The rising cost of living is affecting pets as well as people. In Wiltshire, a food bank has reported a decline in donations of dog and cat food, while some families are facing difficult choices simply to keep their animals fed.

Financial hardship does not stop at the front door of a household with pets.

Across the UK, organisations providing pet food are reporting pressure on their supplies as demand remains high while donations decline. Salisbury Foodbank in Wiltshire has said it was running low on dog and cat food and would welcome almost any suitable donations to help replenish its supplies.

For some pet owners, that support can make a significant difference.

When essential expenses begin to compete

Pet owners already have to manage everyday costs such as food, veterinary care, preventive treatments, grooming and, in some cases, insurance.

When household income falls or an unexpected expense arrives, pet food can become another difficult cost to absorb.

One pet owner described going through an especially difficult financial period after her husband’s work payments stopped unexpectedly.

At the time, her family had several dogs and a cat.

She described reaching a point where she had to choose between feeding her animals, paying the electricity bill or feeding herself.

A pet food bank helped her continue caring for her dogs until her family’s situation improved.

Today, she is in a more stable position and is fundraising and giving back to the organisation that supported her.

Help that can prevent families from giving up their pets

For organisations supporting pet owners, providing food is about more than distributing bags of pet food.

Temporary assistance can help a family keep its animal during a period of financial difficulty.

Financial circumstances can change quickly. A job loss, hospitalisation, unexpected bill or reduction in income can destabilise a household within weeks.

Short-term food assistance may therefore help prevent a temporary financial crisis from turning into a permanent separation between an owner and their pet.

Donations are becoming harder to maintain

Bath Cats and Dogs Home, which passes surplus pet food to food banks, has also reported a decline in donations of dog food.

The organisation says the change reflects wider financial and cost-of-living pressures.

The challenge becomes particularly visible when people who would normally donate are themselves having to watch their household spending.

Dog food, in particular, can represent a significant expense, making donations more difficult when household budgets are already under pressure.

Pets are part of the household

For food bank staff, one principle remains important: pets are family members too.

A manager at Salisbury Foodbank said some older clients in particular can find themselves putting their pets’ needs before their own.

That highlights an often-overlooked aspect of the cost-of-living crisis: when a household experiences financial hardship, the animals depending on that household can be affected as well.

How can people help?

Pet welfare organisations may need more than financial donations.

Depending on the organisation’s current requirements, useful contributions can include:

• Dry dog food
• Wet dog food
• Cat food
• Appropriate pet treats
• Essential pet supplies
• Financial donations
• Suitable surplus food

Before donating, it is best to check with the organisation first so that donations match its current needs.

A problem that is easy to overlook

Financial hardship is not always visible.

A family can appear financially comfortable and find itself struggling only a few months later because of unemployment, illness or an unexpected expense.

That is why pet food banks and animal welfare organisations can play an important role: temporary support can help a family and its pets get through a difficult period without having to give up an animal they love.

For Animox, the story also reinforces a simple principle: caring for an animal means recognising that its wellbeing is closely connected to the stability and resources of the person responsible for it.