Dogs Trust, has expressed disappointment in the Chancellor’s decision not to help and support dog owners and temporarily remove the 20% VAT from pet food, vet services and vet medicines.
This is despite Dogs Trust raising concerns about the impact of the cost of living on dogs and their owners, and its warnings about an impending animal welfare emergency.
The decision follows new figures released by the charity – the results of its YouGov poll – showing that more than one in ten (13%) of dog owners say they either cannot afford, or are struggling to afford, the costs of owning a dog in the current climate.
As of this morning, over 90,000 people have signed Dogs Trust’s petition asking The Chancellor to Paws the VAT on pet food and veterinary services.
Owen Sharp, CEO of Dogs Trust, says: “Despite 90,000 signatures on our Paws the VAT petition, showing overwhelming support for the removal of VAT from pet food, the Chancellor has decided not to do so. We’re extremely disappointed, on behalf of dogs and their owners all over the UK, many of whom are really struggling to put food in the bowl.
“We won’t give up though; we’ll continue to ask the government to play its part and until it does, we urge any dog owners who are struggling to afford to feed their dog or pay vet fees to contact us before they reach crisis point.”
Dog handovers at record high in UK
The charity is receiving record high numbers of enquiries from owners asking to hand over their dogs. It received an average of 188 handover requests per day in February, equating to more than 5,000 (5,566) handover requests last month.
This is an increase of 33% on the average of 141 handover requests per day in 2022, which was itself a record-breaking year in terms of relinquishment enquiries, ending in over 50,000 for the year.
In response, Dogs Trust is doing all it can to keep dogs at home with the people who love them. It has set up dog food banks at some of its rehoming centres across the UK, which are open to anybody having trouble stretching to a canine mouth to feed. The charity is also offering a discounted rate on its Dog Schooltraining classes, to help owners who might be experiencing behavioural problems.
People can sign Dogs Trust’s petition to Paws the Vat here.
