Saturday May 25, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Donations of pet food and supplies to the BC SPCA are down province-wide this year.
The animal centre society calls it “another presumed symptom of the higher cost of living in British Columbia”.
The decrease in the number of donations of pet food and supplies has continued since January 2024.
Impact of inflation:
“Everyone understands that the increased cost of living makes it more difficult for people to donate, but unfortunately, this is exactly when the need is greatest for the clients of our pet food banks,” says Diane Waters, the BC SPCA’s outreach specialist.
The overall cost of living has been increasing since the pandemic (disruptions in supply chains and labour pushed costs up), and more so as the Bank of Canada increased their policy interest rate dramatically from March 2022 to July 2023. The cumulative impact of the interest rate increases (designed to dampen the rate of inflation) has eaten away at financial capacity for households and small businesses, and the economy overall.
“Sometime a paycheque just can’t be stretched to the end of the month and people need a little help,” says Waters.
Adapting by shifting supply locations:
The Society says it makes every effort to keep the food bank shelves stocked, but supplies can get depleted very quickly, especially with emergencies like the Fort Nelson wildfire evacuation.
“In these emergent situations, we need to make quick adjustments and move supplies that were destined for one animal centre to another where the evacuees are located so we can support them while they are away from home,” said Waters.
Donations make a difference:
For those who rely on the BC SPCA’s pet food bank program and its partners, the ability to access pet food supplies for their furry family members makes an enormous difference, says BC SPCA.
“People from all age groups can have a variety of reasons for needing temporary support from the BC SPCA, including families who come together to get the food and other supplies they need for their pets from our animal centres and community food banks,” she says.
How to donate:
Unopened pet food for the pet food banks as well as cash donations are both helpful. “Our biggest need right now is dry and wet cat food and cat litter.”
Volunteers also needed, to help collect and distribute pet food and supplies.
Triple-match for cash donations:
Every cash donation will be triple-matched by the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund at the West Vancouver Foundation, up to $30,000. To donate visit shop.spca.bc.ca/products/outreach-support
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