SSPCA hands out almost 70,000 meals to struggling pet owners

A charity has helped animal owners by distributing nearly 70,000 meals for their animals.

The SPCA Party Pets Aid Service was created in 2023 to help owners confronted with difficulties due to the cost of living crisis.

They say they have seen calls for telephone assistance increase by 24%, as more and more families are faced with abandoning their pets.

The service aims to provide early help and preventive support for people who may have trouble.

New figures show that 66,895 pet meals were given in 2024 only – on average 183 meals a day.

A person that the service has helped is Melanie Kiyani and her dog Nala.

Melanie acceded to the help of the PCCAs of the Scottish SPCA after asking for help from the pantry of the Strathmartine Foodbank community in Dundee.

Melanie said: “I got Nala, who is a Jack Russell Chihuahua Cross, a few years ago at the end of cocovio locking.

“I had always wanted a dog, and she brought such joy to my life, for various reasons, it was a difficult period – especially financially.

“Some days was the choice between feeding myself or Nala, and Nala won each time.

“Each week, it became more and more struggle to reach both ends, it was

then that pet assistance intervened.

“Nala is three years old in May, and I really don’t know where we would be without the pet help for pets. It literally saved our lives. ”

Now Melanie volunteers at the service: “It’s great to restore something to the community and help by pets for pets is more than ever necessary.

“It brought me back on the right track at a time when I needed it most, and now I like to help others and their beloved pets too.”

The service has helped more than 8,335 owners and their pets across Scotland since its launch in 2023 and now operates 52 food banks and 48 donation points.

The head of the SPCTSH SPCA of Rehoming, Fostering & Community Commitment, Jennie Macdonald, said: “We know that services like Pet Aid provide a vital rescue buoy to thousands of people and their pets, and we are going much further in 2025 to provide this type of early help and preventive support in the country.

“No one should have to choose between feeding or feeding on their pet, or with the health or behavior of their pets because they are afraid of having to abandon their much appreciated companion.”