EVEN more Christmas presents are being distributed to dog owners affected by homelessness this year.
Each year, Dogs Trust brings festive cheer to the dogs of people experiencing homelessness by delivering Christmas parcels filled with collars, leads, coats, treats and balls.
This year, in response to the reported rise in homelessness across the UK, the dog rehoming charity is scaling up its support, delivering 30 per cent more parcels than in 2023.
Together Through Homelessness has been providing support to people experiencing homelessness for over 30 years. Alongside distributing Christmas hampers, the service offers free veterinary treatments for dog owners experiencing homelessness and supports homelessness services to become pet friendly.
The parcels are delivered via a network of more than 270 homelessness services around the country, all working to support people experiencing homelessness this Christmas.
One service is Maggs Day Centre in Worcester.
Claire Hooper, Maggs Day Centre’s outreach manager, said: “These Christmas parcels will be vital for many of our service users who struggle to afford basic necessities.
“These donations will go a long way in helping us provide holistic care to our service users and their dogs.’’
James Hickman, head of outreach projects at Dogs Trust added: “Everyone knows that the bond between a dog and its owner is a strong one, but for people experiencing homelessness, it can become an unbreakable lifeline.
“With the current housing crisis and rising cost of living, the need for support this year is even more crucial.
“At Dogs Trust, we are committed to supporting people experiencing homelessness, and thanks to the generosity of Dogs Trust supporters, this year we’ll be able to spread more Christmas cheer and help over 2600 dogs celebrate the season alongside their best friends.”
To donate to Dogs Trust Together Through Homelessness visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/how-we-help/hope-project/donate
