there it's a leisurely stroll along the Thames Path, with the river on one side and open meadows on the other, before Ham House comes into view.
Dogs are welcome in the gardens of Ham House year-round – keep them on leads while exploring the formal grounds, then let them stretch their legs again on the open meadows on the walk back. After your visit, the on-site Orangery café is a lovely spot for a sit-down, with fresh produce from the kitchen garden and a dog-friendly section with water bowls and treats provided.
At just under 3 miles each way and flat throughout, it's an easy, unhurried walk that's popular with locals year-round. Richmond Station is around a five-minute drive from our practice on Sheen Road.
Dog friendly activities in Putney
the britannia
Tucked down a pretty cobbled alleyway in the heart of Richmond town centre, just off Richmond Green, The Britannia is one of Richmond's most characterful independent gastropubs – and one of its most dog-friendly. Dog treats are always on hand, and you're likely to be greeted by Quill, the pub's resident dog, who is always on the lookout for a human or hound to play with.
Just a four-minute walk from Richmond Station and around five minutes from our practice on Sheen Road, it's ideally placed for a post-walk stop after a stroll on the Green or along the Thames Path. Despite sitting right in the centre of town, the cobbled alleyway setting gives it a genuinely tucked-away feel – complete with a sun-trap garden and roof terrace that are hard to beat on a warm afternoon.
A thoroughly worthy stop for dogs and their people alike.
Colicci coffee
If you're heading into Richmond Park for a walk, Colicci's park kiosks are the perfect mid-walk pit stop. With kiosks at Kingston Gate, Pen Ponds and Ham Gate, they're dotted across the park at just the right intervals – serving specialty coffee, pastries, hot food and ice cream. The Pen Ponds kiosk in particular is worth knowing about: nestled between the ponds in a beautifully designed timber kiosk, it's the ideal spot to pause mid-walk – a hot chocolate here on a crisp autumn morning is hard to beat.
All kiosks are dog-friendly and card only, so no need to fumble for change. Opening times vary by location, with Pen Ponds open from 8am to 4pm and Kingston Gate from 8am to 3:30pm.
And if you happen to be passing Kingston Gate on a Sunday afternoon, keep your eyes peeled for the Kingstonian Ice Cream van – an award-winning local institution serving up scooped ice cream that, on a sunny day, is an absolute must. Consider yourself warned.
Dog events in Richmond
Richmond may fair dog show
If you're looking for a brilliant day out with your dog in Richmond, the Richmond May Fair is not to be missed. Held annually on Richmond Green, the Fair is over 50 years old and has grown into the town's biggest community event – and at the heart of it is the always-popular dog show.
We're proud to be closely connected to the Fair. PetPeople are official sponsors of the dog show, and in 2025 our very own Dr Ian Stroud took on judging duties – so if you enter, you may well find a familiar face holding the rosettes.
Alongside the dog show, the Fair brings together over 250 stallholders – charities, artisans, small businesses and schools – alongside a vintage funfair, craft marquee, a wide range of food and drink and free live entertainment throughout the day on the Riverside Radio stage. The 2026 fair will also feature a Big Wheel and a new addition to the dog show – The Sausage Game – which tells you everything you need to know about the tone of the day.
The Fair takes place on a Saturday in May, 10am to 5pm, on Richmond Green. Free to attend, dog-friendly throughout and genuinely one of the best community events in south-west London.
Supporting Pets as therapy in Richmond and beyond
At PetPeople, we believe that pets make life better – not just for the people lucky enough to share their home with one, but for everyone. That's why we're proud to support Pets As Therapy (PAT), a national charity that brings the comfort and companionship of animals to people who need it most.
PAT volunteers and their temperament-assessed pets visit care homes, hospitals, hospices, schools and prisons across the UK – including right here in south-west London. For many of the people they visit, time with a friendly dog or cat is a highlight of their week.
As a local, independent vet practice serving Putney and the surrounding area, community matters deeply to us. Our partnership with Pets As Therapy reflects that – we're committed to raising awareness of the charity's work, encouraging pet owners in Putney, Wandsworth and beyond to consider volunteering their well-tempered animals, and supporting PAT's fundraising efforts so this vital work can continue.
If you have a friendly, calm pet and think they might have what it takes to bring a little joy to someone's day, we'd love to point you in the right direction. Find out more at petsastherapy.org.
Local pet charities in Richmond
A.R.C. (Animal Rescue and Care)
Set up in 2001, ARC's priority is to rescue, foster and rehome animals in Richmond upon Thames and further afield across SW London, Middlesex and Surrey.
They work mainly with cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, but also with dogs and small furries. Animals are looked after in foster homes by loving, experienced carers until a permanent home is found – they do not put animals down unless they are suffering. Run entirely without paid staff or premises, every pound donated goes straight to helping animals in need.
They've helped over 10,000 animals to date.
