A social enterprise is preparing to open its 12thth Merlin’s Pet Food Bank for just 12 months in response to community need.
Dorset Dogs CIC launched its first pet food bank at Canford Heath Community Fridge in February 2023.
This was quickly followed by ten additional locations by the end of the year and now the Ringwood Pet Food Bank is preparing to launch.
Created to be a safety net for pet owners during the cost of living crisis, Merlin’s Pet Food Banks make pet food available in partnership with community refrigerators, community stores, and other organizations.
Supported by food and financial donations from Dog Friendly Dorset and Hampshire’s Facebook community, a dedicated team of volunteers collect food from over 30 donation points.
They are located across BCP, Hampshire, Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland.
The team then delivers the items to food banks to ensure there is a regular and reliable supply of pet food for those in need.
Nicky Crowe, Founder of Dorset Dogs CIC, said: “It’s been quite a year.
“The cost of living crisis has hit people hard; some skip meals so they can afford to feed their pets, others make the difficult choice to give their pet to a rescue because they can’t meet their needs.
“The knock-on effect is that rescues are full because people aren’t adopting either, so we’ve started giving food donations to smaller rescues that are struggling for funding.
“We wish we could say that there is no demand, but the cost of living crisis doesn’t seem to be going away and people need our help more than ever.”
RSPCA research has found that almost a quarter (23 per cent) of pet owners are worried about feeding their animals amid the cost of living crisis.
In 2023, Dogs Trust took 45,000 handover enquiries: that’s almost 125 a day from people who could no longer meet their dog’s needs.
The cost of pet food has also increased with rising pet food prices, according to The Grocer.
Nicky said Dorset Dogs CIC is committed to ensuring Merlin’s Pet Food Bank continues.
He said: “We’re really proud and grateful to our group and our volunteers and the local businesses who help us.
“We already have the Ringwood Pet Food Bank in the works and we need to focus on fundraising to keep this project running to support the huge demand.
“If anyone can help, please get in touch.”
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