DEXTER has a new pet subject for his artwork, and the results will be seen not in a gallery but at a veterinary surgery.

York's cat-loving man of words has created a pet memorial at Calcaria Veterinary Practice, Sarah Millward's surgery at Wilton House, Station Road, Tadcaster.

"Again it's a memorial piece, like my pieces on past decades and dead comedians, but this time we're raising money for charity, " says Dexter, who has created a 96 inch by 36 inch board of pet names in green and mauve to complement the surgery's green walls.

Sarah, pictured above, came up with the idea after she saw one of Dexter's pieces. "She liked my use of words and images and phoned me to ask me to do one for her surgery, and she then put up details at the surgery in July with the idea of raising money for the animal welfare charity in Tadcaster.

"It's a sanctuary, a refuge, rather than a charity technically, where people abandon pets on the doorstep, and the sanctuary brings them round to the surgery if they need treatment, " Dexter says.

"The vets' practice wanted to enhance its environment, and so I've made the memorial on which you can see the name of your pet continue after death and give a simple donation of £2 for a first name and £1 for each name after that."

Dexter has added expressions in common usage among pet owners such as "Go and fetch your lead", along with quotations about animals, including Louis Sabin's comment that "No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich".

Among the names on the wall is Dexter's own pet, Chloe - My Best Friend, 1992-2004.

"She died of a heart attack when I thought she was still in mid life and so her death was a complete surprise to me, and it's nice to be able to keep her alive this way."

Dexter may next approach the RSPCA to suggest using pet memorial walls as a means of raising funds. "For a simple donation, you could do this in any vets' surgery in the country, " he says.