We expand our food bank partnership to help even more pet owners in need

18.02.21

We've expanded our food bank partnership to cover nearly the whole of Lancashire as well as new plans to include parts of Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside.

Our pet food bank operation is expanding © RSPCA Last November our deputy chief inspector Alison Fletcher, who works in Lancashire, decided to link-up with food banks in the area to provide them with pet food for owners who were struggling to make ends meet. Starting with five areas across Lancashire, the scheme now includes 11 food banks covering almost the whole of the county.

Alison said:

We're absolutely thrilled with how well this project is going and how responsive the food banks have been in helping provide people with pet food. We also hope to expand and incorporate Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside in the project very soon!

We know just how important our pets are to us. They really do become part of the family but sadly, since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic we're seeing more families being unable to afford to provide for their pets. Many people are experiencing tough times at the moment and the last thing we want is for a loving owner to have to give up their companion and real source of comfort, so we set up this scheme in the hope that we could provide as much pet food as possible and keep families and their pets together.

Preventing people from making difficult sacrifices

Jason Barbour, from Accrington in Lancashire, uses the Maundy Relief Foodbank in Accrington. He has a two-year-old crossbreed dog called Captain Jack and the food bank means he can provide food for his much-loved dog as well as himself.

Jason said:

When I got Captain Jack as a two-month-old puppy, I only expected him to grow to the size of a staffy. He has actually grown to double that size which means he needs double the amount of expected food. He's my life and my main source of support - I couldn't imagine life without him as he is always by my side 24/7. If the food bank couldn't support us with pet food, I could never give him up. I always would have found a way, even if that meant not eating myself. I'm not the sort of person to give him away. He's everything to me.

He's my reason to get up in the morning. I just wouldn't be me without him, he is my family and my comfort. He has got me through lockdown and Covid. We just take care of each other.

Jason, who has now used the food bank for the last five years added:

The team at Maundy Relief are fantastic people. They do everything they can for you. They're a lifeline to so many people and I can't thank them and the RSPCA enough for the assistance they offer to me and Captain Jack.

Thank you to Purina for their support

Delivering food for owners and their pets in need © RSPCA Over the last few months, we've been able to donate 3,500kg of pet food to food banks in Lancashire, helping people like Jason, and dogs like Captain Jack.

Pet food brand Purina has donated six pallets of cat food to the project meaning Alison and her colleagues have been able to provide even more pet food for those who need it.

Ellen Camillin, our senior corporate development manager, said:

We'd like to thank Purina for their support on this project. They have provided vital cat food to help the project get off the ground and ensure that pet owners who are struggling have access to the food their cat needs. By having businesses like Purina on board it means we can hope to reach even more pets and are now looking to expand the project.