Plea for Haughley vets to keep animal mural painted in 1985

Burrell said the mural was well loved locally.

“It’s a comfort to those that are coming in to say goodbye and also a comfort to those that are bringing in kittens and puppies, to start on their relationships together,” she said.

Siger, from Gislingham in Suffolk, said he was “a bit sad” to see it go, but the decision was “entirely up to the owners”.

The subject matter was different to the artist, who normally paints buildings in Suffolk.

“I enjoyed doing it, it was a one-off. I haven’t painted animals since,” he said.

The artist said the idea behind the work was to make a place that can “sometimes be quite sad a little happier”.

“Sometimes I use the vets to take the cat for a booster injection and I forget that I had done the mural. I see it and it brings a smile to my face,” Siger said.