Cost of living: Pet food banks to open in Oxfordshire

Two pet food banks have been opened by a charity ship as the cost of living "starts to bite"

Two pet food banks have been opened by a charity shop as the price of food increases.

David Palmer, from animal charity Blue Cross, has opened pet food banks in Bicester and Witney as "the cost of living [is] starting to bite".

Employees collect donations and then take them to food banks to be sent out with food parcels.

A pet food bank in Banbury also said it has seen an increase in demand as "everyone is feeling the pinch".

David Palmer from Blue Cross said "as prices of food goes up, people have got to make tough choices"

Blue Cross found that one in eight people either know someone who has used a pet food bank, or have used one themselves for the first time this year.

In London that rises to 21%, in Birmingham this rate is 17% and in Manchester it is 16%.

UK inflation figures show prices have risen 11.1% in the year to October, up from 10.1% the previous month.

Mr Palmer said inflation will impact everyone and "as prices of food goes up, people have got to make tough choices".

He said: "We saw an explosion of pet ownership during Covid because people wanted companionship, which was great, but on the flip side of that we're seeing owners having to make difficult choices, can they feed themselves? Can they feed their dog or their cat?"

Claire Evans runs The Pet Bank in Banbury which she set up in 2020 but said it is a "necessity now more than ever before".

She said she has seen an increase in demand and "charities are overwhelmed with pets that have been given up".

"Pets are important for our wellbeing and to provide companionship... so I think it's important that we keep pets and families together."

Ms Evans currently averages 15 to 25 meals a week but "with the run up to Christmas that is only going to increase more".