Wearside RSPCA food bank sees 50% increase in need for help as cost of living continues to bite

As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, a Wearside food hub for animals has already provided over 75 food parcels for pets and has seen a 50% increase in demand for help since January.

The RSPCA hub is encouraging more people with pets in need to take up their support.

As inflation spiralled, the cost of everyday living has seen many people turning to food banks to make ends meet. The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions showed in 2023, 2.1 million people lived in a household which had used a food bank in the previous 12 months.

But with around 57% of household owning a pet, it's not just people who are feeling the pinch. With the cost of pet food having also rocketed, the RSPCA says around 80% of people struggle to pay for their pets' needs.

In 2023 the RSPCA charity opened a pet food bank on Chester-le-Street Front Street and has already given out over 50 pet food parcels since the start of 2024.

The hub, which is run by the RSPCA's Sunderland, Hartlepool & South Tyneside Branch, also provides free advice and information sessions for pet owners, pet health clinics and vouchers for microchipping and neutering.

The hub is also home to the charity's shop, with all the money used to support RSPCA welfare initiatives.

Community Hub Project Coordinator Allison West, said: “Our pet food bank helped over 75 animals in 2023 but cost of living pressures mean the service is now more in demand than ever.

"Our numbers have increased by around 50 per cent since the New Year and are continuing to go up. While it's mainly dog owners we’re supporting, we’ve also provided food, litter and bedding for cats, rabbits and even pet rats.

“We want to do all we can to help as we know pets can be a huge source of comfort to their owners and they shouldn’t feel forced to give them up - after all, they are much-loved members of the family.

“We hope our hub is a welcoming community space where people can come in with their pets for a chat, a cup of coffee or a browse around our shop.

"It’s all about helping to keep people and their pets together in challenging times, whether that be through providing a food parcel, a little bit of advice or a listening ear.” 

Dog owner Alan is one of the local residents to benefit from the hub.

He said: "The Community Hub is a brilliant project and has helped me and my dog Tyler out three times in as many months.

"The cost of living crisis many of us are facing right now also affects the animals we own and love and I’m so grateful to the team for the help they have provided to us."

Demand for pet food support has soared since the RSPCA’s first pet food bank was set up in Lancashire in December 2020.

Since then the RSPCA has provided a staggering 1.6 million pet meals nationally through its 130 pet food bank schemes.

Owners needing support with food and other care for their pets can contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 0650.