One of Scotland’s leading pet charities has launched a special foodbank to help animals in need.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is kicking off the scheme this week to help those living in poverty care for their pets.
The home’s staff will offer wet and dry food, jackets, collars, leads, bowls and bedding and will also be on hand to offer pet care advice as part of the service.
The charity’s spokesperson, Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, revealed they cared for 2,367 dogs and 771 cats in 2018, many of which came from loving homes and families.
However social problems such as financial issues, illness, homelessness and domestic abuse can all mean people might struggle to feed or look after their pet.
And Lindsay hoped the new pet foodbank will help empower owners to continue to care for their own animals.
She said: “Our team regularly receive heart-breaking enquiries 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 foodbank that we can keep some of those much-loved dogs and cats with their loved ones while continuing to support those in need.”
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home was founded in 1883 and works in partnership with Police and local authorities to rescue, reunite and rehome lost, stray and abandoned dogs and cats across Edinburgh and the Lothians and costs around £2.4 million a year to run.
