Council candidates urged to prioritise animal welfare & where to find pet food banks…
The call comes as the National RSPCA launches its new local government manifesto – ahead of the elections in England on May 4.
Local government plays a key role in animal welfare – and the national RSPCA works closely with Councils on issues such as enforcement, licensing, kennelling, stray dog provision, and more.
Across large parts of England, on 4 May, more than 8,000 local government seats will be contested within 230 Council areas – with the thousands of politicians elected at the ballot box in a “unique position” to “transform the lives of animals”.
Sadly, National RSPCA officers are seeing the impact of the cost of living crisis on the frontline – with more people abandoning animals, more animals coming into the charity’s care, and rehoming slowing as financial pressures bite; so their work with Councils is more important than ever.
The election comes at a busy time for national RSPCA officers on the frontline. In 2022, the charity investigated and closed 63,563 complaints of alleged cruelty across England and Wales – a whopping increase of 23.4% on the previous year; and problems continue in 2023.
In February alone, 1,324 incidents of animal abandonment were reported to the animal rescue charity – compared to 1,226 for the same month last year, a rise of eight percent – with cost of living pressures believed to be a major factor.
The RSPCA manifesto – ‘A local voice for animals’ – urges political parties and candidates to support a number of policies ahead of the election, including those aimed at:
- Improving animal welfare enforcement
- Protecting the vulnerable when they need help – and their pets
- Stopping exploiting animals for our entertainment
- Celebrating local authorities who go above and beyond
Find a pet food bank
We don’t want any animal – or their owner – to go hungry. The Animal Kindness Index report shows we’re a nation of animal lovers. However, seven in ten pet owners are worried about the cost of caring for their animals and a fifth are concerned about how they’ll afford to feed them.
The National RSPCA Pet Food Bank project collects pet food donations and delivers them to food banks for owners and animals in need. The cost-of-living crisis means the service is more in demand than ever.
Find a pet food bank near you:
You don’t have to travel far to find help. With food bank locations across England and Wales, you can find tasty food for your pet in an instant. To find your nearest pick-up point, simply use our map to explore your options.
The national RSPCA are continuing to add details of pet food banks to their map as and when they come on board and give us permission to list them, find yours here: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/costofliving/foodbank
