The owner of a Crowthorne pet store has launched one of Berkshire’s first pet food banks for animal lovers struggling with the cost of living.

Ridwan Sai opened Best Friends Pet Supplies in July on Crowthorne High Street where he has received overwhelming support from the local community while setting up the new charity.

Ridwan said: "I first started to research this idea when I heard news on BBC about the RSPCA and Dogs Trust having record numbers of pets given back purely because people couldn’t afford to feed them.

“Being a pet owner myself I know that my dog will eat something and then go off it and then I’ll have a cupboard full of dog food that I don’t use.

“I thought that if people had a place to donate that food we could give it out to pet owners who need it.”

The Berkshire Pet Food Bank has already helped many people across the county who would have otherwise struggled. This has will also allow people with an excess of food do some good for under-priviledged people across the community.

Mr Sai said: “This week we’ve got a pensioner coming down with a dog and a cat so we’re going to supply her with a month’s supply of pet food. We’ve been helping quite a few people.

“Some people have to give up their pet which is a last resort, or some people go without food themselves. If we can be that little bit of help it makes all the difference.”

So far, the pet food bank, which opened six weeks ago, has three volunteers who help with distribution of food to owners and collection from their six collection points.

Some of the collection and delivery points for the food bank include:

Best Friends Pet Supplies – Crowthorne High Street

Denton Vets - Wokingham

Medivet 

Vets for Pets - Bracknell

Emmview Vets

Volunteer, Steven Spalding said: “What this charity is hoping to do is help relieve the cost of living pressure for pet owners. We have people that kindly donate spare food, beds, toys. Everything a pet needs.”

“I decided to personally volunteer because I think it’s one of those things that no one talks about.

“It’s heart-breaking. Most people don’t get a pet thinking they won’t be able to feed it, it’s just a situation that unfortunately has been happening due to cost of living.

“As a new charity on the scene we are currently aiming to make people aware that help is here should they need it, whether it’s for your own mental health knowing your pet won’t go hungry or the physical wellbeing of your loved companions.”