The Scottish SPCA is to deliver pet food to foodbanks to help with the cost-of-living crisis.
The charity’s new Pet Aid scheme comes after a survey revealed that 72% of pet owners fear the crisis will impact their animals and one in five are worried about how they will afford to feed them.
The pilot scheme will see regular deliveries of pet food to 13 foodbanks and charities in 12 local authorities begin this week.
In the local area, this includes Kirkton Community Larder in Dundee, Perth and Kinross Foodbank and the foodbanks in Glenrothes and Levenmouth.
The Scottish SPCA says it is committed to expanding Pet Aid to provide nationwide support so counties such as Angus are included.
‘We are regularly running out of stock’
Ruth Livingstone, who has managed Levenmouth Foodbank for two years, welcomed the news.
“It is absolutely needed,” she said. “What we are finding is that our donations have decreased and we are regularly running out of stock of cat and dog food.
“Sometimes someone’s a in a total crisis and they need it.
“We try to keep a stock or dog and cat food but sometimes it gets low and we have to buy it, which, from our perspective isn’t ideal.
“We have never before been short of cat and pet food but in the past couple of years we have noticed it.
“Pet Aid coming in is brilliant because we know we have a steady supply of pet food which takes the weight off people’s mind.
“It means we can offer pet food to users rather than wait for them to request it.”
Ruth added that the foodbank begins its tenth year in September, which will be marked by thanksgiving events to thank supporters.
‘We want Pet Aid to grow’
The Scottish SPCA says it will donate its own supplies food, much of which has been donated, to the foodbanks.
Edinburgh Veterinary School has gifted it storage space for supplies.
A Scottish SPCA spokesman added: “We’ve created a network of volunteers to assist in deliveries to the different locations. So, we’re delivering it within our budget for this year.
“Long term, we want Pet Aid to grow and we will look to secure funding to support that.”
‘People feel they’ve let their animal down’
Scotland’s animal welfare charity says that calls to its helpline from people having to give up their pets have more than trebled in the first half of 2022.
In the first six months of 2021, it received 194 calls to take in a dog from an owner. In the same period in 2022, this figure has risen by 261% to 700. The number of dogs coming into care has increased by 15% compared to 2021.
Scottish SPCA’s chief executive Kirsteen Campbell said: “Pet Aid will provide an invaluable service to people and pets feeling the full brunt of the cost-of-living crisis.
“This year, our inspectors have had to support pet owners in some horrendous situations.
“We’re helping people who are not buying food for themselves so they can feed their pet, who are calling our animal helpline in floods of tears because they feel they’ve let their animal down.”
Cost of care fears
Pet Aid follows the publication of SSPCA’s Animal Kindness Index, a joint project with the RSPCA, which found 72% of UK pet owners think the cost of living will impact their animals.
Almost 70% expressed concern about the cost of care, and one in five worried about how they’ll afford to feed their pets.
Kirsteen added: “We’ll evaluate how the pilot goes, work with partners and speak to pet owners to understand what additional help they could benefit from.
“This will inform how Pet Aid grows in the months and years to come.”
Conversation