Charity launches winter appeal for pet food as demand soars for RSPCA food bank project

The animal welfare charity has partnered with nearly 40 food banks across the North of England since it began in December last year (2020).

From January to September there have been approximately 113 deliveries to food banks across Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and the North East.

This averages around 10 deliveries of pet food every month with each delivery consisting of approximately 200kgs of pet food.

This could feed approximately 1,200 dogs and over 800 cats.*

The RSPCA is now appealing to generous animal lovers to donate pet food to their local applicable branch of the RSPCA (details below) in order to keep up with the demand as pet owners continue to struggle post lockdown and through the pandemic.

RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Alison Fletcher, who coordinates the RSPCA Pet Foodbank Project, said: “We set up this project as we understood what a strain the pandemic was having on people’s finances and we wanted to ensure that loving pet owners who were struggling to make ends meet could still provide for their pets.

"The response from food banks across the north of the country has been astounding and we have been so grateful for their support and for the support of all those who have donated food so far.

"Now as we approach winter we are seeing a real demand for pet food with some areas struggling to keep up with this demand. This is why we have now launched a winter appeal and are asking kind animal lovers to donate as much pet food as they can to help owners and their pets in need.

“As an inspector, I was hearing stories about people who would skip meals themselves in order to pay for pet food for their dog or cat and it was heartbreaking to hear.

"We know that our pets are part of the family and so we wanted to support people who are struggling through this project to ensure that those loving owners who have just fallen on hard times can still remain with their pets.

"Our inspectors can now refer anyone who is struggling to their local food bank but as winter approaches the food banks are likely to be busier than ever and so we’d urge anyone who can to please donate to the project.”

Donated pet food ca be dropped off at the RSPCA inHalifax, Wade Street, Halifax HX1 1SN. Open every day 10.15am-4pm except Sunday when it closes at 3pm and closed all day Thursday.

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