Hundreds of pet food packs gifted in Bay of Plenty as owners struggle with the cost of food

Foster dog Kaitu and Animals Are Hungry Too founder Lisa Foster. Photo / Laura Smith

Hundreds of pet food packs are being sent to Bay of Plenty families each week as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.

The price for everyday items has upped in recent months as suppliers and manufacturers pass their higher costs down the chain.

Pet food is among the products people are paying more for at the checkout, and the increased pressure between payslips has meant demand for aid has gone up too.

This has meant rescue groups are at capacity and responsible rehoming has been made difficult for those who find themselves in that position.

But several Bay of Plenty groups aim to help people from reaching that stage with the intention of keeping pets with owners.

Lisa Foster set up Animals Are Hungry Too nine months ago and started out with about 15 to 100 food packs a week, mostly in Rotorua and occasionally Tauranga and Hamilton.

Now she was sending out 300 to 400 a week. Most were still in Rotorua but she also couriered across New Zealand.

But the cost of pet food had "hugely" impacted the service, she said.

"Donations have immensely dropped."

Demand had not, however, with people struggling to feed their pets between their pay periods keeping her busy.

Rotorua resident Lisa Foster set up Animals Are Hungry Too to help those struggling to feed their pets. Photo / Laura Smith

She said people needed her most during school holidays, after weekends and during the winter when there were increased expenses.

"People are very grateful, a lot of people pay it on ... they are really generous in the way of giving back so I can carry on."

An example she gave was one elderly woman she helped who struggled to afford to feed her cat between pension payments.

She was given two tins of food on the off weeks, but the week she was paid donated two tins and a bag of biscuits.

Set up three months ago, Pet Foodbank is run by Pāpāmoa couple Jase Lunn and Karen Brechelt.

Lunn said the aim was to prevent a rescue in the first place by supporting struggling pet owners feed them.

"They are part of the family as far as we are concerned."

They worked totally by donations, which Lunn said they had been blessed with.

This included Tauranga Community Foodbank which donated two chest freezers, and Out Of The Wild which donated frozen pet food.

"We are ready and prepared for those needing help from us, and we've had quite a few."

Where there are hungry people, there are hungry animals.

He and his partner liked to meet the people they were helping, to have a yarn and share a warm smile.

"That's the part that pays."

SPCA chief executive Gabby Clezy said the rise of pet food prices was evident across the country and it had been receiving more calls for assistance as a result.

She said pet foods were heavily marketed but the cost was not always the best indicator of quality.

"Look for a diet that is complete and appropriate for the species, life stage, and activity levels of your pet ... SPCA recommends you talk with your veterinarian about the specific dietary needs of your animal."

Centres across the country remained either near or at capacity when it came to dogs and puppies.

It was constantly getting requests from members of the public to assist with their dogs, however, its priority was to care for the sick, vulnerable and injured animals that came into its care, she said.

Local rescue groups were also full, animals were not easily being rehomed privately and some animal controls were charging surrender fees to accept unwanted dogs.

"All of this is making it difficult for owners to keep and look after their animals or be able to responsibly rehome them when they can no longer, but our full centres also means we aren't in a position to assist either."

She encouraged people to think carefully before taking on new pets given the current cost of food and care.

Bay Financial Mentors manager Shirley McCombe said clients often asked for food for their pets.

Foodbank sometimes helped and, on occasion, she said it made a referral to the SPCA.

"Everything is going up and pet food is just another pressure on families."

She said supply issues also meant people had difficulty accessing their usual brands, and pushed them to buy more expensive products than they normally would.

Foster dog Kaitu and Animals Are Hungry Too founder Lisa Foster. Photo / Laura Smith

"Having a pet is an important part of many client's wellbeing but it can be difficult as food is only part of the cost."

At one stockist, Tux Country 15kg costs $69.99. In March it cost $48.99.

Purina New Zealand head of marketing Mark White said the cost of the raw materials and transport of many ingredients in its products had increased significantly.

"So too has the cost of some of the packaging materials that we use.

"We have made the difficult decision to increase our prices – it was not made lightly but will allow us to continue to deliver quality products for pets in New Zealand."

He said the health and safety of pets was the number one priority, which was why it would not compromise the quality of its products and the ingredients it used.

Mars is the parent company of several pet food brands including Whiskas, Royal Canin and Pedigree.

A Pedigree Adult Dry Dog Food with Real Beef Bag weighing15kg costs $55.50 now, compared to $50 in March at one stockist.

A spokesperson said the pet food industry, like many others, was operating in a volatile context marked by wide-ranging inflationary pressures.

They said it continued to absorb costs where possible.

"However, given these pressures, like many businesses we have also had to increase pricing across a range of products. "

Its priority remained on meeting the growing demand for its products and to serve pet owners with the highest quality, nutritious foods to their pets, they said.

"Whilst the in-store price continues to be at the sole discretion of the retailer, we offer a range of pet food products and pack sizes with a variety of recommended price points to suit different needs, so pet owners can choose the most suitable option for them and their pets."