Edinburgh Dog and Cat home tackling in-work poverty to keep pets and people together

When global events, happening thousands of miles away, are impacting on food on the table at home; tackling rising food costs and ensuring that our beloved pets are fed and cared for is more challenging than ever.

The grind of worrying about money can feel relentless, a weight and stress impacting on wellbeing for people.  The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Poverty in Scotland 2025 report, highlighted the impact of in-work poverty with an estimated 6 in 10 people in poverty living in a household where someone works.

We have been running a pet food bank for just over 7 years.  Back in 2019, this was new territory for Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, and we quickly realised that targeted help was needed to support people struggling with rising food costs.  This is a lifeline for some, rather than facing the horrible situation of potentially giving up a much-loved pet.  Of course, food is only one cost facing pet owners and we receive over 1,400 calls per month to our advice line seeking help and support.

Crucial to ensuring we can respond quickly is an incredible network of food bank partners, a dedicated volunteer team who organise and distribute food, and the generosity of the public and businesses providing donations at supermarkets and through regular giving.  Hay Avenue Community Hub, Edinburgh is one example, working with the Home to provide a fortnightly pet food bank supporting 50-60 households and they experience huge demand.  Together, we are providing a safety net for pets and people at risk.

Sadly, we are anticipating growing requests for help as the latest energy cap comes into effect in July and fuel costs remain high.  Last year, we provided 636,000 pet meals, at a weight of 59,000kgs, roughly the same as 40 average family sized cars.  Yet, this only represents around 65% of requests for pet food.

For all pet lovers, and in Edinburgh and Lothians there are many, estimated at 178,000 dogs and 125,000 cats, we know the importance and joy of having a dog or cat at home or at work.  We are here to help and by acting early, and without fear or judgement, we can address concerns minimising the risk of someone having to give up a much-loved pet.

To find out more about our work to keep families and pets together and for your organisation signposting to support for your people who have pets please visit Accessible Pet Support – Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home.