USPCA provides Pet Food Parcels for The Trussell Trust Food Bank Network

Thousands of Northern Ireland families are struggling to make ends meet and the province wide network of food banks run by the Trussell Trust is addressing this need in a practical and compassionate way.

Many who benefit from these services are responsible pet owners and will go so far as to deny themselves nutrition in order to care for their animal.
As a charity dedicated to the relief and prevention of animal suffering the USPCA has willingly stepped in to ensure the wellbeing of these pets by providing pet specific food parcels for distribution by the Trussell Trust.

USPCA Chief Executive Stephen Philpott states
“The USPCA policy is to prevent and relieve suffering of animals and ensuring the animals have food and essential’s is vital in society today, for those who can’t afford to keep their pets in food, the consequences are greater than just an empty stomach. Many pets will be surrendered to overburdened shelters, others will be abandoned. Families are torn apart and vital companionship lost, simply because there is not enough money left in the family purse to buy pet food”

Susanne Downey, Northern Ireland Regional Officer for the Trussell Trust says: ‘The Trussell Trust Food Bank Network is delighted to partner with the USPCA across the province to provide animal food boxes to our dog and cat owning clients to prevent unnecessary animal suffering. Many of our clients can’t afford to buy basic food items for themselves never mind their pets and unfortunately in many instances animals are suffering from hunger along with their owners when crisis hits. In some cases a beloved dog or cat has to be given away or worse still, as people in crisis are unable to feed or care for their animals properly. We hope that these boxes will act as a life line to our pet owning clients, and they are in addition to our 3 days emergency food packs.’