The Sussex East and Hastings RSPCA branch is appealing for donations of pet food to help support pet owners who are homeless or struggling in the cost of living crisis.
The branch has been donating food to homeless charity Surviving the Streets for around four years, by way of community food bank lockers (pictured).
It's to make sure pet owners who have 'fallen on hard times' are able to still feed their pets.
Sarah Parsons from the branch, said:
“Sadly, it seems as though the cost of living increase means that more people are struggling to afford to feed their pets and are relying on food banks and other services more and more.
“We are now bracing for an influx of abandoned pets or owners who have to give them up because they can no longer afford to keep them but we hope that through donating pet food to those who need it we will be able to provide some support to people and their much-loved pets.”
The appeal comes as the RSPCA releases a report on the nation's attitude towards animals. It's the first of its kind and is based on a YouGov survey of just over 4,000 UK adults.
It revealed that the rising cost of living and the cost of pet ownership could threaten our love for our pets with 72% of pet owners saying they think the cost of living will impact their animals, almost 70% expressing concern that the cost of care was increasing, and a fifth worried about how they’ll afford to feed their pets. The study showed cat owners seem to be most impacted and concerned about cost of living pressures.
In the South East, 70% of people said that the cost of looking after their pet had become more expensive over the last 12 months while 31% said they were worried about being able to afford to properly care for their pet and 18% said they were worried about the cost of feeding their pets.
The RSPCA says it is seeing an increase in rescued animals coming into its care with many centres already full and others close to capacity, at the same time as rehoming is slowing down and signs that more people are looking to give up their pets.
Research by the charity shows in April 2021 there were around 4,400 searches per month around ‘giving up pets’* and in April 2022 this figure rose by 50% to a high of 6,600.
To donate pet food contact the RSPCA Sussex East and Hastings branch
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