A food bank manager in Wiltshire says donations of pet food have fallen sharply this summer, with some owners choosing to go without food themselves rather than let their animals go hungry. Salisbury Foodbank says it now needs "everything and anything" people can spare for cats and dogs, while a neighbouring charity in Bath reports a similar drop in supplies.
Vicky Bye, who owns a six-year-old dalmatian, two springer spaniels and a cat, says a local pet food bank kept her family afloat during a period of unexpected hardship, and she now volunteers her time to support the scheme that helped her.
Why are pet owners struggling to feed their animals?
Bye says her household was financially secure when the pets joined the family, but circumstances changed abruptly within a year.
It was either feed my animals, pay my electric bill or feed myself.
My husband was promised work - payment stopped for the work and we were literally living off peanuts and I just remember crying.
She credits the pet food bank with allowing her to keep her animals through the difficult period.
But it was thanks to the pet food bank I was able to keep my dogs and we got through that sticky patch and got back on our feet.
Although her finances have since stabilised, Bye says she remains conscious of how quickly circumstances can change.
I may be plodding along financially secure at the minute but next week - if my husband loses his job or I end up in hospital - you never know what's around the corner.
How are food banks responding to the shortage?
Maria Stevenson, who manages Salisbury Foodbank, says pet food is offered as an add-on to its main service but is often prioritised by older clients over their own needs.
It's really important to make sure each family member receives some food.
The pressure on pet owners echoes wider strain on household budgets reported elsewhere in the region. Earlier coverage found that rising living costs and health problems are pushing more people towards foodbanks in the South Cotswolds, many for the first time. A separate report described how a single father relying on a Castle Cary community larder fears the summer will be especially difficult as donations dry up and holiday voucher schemes end, while another investigation found families are skipping meals during the school holidays once free school meals stop.
What role does Bath Cats and Dogs Home play?
Bath Cats and Dogs Home passes on surplus pet food to local food banks and other rescues, and it too has noticed fewer donations of dog food coming in. Hayley Crymble, the charity's education and outreach manager, says the pattern reflects tighter household budgets.
We're definitely seeing the results of the financial crises and the cost of living crises in the donations that we receive.
Dog food is more expensive and for supporters when they're in supermarkets and they're maybe considering what they can afford to donate.
A box of 40 cat food pouches is tangibly more than one bag of dog food - which might cost the same amount - so they tend to go for that.
According to the charity's own guidance, it buys its own animals' food through trade deals, so donated food is more usefully redirected to food banks and other rescues, and it now encourages people to consider giving money instead, which it says is the most effective way to help feed animals in need, as set out on Bath Cats and Dogs Home's donations page.
Genesis Trust, which runs Bath Foodbank, has said it receives a monthly pet food delivery from Bath Cats and Dogs Home and that 1,488.9kg of pet food has been donated through the partnership so far this year. Nationally, the RSPCA points people towards a directory of local schemes and says businesses can approach its corporate partnerships team to help set up similar support, according to the RSPCA's cost-of-living advice page. Bath Cats and Dogs Home was also listed as a participant in the Naturewatch Foundation's 2026 "Donate a Dinner" campaign, according to Naturewatch Foundation.
What happens next?
Bath Cats and Dogs Home's website, last updated on 14 August 2026, continues to list active donation routes and fundraising events, according to the charity's support page. The organisation's phone lines remain open daily between 9am and 5pm for enquiries, suggesting donation and support efforts will continue without an announced end date, per its contact details. The RSPCA's food bank directory also remains active for anyone seeking local help, with no closing date currently set.
Key Facts
- Salisbury Foodbank says pet food donations have dropped over the summer and is appealing for any dog or cat food supplies.
- Vicky Bye, who owns three dogs and a cat, says pet food bank support helped her family avoid giving up their animals during a financial crisis.
- Bath Cats and Dogs Home has also recorded a fall in dog food donations, which it links to the cost of living.
- Bath Foodbank has received 1,488.9kg of pet food this year through a monthly donation from Bath Cats and Dogs Home.
- The RSPCA operates a nationwide directory to help people locate local pet food bank support.
