Nearly 50,000 servings of pet food delivered across Wales to help with cost-of-living crisis

Nearly 50,000 servings of pet food have been distributed across Wales via RSPCA branches since June.

The Wales Pet Food Bank involves securing dog and cat food donations from suppliers and then distributing these via RSPCA branches to food banks and organisations across Wales.

All 11 RSPCA branches in Wales are part of the food bank initiative – with a group of branches in North Wales (Aberconwy, Clwyd & Colwyn, West Gwynedd, Wrexham District & Deeside and Ynys Mon) initially coming together to fund and make the scheme possible.

It was then rolled out across Wales in June so all branches could join the effort to distribute the food where it was needed most.

The charity has warned that the cost-of-living crisis poses an enormous issue to pet owners, describing it as an “urgent threat” to pet owners.

This summer the RSPCA recently released its Animal Kindness Index, a groundbreaking inaugural report, in partnership with the Scottish SPCA, which looked at the nation’s attitude towards animals.

The report, based on a YouGov survey of more than 4,000 UK adults, revealed that the rising cost of living and the cost of pet ownership could threaten our love for our pets. 72% of pet owners said they think the cost of living will impact their animals, while 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.

Carl Lloyd, who has been coordinating the Wales scheme, said: “Since June we have distributed just over 49,000 servings of food to over 20 food banks and other groups across Wales.

“We know this is very much needed across Wales and we are very pleased to be able to help distribute this food which has been kindly donated to us.

“We have three RSPCA distribution hubs in Wales – Mochdre, Newport and at Llys Nini Animal Centre in Swansea, and from our last delivery, North Wales received 10 pallets, Newport received 19 and the Llys Nini hub received 10.”