The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has launched a fresh appeal for support after a huge drop in the number of donations to its food bank network.
The centre supports 87 food banks across East and Central Scotland, providing meals to owners who would otherwise not be able to afford to feed their companion animals. In 2023, the home was able to fulfil over 75% of pet food requests that it received but since February this year, the home has been able to fulfil less than 50% of requests, forcing some owners to surrender their pets, it reports. Capacity at the centre is at a maximum and officials say that if even 1% of animals currently supported by food banks were surrendered the home would not have the capacity to accept them.
Last year the home provided 671,000 pet meals in total through emergency food packs accessed at the home and through food banks – a 104% increase on the number of meals it provided in 2022. In April 2024 alone the home supplied 1,144 dogs and 2,124 cats with one week’s worth of food.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is now appealing to pet businesses to assist with donations, and to members of the public to help run pet food drives at workplaces or in community groups. A team of 20 volunteers collect, organise and distribute donations to pet food bank locations across Scotland each week.
Jamie Simpson, director of people and services at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “Our Pet Food Banks are a lifeline for thousands of dog and cat owners across East and Central Scotland, who, without our support, may have to give up their loved pet.
“We rely solely on donations to provide food supplies and with the cost-of-living crisis, demand is increasing. The Home is now at a point in which our foodbank donations are critically low but demand for help is at a record high, so we are asking anyone who can to support us with a donation of dog or cat food, to help pet owners in need in the community and keep pets in loving homes.”
