A dog owner claims she was left in a state of panic when an RSPCA hospital refused to treat her sick pet “over a postcode”.

Danielle Bateman’s rottweiler Roxy became ill last week and by Saturday the two-year-old was refusing food and began vomiting.

Miss Bateman, 22, of Crooked Mile, phoned private vets to find help, but faced high costs as Roxy was not insured.

Miss Bateman finally took the dog to Medivet in Waltham Abbey for a consultation, but was told costs could reach £3000.

Desperate to help her pet, Miss Bateman took Roxy to Harmsworth Animal Hospital in Finsbury Park, which is run by the RSPCA.

But vets refused to treat the dog and did not carry out any tests, she said.

“I took her to the RSPCA and they said that, because I wasn’t in the catchment area, they would not deal with her,” Miss Bateman said.

“People all over the nation donate to the RSPCA but they wouldn’t treat my dog over a postcode. I think it’s disgusting.”

Miss Bateman was then helped by friends and family to raise the money to get Roxy treated for gastroenteritis at Vets and Pets in Nazeing.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately as a charity that relies totally on public donations, we cannot afford to provide every pet owner with financial assistance for veterinary fees. As an organisation that exists to prevent cruelty to animals we must prioritise those animals most at risk of cruelty, suffering, neglect and abuse.”

But Vets and Pets owner Joyce Buchan believes the hospital should have treated the dog.

She said: “I am a private vet owner and I would never turn an animal away, they are a charity.

“This happens all the time, there is no animal hospital for people in Epping Forest.

“I think it was out of order. In fairness, you don’t know what you’re dealing with all the time but she didn’t even have an x-ray.”