A dog rehoming centre has opened a food bank as many pet owners are faced with a sharp rise in costs due to the current cost of living crisis.
The Dogs Trust rehoming centre in Huyton has opened a dog food bank to help struggling owners during the cost of living crisis. The UK's largest dog welfare charity voiced grave concerns that 350,000 dogs in the UK could need new homes if the cost of living continues to rise.
A recent survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of the charity revealed more than one in ten dog owners have been forced into debt in order to care for their dog - a situation predicted to worsen as people tighten their belts as energy and food prices soar.
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Owen Sharp, CEO of Dogs Trust, said: " It’s hugely worrying that dog owners are falling into debt with the cost of looking after their dogs, and a stark indicator of how seriously the cost of living crisis is impacting on our dog-loving nation." Mr Shap added: "I’m really worried that, despite our best efforts, the sector will reach a point where we’ve reached the limit of what we can do, and we’ll be forced to turn away dogs in need."
The dog rehoming charity revealed many of its centres are already at capacity. But the real concern is that owners are having to cut back on canine essentials. Eight in ten dog owners have experienced a rise in the costs in keeping their dog - with 77 percent revealing they noticed a clear increase in food.
Over 20 percent of respondents in the charity's survey said they had switched to cheaper dog food and one in 10 are delaying seeking veterinary treatment due to the cost. The charity has revealed they have opened dog food banks, including in Merseyside, to help owners with rising costs.
Georgina Lowery, manager at Dogs Trust Merseyside, told the ECHO: "Dogs Trust has been receiving a shocking and unprecedented number of calls from dog owners asking us to take in their dogs because they feel they won’t be able to see them through this crisis. 77 percent of dog owners have told us that they have seen a rise in the cost of dog food, and one in ten have been forced into debt to care for their dogs.
"For most dog owners, being separated from their dog is no different from being separated from a family member, so we want to keep as many dogs and owners together as possible. The launch of food banks in some of our rehoming centres, including here in Merseyside, is one way we are trying to do this, and thanks to the generosity of people across Liverpool we have dog food available for anyone struggling with the cost of dog food."
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