26 Sept 2023
Officials have claimed that more than £75,000 of veterinary support has been given to owners in need during the initiative’s first year.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Image © Valerii Apetroaiei / Adobe Stock
Hundreds of pets have been helped to stay in their homes through a partnership between the RSPCA and pet care company Purina, officials have claimed.
The two organisations joined forces last autumn to set up a Better Together Fund designed to offer direct help to struggling owners amid the continuing cost of living crisis.
The initiative, which is now set to enter a second year, is estimated to have provided veterinary treatments worth more than £75,000 and supported 868 individual pets.
RSPCA inspectorate commissioner Dermot Murphy said the partnership had offered “a lifeline” for hundreds of pet owners battling to make ends meet.
He added: “Our officers can offer struggling owners vital support with vet and pet care costs on the doorstep thanks to this partnership with Purina.
“So often, the work of our rescue teams is all about offering advice, education and support – and the Better Together Fund has become an integral part of that; making a real difference in communities all across England and Wales.”
Figures released by the charity today (26 September) highlighted south Wales, Sussex, West Mercia, and Devon and Cornwall as the areas to receive the largest amounts of funding through the scheme.
More than £7,000 was allocated to owners in south Wales, with more than £4,000 each in the other three regions.
The scheme enables RSPCA officers to directly provide vouchers to pet owners who might eventually be forced to rehome their animals because they can’t afford treatments.
One such case that was addressed through the scheme involved a heavily matted dog with long claws in Hampshire, whose owners could not afford to have him sedated so that he could be groomed.
RSPCA inspector Hannah Nixon said the support of the voucher scheme had been “a real relief” for all concerned with the case.
She added: “We know times are tough right now – and we’re seeing on the frontline the impact this is having on many beloved family pets.
“Sometimes as problems escalate, owners feel powerless to take action – especially when they know the price of treatment will be beyond their reach.”
Purina’s UK managing director Calum Macrae said: “We are delighted to be able to continue our support for the RSPCA by taking the Better Together Fund into its second year.
“We know how precious the pet human bond can be and want to help keep as many pets as possible happy, healthy and with their loving owners, even during these incredibly tough times.
“It’s heart-warming to hear how the vouchers are helping RSPCA officers to make such an immediate and tangible difference for households up and down the country.”
