Work surface with a heating area for maintaining body temperature in animals, characterised for comprising: top plate supplementary plate heating element enclosed in a defined area of the work space enclosure for the heating element and control system feedback control system comprising a temperature probe and temperature controller. In a preferred embodiment, the top plate is made of glass or other non-porous, rigid material the supplementary plate is made of phenolic resin, glass or other non-absorbent, non-porous, rigid material the heating element is an electrical resistor the enclosure is substantially sealed in order to protect the heating element and control system the temperature controller is PID. In a preferred embodiment, the supplementary plate is placed under the top plate and the heating element is positioned under the top plate in a recessed area cut into the supplementary plate.
