A North East Lincolnshire food bank has thanked the Council for its help in supporting pet owners across the borough.
We Are One Foundation, on Freeman Street, Grimsby, help those struggling to feed and care for their pets by offering free items once a month. To aid these efforts, North East Lincolnshire Council donated a number of poo bags as part of the Poo Bag Partnership.
Now a new member, the foodbank were thrilled to have more help in an effort to support those in need across North East Lincolnshire.
Trustee Kelly Lowry said: “This is amazing. Without donations like this we have nothing to give people when they come through our doors.
“Whilst we will always give our time to help people, they need items such as dog food and poo bags and without those we can’t support the local community here.
“This kind of support from the Council is invaluable to us as a pet food bank. For a lot of people who come here, their dog or cat is their lifeline and they will often feed them before feeding themselves.”
She added: “We’re more than happy to be a member of the Poo Bag Partnership and by being able to provide these items, we can make sure dogs stay in loving homes.
“Our users are thrilled to have the poo bags and working together like this is imperative in helping achieve the ultimate goal of making sure pet owners have what they need.”
The Poo Bag Partnership aims to help alleviate the issues of dog fouling across North East Lincolnshire. Last year alone, there were over 100 official reports of dog fouling in the borough and 284 fines issued for dog related offences.
Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “Whilst this plays into the Council’s objective of tackling dog fouling on our streets, the bigger picture is much more important.
“People who use this pet food bank are relying on it to make sure their animals are fed and watered. As Kelly states, animals are a life line for a number of people and if we as the Council can do something to improve people’s wellbeing, no matter how big or small it may seem, then we are committed to doing so.”
If you would like to become a Poo Bag Partner, please contact [email protected].
Pictured is volunteer Jeffrey Stirland, left, and customer Leslie Wheatley, right
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