Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home launches animal food bank for owners struggling to feed pets

A cat and dog home is launching a pet food bank to help owners struggling to feed their beloved animals.

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home launched its dedicated pet food bank on Wednesday and said it will offer wet and dry food, jackets, collars, leads, bowls and bedding.

Staff at the Scottish charity will also be hand to offer pet care advice as part of the service.

The cat and dog home said it regularly receives “heart-breaking” inquiries from people struggling to choose between feeding themselves or their pets.

It said that many of the 2,367 dogs and 771 cats it cared for in 2018 had come from loving homes and families, but that social problems such as financial pressures, illness, homelessness and domestic abuse can leave people struggling to feed or look after their animals.

The charity hopes the new cat and dog food bank will help keep more pets with their families.

Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, director of operations, said: “Our team regularly receive heart-breaking inquiries from members of the public struggling to choose between feeding themselves or their pets.

“The home takes in hundreds of dogs and cats in need of a second chance however there are times where some of these animals are coming from loving families who can no longer cope with their care.

“We hope by establishing our own dedicated pet food bank that we can keep some of those much-loved dogs and cats with their loved ones while continuing to support those in need.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home was founded in 1883 and works in partnership with the police and local authorities to rescue, reunite and rehome lost, stray and abandoned dogs and cats across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The charity, which costs around £2.4 million a year to run, has an open-door policy to any dog or cat that is in need.