Member Article

StreetVet teams up with Webbox to help feed homeless animals

StreetVet, an animal welfare charity which offers food and veterinary aid to homeless people and their pets, is thanking Webbox for its pet food donations during the coronavirus pandemic.

The non-profit animal welfare charity, which recently named Clare Balding as its ambassador, says without support from pet food manufacturers Webbox and other charity partners, it would have struggled to continue as funding dropped by roughly 50%.

Calls doubled to its out of hours hotline as regular outreach programmes, which usually operate alongside soup kitchens, were unable to continue due to social distancing guidelines.

As well as supplying pet food to StreetVet for its outreach programmes, Webbox also offers a forever home package, which donates monthly deliveries of free pet food for six months to homeless people who have recently moved into accommodation, with the aim of relieving the pressure of having to buy pet food while they’re still finding their feet.

Jade Statt, spokesperson for StreetVet, said: “The pandemic has been really difficult for us as we were hit with the double-whammy of our funding being cut and our expenditure going up.

“Luckily the support we’ve had from brands such as Webbox has meant we’ve been able to go on supporting some of our society’s most vulnerable people and their pets.

“Another concern for us was whether the hotels and other accommodation providers, which were involved in the government’s efforts to get homeless people off the streets at the start of lockdown, would accept pets. Fortunately, the majority were happy to, but we still had to organise emergency care for a few animals with kennels.

“I knew that if it came down to a choice between staying with their pet or having a room, the vast majority would decide to stay. Their bond is that strong.”

Julie Butcher, head of marketing at Webbox, said: “As a longstanding partner of StreetVet, we’re aware of the brilliant work they do for homeless animals across the length and breadth of the country.

“Jade passed on a note of thanks from one man in Cheltenham, who we’d sent a forever home package to after he’d almost completely run out of food.

“It’s always wonderful to hear stories such as his, as it reminds you what it means to people.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Louise Taylor .