SCOTS pet owners are increasingly relying on food banks to feed their animals as the cost of living crisis escalates.
At the end of 2020, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home supplied fifty food banks in East and Central Scotland with vital meals for pets. They now supply 88 and requests from pet owners since last year has risen by 33%.
In October 2020 the home provided 500 food bank meals – compared with 52,613 in October 2023.
The demand for pet food bank support is growing so rapidly it is currently outstripping supply.
Without food bank support from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, some pet owners would be forced to surrender their dog or cat.
The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their services increases.
To help get through the winter months, the Home recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing support to animals in need and help people to keep their pets at home.
To make a donation or to read more of their stories visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal.
Kirsten Gillon, Community Outreach Lead at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home said: “The cost-of-living crisis has really accentuated the fact that people are needing help to feed their pets.
“And it’s not always people who are on benefits who need us, it’s also people who are working and can’t access government support, so they are forced to turn to our food banks.”
“The need is just growing and growing, it’s not declining in any way.
“The need is far greater than anything I thought it would be. And trying to find enough donations to fill the requests is really difficult.
“We’ve tried to increase donations coming in and we try to split donations as fairly and equally as we can across locations.
“It’s not always possible as we are at the mercy of the generous donations of the public.”
One anonymous user of the foodbank said: “Pets are key to my mental health as well as physical health and over all wellbeing.
“I didn’t realise I could get help with dog food and have been going without so I could feed my two dogs. This help with food is so appreciated and allows us all to be fed and stay together.”
