USPCA expands support for pet owners experiencing poverty

An animal charity is celebrating after receiving funding to expand a service which supports pet owners experiencing poverty.

The Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) supplies almost 8,000 pet parcels to food banks across Northern Ireland every year.

They include food, blankets, basic care items, and even a toy to play with, to ensure people can continue looking after their animals.

One of the food banks it supplies in Portadown, Co Armagh, was set up Donna Whitten after she was moved by a TV programme about people giving up their pets due to financial hardship.

“We help a wide range of people in great need,” she said. “Recently this has included a lady struggling on benefits who visits the food bank every week to feed her pets, and a gentleman struggling with mental health issues, who was close to surrendering his dog before discovering the food bank, and was brought to tears by the help that was available.

“The partnership between the USPCA and grassroots food banks like ours plays a vital role in communities all over Northern Ireland, keeping pets and people together.

“Without the support of USPCA, people would have no choice but to surrender their beloved animals at a time when they need them most. Quite simply, they are a lifeline.”

The USPCA has been running the Pet Parcel Scheme for more than 10 years, and recently expanded it after receiving a £20,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.

USPCA chief executive Heather Weir stressed the importance of pets for companionship and sense of purpose for many people.

“Our message this Christmas remains that pets are a lifelong commitment, definitely not presents. But providing essentials as a preventative measure to people feeling forced to surrender a much-loved companion simply because they’re struggling with day-to-day costs is a very different situation,” she said.

“We are a nation of animal lovers and our pets offer emotional stability when life becomes challenging. They give us a routine, companionship and a sense of purpose, which can be especially important for people facing loneliness, financial stress, mental health difficulties or social isolation.

“We know that for some people, their pets are all they have. They bring them joy and a sense of purpose, which for many elderly people, is so important.

“Many will be sitting alone on Christmas Day with their cat or dog, and the bond that they are able to share on what can be an emotional day can make all the difference.

“Thanks to the funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, we will strengthen the long-term sustainability of our pet parcel service, ensuring that pets can remain with the people who love them, and that hardship does not become a barrier to providing an animal with a permanent loving home and an owner with a best friend.”

The National Lottery Community Fund said it has provided nearly £90 million over the past 10 years to support 900 projects in Northern Ireland that help reduce loneliness and isolation, as part of £1 billion for 30,000 projects across the UK.

Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland director at the National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Loneliness and isolation continue to affect many people in our communities, and it’s a problem that is brought into sharp focus around Christmas time.

“We’re proud to support organisations which are working hard to provide real connections within our society, whether it’s bringing people together in celebration around the holidays, providing much-needed support for families in crisis or ensuring that people are able to rely on the comfort and company they gain from their treasured furry companions.”