At The Pantri – we love our pets. Our hearts break at the idea that pets could be going without. Pets are precious members of our family, who are always there when we need a cwtch and a pick me up. In fact 59% of UK households now have at least one pet. As the cost of living continues to rise, our volunteers were worried how this could impact our furry family members. In this blog, we explain why our volunteer Jane set up The Pet Food Bank at The Pantri.
Having pets at home opens a number of benefits for us. Firstly they are cute and fluffy. They bring us endless joy, sometimes at the sacrifice of the occasional flip flop or in this admins experience a door frame. On a serious note, pets really help fight feelings of loneliness. Dog owners on average benefit from 20-30 minutes of outdoor exercise a day. For younger family members, a sense of responsibility as they assist with the care of the animal. Also, they can boost immune systems and help us through tough emotional times.
The Cost of Pets
Pets can be an expensive addition to our family. A Post Office survey revealed that the average costs of maintaining pets is actually a lot more than you would think. When you add together the cost of food, vet bills or plans, insurance, training, grooming, toys, as well as the need for any walkers or sitters you could have a considerable monthly bill. The same survey showed that there is also substantial set up costs for pets, £190 for dogs and as much £227 for a rabbit. Estimates ranged from £70 per month for a cat, £85 for a rabbit and between £80-£120 for a dog, depending on the breed.
Our team understand that these costs can by unsustainable for many families right now. We believe no-one should go without food. We believe in a hand up for everyone in our community including our pets. So the Pet Food Bank was born.
What is a Pet Food Bank?
Our pet food bank is for anyone who is struggling to feed their pets at the moment. Thanks to the donation station that we have set up at Tesco Risca we have been able to offer a Pet Food Bank at The Pantri. The idea has been managed and developed by one of our volunteers Jane.
There are so many people struggling at the moment, I couldn’t bare the idea that animals were being given up or abandoned because there was no way to feed them. I saw the good we were doing at Pantri, helping give those in need a little hand up. I wanted to offer the same for their pets too. So pets and their family can stay together.
Jane – Pet Food Bank Lead
Coordinating with our Pantri team, founders Tara and Dawn and working with the community manager at Tesco, the pet food donation station was born. Here’s how it looks today:
When is our Pet Food Bank Open?
The Pet Food Bank is open during The Pantri operating hours. Our opening times vary from season to season but for Winter are times are as follows:
For up to date opening hours, see our times on our contact us page. Pet food is free but we do stamp our Pantri members cards each time pet food is taken. Please ask a member of staff at The Pantri for more information.
This project is all thanks to the dedication and motivation of our volunteers who saw a way they could help people (and fur-babies) in our community. If you have an idea that you would like to get started in the community, why not see if we can help you get it started?