Pets, Cost of Living Crisis: How Rising Costs Impact Animal Shelters

We explored how rising costs were affecting pet owners during the height of the Cost of Living Crisis in this mini-documentary. Through personal stories and expert insights, you’ll learn how economic strains impact pet owners and how shelters are working hard to support animals in need. Hear from pet foodbanks set up to help at a difficult time, owners who were feeling the pinch, and kennels who were struggling to find the space and funds.

The OEH foundation is a dog rescue kennels offering kennel space, rehabilitation and care to dog rescue organisations as well as its own dogs. The name OEH stands for One Every Hour. Ian Roberts from the foundation chose the name after he calculated that one dog was being put to sleep in a pound, or in other methods, every hour. He explained that there is a waiting list for dogs moving into their kennels, as so many are in need of a home. Ian said: “There’s never enough money. We’ve got a few unsupported dogs here that we’re struggling to keep because of it.”

The Sheffield Cats Shelter was founded in 1897 and is one of the oldest charities in the UK. The shelter cares for and re-homes over 300 cats and kittens each year. At the time of filming, the centre had seen a big increase in cats being brought to the shelter and Nick Holland, Communications and Fundraising Coordinator, believes that the Cost of Living Crisis had a lot to do with it. Nick said: “It’s a double-edged sword really for our shelter and other shelters. We’re getting more demands on our services, but our costs are rising at the same time.”

Watch the full episode to learn more about the effect of the Cost of Living Crisis on pets and their owners. You can also tune into Freeview channel 262 and Freely channel 565 for more true crime, football, and quirky UK content . Keep up with our latest videos by signing up to Shots TV! Newsletter here.