Animal welfare charity, Bath Cats and Dogs Home, has donated five hundred pounds worth of pet food to Bath Foodbank. Run by Genesis Trust Bath, the charity aims to help provide food for pets and relieve financial pressures faced by pet owners based in Bath and North East Somerset during the cost-of-living crisis.

Bath Cats and Dogs Home’s donation has supplied 108kg of dog food and 27kg of cat food to the foodbank which will be included in emergency food parcels for pet owners to provide food for their pets.

The donation comes from the RSPCA Pet Food Bank Partnership which, in collaboration with other charities, aims to direct pet food donations to existing food banks and community groups distributing emergency food parcels. Some funding received from sponsors to the pet food bank partnership has been distributed to RSPCA branches, including Bath, to supply pet food to local food banks to help owners afford to keep their pets at home.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues and with inflation over ten percent, foodbank support is in huge demand across the UK. Data analysts report that grocery price inflation hit a high of 17.5% in March 2023 and in some cases pet owners are struggling to afford to feed themselves and their pets and are turning to food banks for help or even giving animals some of their own food.

Grainne Moher, Bath Foodbank Manager for the Genesis Trust said: “We are meeting more and more people needing to use the foodbank who also have pets to care for, particularly people finding themselves in this situation for the first time. We know that without the availability of pet food at our centres that many may use the food intended to feed themselves to feed their animals. We understand that pets are part of the family and need to be taken care of, and so we always try to provide for them too when preparing our food parcels. For some, this could prevent them having to make the difficult decision to give up their pet.”

Rachel Jones, Chief Executive at Bath Cats and Dogs Home said: “We are really pleased to be able to make this donation to our wonderful local foodbank and to help get quality pet food directly to those pet owners who need it the most.

“In 2022 we took in twelve percent more dogs and cats than in 2021 largely as a result of people struggling to afford their pets, changing family circumstances or animal behaviour issues.”

“We’d encourage anyone in the local area to contact us for information and advice if they are worried about being able to keep their pets. Our aim is to keep pets in their loving homes wherever possible.”

To find out more about the Bath Foodbank visit: www.bath.foodbank.org.uk or go to the Bath Cats and Dogs Home website for advice and information: 
www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk