How one woman is tackling the abandoned pet crisis

Dozens of animal rescue centres have hit "crisis point" amid an alarming rise in abandoned pets, charity bosses have said.

In the aftermath of a global pandemic and the midst of a cost of living crisis, more animals are being deserted than ever before.

Many centres across the south west of England have warned they are struggling to stay afloat, due to a manifold of increasing costs.

It is an issue close to Wendy Isaacs' heart, which is why the former pet shop owner has taken action to help.

In December 2022, she set up a pet food bank at her home on the outskirts of Melksham, Wiltshire.

Equipped with a social media page, she started asking for donations to support owners.

“I started this because so many people are struggling," she said.

"Rescue centres are overloaded and people are abandoning animals, all because they can’t afford to feed them or pay the vet bills."

Anybody with excess or leftover animal goods - including food, leads and bedding - can donate their unwanted supplies at various drop-off points around the town.

Ms Isaacs then collects the donated stock and posts about what is available on a Facebook group made up of more than 900 members.

Some join the group as beneficiaries, while others join as donors.

Beneficiaries can contact Ms Isaacs through the group to reserve stock before coming to collect it from her house.

She credited the "wonderful" donors who help keep her spare room "kitted out" with supplies.

"It’s not me that keeps this going, it’s the people that donate," she said.

"Without them, this would not exist. We depend on everybody that supports us to keep us going. I’m only the middle man, I suppose - I hand it all out and deal with it.

"If I’m running low on something, I only have to shout and I get it."

She sees a range of people utilising the food bank, with some reaching out on a weekly basis and others sporadically.

“We’ve had many people that have come to us and many people leave us because it’s turned their situation around," she said.

She recalled one former recipient who used to seek weekly support to help care for his large dog when he was unemployed.

Eventually, he secured a job and stopped visiting the pet food bank.

“He said, ‘Wendy, I don’t need your help anymore. I’m really grateful - I’ve got my job, I’ve got my dog and I’ve got my life back'. And that is what we’re here for," Ms Isaacs said.

“It’s really humbling to think that something so simple can make such a big difference," she added.

Ms Isaacs encouraged anybody struggling with the cost of owning their pet to seek support.

“You don’t have to be on benefits or anything. Come and we will help you," she said.

In the future, Ms Isaacs hopes to secure premises in the town centre, to improve visibility and accessibility.

If possible, she would also like to expand its reach to help people living in towns surrounding Melksham.

However, expansion would rely on more donations, better facilities and more volunteers to help those in need.

“Whatever we can do, we do. Nothing gets wasted and we’ll always find a home for it.

"Our motto is 'helping pets and their people' - that’s what we like to think we do," she added.

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