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Demand on Manx pet food charity soars with '8-10' new users a week 

Picture credit: Daga_Roszkowska from Pixabay

Pet Food Pantry issues appeal for more donations

A Manx charity that provides pet food for owners who're facing hard times says demand has sky-rocketed recently.

The Pet Food Pantry says it's been getting requests from 'eight to ten' new users a week.

The organisation was established in 2023 in response to the rising cost of living to help owners keep their existing family pets when faced with giving them up.

Founder Helen MacAffer says the need for donations right now is critical:

The Pet Food Pantry says: "The service we offer is a lifeline to some people/families as they live alone and their pet is the only company they have, walking dogs helps people with mental health issues or older people that may be lonely have a chance to socialize whilst out walking. 

"Some people are going through a divorce/separation or are ill and it would be added stress if they had to re home their pet at this time. It helps take the burden off rescue centres and other charities if they had to animals can stay with their current family at home.

"We are currently almost completely out of cat food. We have been incredibly busy, more so due to it being the school holidays and people are really struggling to make ends meet. If you are in a position to donate food we would be extremely grateful."

The items the charity says it's in desperate need of, and use a lot of, are:

  • Whiskas wet food
  • All types of Felix wet food
  • Sheeba cat food (particularly fish flavours)
  • Tesco/pets at home wet food
  • All types of cat biscuits. Preferably the boxes or 2kg bags. 
  • Winalot wet dog food
  • Pedigree chum food

You can find a link to the charity's Amazon wish list HERE.

There are also collection points at Laxey Commissioners Offices, Animal Ark in Onchan and the Trafalger in Ramsey.

For those in Douglas and the south, who would like to donate, it can be collected by Marie or Helen.

Listen below to the full interview with Helen via the Manx Radio Newscast:
 

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