Pet Food Bank Seeks Expansion with Two New Hubs Due to Rising Demand

The founder of a pet food bank has stated that the organization requires two additional locations, citing “demand just keeps growing.” A Helping Paw, located in Northumberland, delivers food parcels to as many as 400 pets each month, an increase from the 100-150 animals served a year ago. The charitable organization currently operates storage and collection facilities in Ashington, Cramlington, and Whitley Bay, but aims to establish new hubs in Blyth and Newcastle. Tyesha Muncaster, the 26-year-old founder, commented: “We have had more and more requests from those areas, so it makes sense to expand our service further.” Ms Muncaster established A Helping Paw in 2022, following a social media post where she offered surplus cat food. She elaborated: “The response was unbelievable and it just went from there.” The service operates on a collection-only basis; individuals facing difficulties can contact the charity to receive an emergency food parcel for dogs, cats, and the majority of other pets. Ms Muncaster stated: “A lot of the people we help don’t drive and so the more centres we have, the more people we are able to help.” She added, regarding the requirements for new locations: “We just need a room or a portacabin, a place where we can store pet food and distribute it to people once a week, we can pay a small fee but it wouldn’t be much.” She expressed her desire to “help as many pets as we can because people shouldn’t have to rehome their pets because they’re struggling financially.” The charity is also seeking additional volunteers. Nicole Redpath, a volunteer, described A Helping Paw as “a real team effort.” She further commented: “It’s made all the more worthwhile knowing we’re helping so many pets have full tummies.” Readers can connect with BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Submissions for story ideas can be sent to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Details regarding its policy on external linking are available.