Ludlow Food Bank started including dog and cat food to its food parcels in 2015 after it found that its customers had actually been offering their contributed food to their family pets.
Now the food bank at the Rockspring Community Centre has actually partnered with charity Blue Cross who are gathering family pet food for the food bank to distribute to its customers.
Ruth Davies of the Ludlow Food Bank said: “We found that a great deal of individuals who had family pets that were described the food bank were offering the tuna or meat in their food parcels to their family pets, which isn’t who it is implied for.
“So we chose to make certain there was family pet food in the food parcels for those that have cats and dogs to make certain individuals were not offering their food to their family pets.”
She said to date they have actually supported around 80 cats and dogs coming from individuals described the food bank.
“Last year, Ludlow Blue Cross called me about establishing a food bank for family pets due to issues about starving animals throughout the cost of living crisis,” she said.
“When I informed them that we were were already offering cat and dog food to our customers, they understood it was a far better concept so they are now gathering pet food for us to guarantee our shops are equipped.
“It is not almost animal well-being, however individuals’s family pets are necessary to them so it offers them with convenience understanding their animals are not going starving.”
Frances Sproson, supervisor at Blue Cross Ludlow charity shop, said: “Here at Blue Cross we’ve heard stories of owners going without food themselves to cover the cost of feeding or caring for their pets and are aware that for some people their pets are their only companions and link to the outside world.
“No pet should have to go hungry, and no one should have to choose between feeding themselves or feeding their pets.
“Pets are part of the family and that’s why we’ve teamed up with our local food bank to help people to keep their family together. Your donations are helping families who have nowhere else to turn.”
