A fifth of foodbank users in Aberdeen are seeking help to feed their pets, teams have revealed.
Aberdeen North Foodbank has noted a “definite” increase in people asking for food for their cats, dogs and other pets.
Earlier this week, the Scottish SPCA announced the launch of pilot project Pet Aid to ease the pressure – and hopefully, prevent people handing their beloved animals over for rehoming.
According to statistics gathered by the Scottish SPCA, calls to the service to give up pets have more than trebled in 2022.
Foodbank administrator at Aberdeen North Foodbank, Matthew McArthur said there has been a notable increase in requests for help.
He said: “At first there wasn’t very many people that would take pet food from us. Nowadays, if we offer it and people have a pet, it’s very rare that they turn us down.”
‘Pets are the last thing they stop spending on’
Last year, the charity had so much dog food that they donated six crates worth of food to Mrs Murray’s Cat & Dog Home in Seaton.
Now, Mr McArthur said he had to buy some recently as they had none to give out due to the high demand.
Around a fifth of people needing food packages are now taking home pet food.
Mr McArthur added: “We’ve had people who come nowadays that have previously come and wouldn’t have asked for a pet food but now they are. So I think it shows that there is a little bit more of a strain on them.
“Most people who have pets and run out of money, their pets are the last thing that they stop spending money on. They don’t eat before they stop their pets eating which you can totally understand.”
Gary Aitkenhead from Inchgarth’s foodbank reported similar numbers:
“We’ve got at least about 10 people coming along now out of that 50 looking for cat and dog food,” he said.
He is in no doubt about how important pets are for peoples’ wellbeing, and stressed it was a desperate situation that the calls for help are on the up.
A ‘heart-breaking’ situation
He added: “We had a dog for 13 years and they’re just part of the family. It must be so hard for somebody to hand back a dog or a cat because they can’t afford to pay for it.
“It must be very hard for somebody to come along to a foodbank in the first place but it just shows you how hard it must be for them to do it. And then to ask on top of that if you’ve got anything for my cat and dog.
“It’s just heartbreaking when you lose them. But if you can’t afford to see them in pain because they’re hungry it’s so sad.”
While both foodbanks do provide pet food for people who need help, Mrs Murrays Cat & Dog Home in Aberdeen caters specifically for animal owners.
While they have not experienced an increase in animals needing to be rehomed, the home recently put out an ask for animal food and were overwhelmed by the response.
A spokeswoman from Mrs Murray’s Dog and Cat Home said: “It was amazing the response from the public, how quickly they came down and helped us. They came down in their droves with food for us to fill up our foodbanks. That was great.”
The service said it appeared the issue pulled at many people’s “heart-strings” and showed that a lot of people just want to help.
She added: “We’re here to support people who might need help in the short-term who are struggling to pay their electricity bills as it must be very distressing for people having to give up their animal.”
Big Food Appeal
Anyone who would benefit from using this service are encouraged to visit Star Community flat in Seaton for a voucher which can be used at the service to collect food.
It will regularly deliver pet food to the foodbanks – and will expand if other foodbanks are keen to get involved.
Meanwhile, the Press and Journal and Evening Express are working hard to make sure people in our communities know where they can get help.
The Big Food Appeal team is highlighting the help that is available, by signposting readers to their nearest foodbank, and working to reduce the stigma surrounding food poverty, by debunking the myths around who can receive support.
For more information, or to get involved with The Big Food Appeal, click here.
Conversation