CARING staff at a Worcester pet store have launched a new community food donation point to help support pets and owners as the cost of living continues to challenge households.
The Pets at Home store in Worcester now has a collection point for those who wish to donate pet food to pet owners in need.
In partnership with national pet charity Blue Cross, Pets at Home across the country is seeking donations of dog, cat, puppy and kitten food, as well as food for small animals including rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
Donations will then be collected and distributed by Blue Cross to local foodbanks.
The donation points will be rolled out to all 450 plus Pets at Home stores nationally by June and will be kept in place for as long as they are needed.
The pet care specialist is also supporting the scheme by providing Blue Cross with a monthly supply of vouchers to allow them to supplement customer contributions based on the individual requirements of local food banks.
It coincides with Pets at Home’s ongoing partnership with the charity, with Blue Cross receiving more than £470,000 from its VIP Lifelines scheme over the past decade.
Lyssa McGowan, Pets at Home chief executive officer, said: “As the UK continues to experience a rapid rise in the cost of living, we know that pet owners will do everything they can to ensure their pets don’t miss out, but we also understand that some owners may be facing difficult choices as their finances become stretched.
“Blue Cross and Pets at Home believe no-one should have to face the difficulty of struggling to feed their beloved pets, and we know that our customers are keen to help out wherever they can. This is why we are joining forces to install pet food donation points across all Pets at Home stores, working together to make sure no pet goes hungry.”
Henry Howells, Pets at Home Worcester store manager, said: “We’re excited to launch the customer donation points in our store. I’m looking forward to raising awareness of the local causes we’ll be supporting, and we’re grateful for our customers giving whatever they can.”
Chris Burghes, chief executive officer at Blue Cross, said: “Pets are part of the family and we’re really proud to have partnered with Pets at Home on this scheme to have a positive impact on the local community in Worcester.”
