We're helping Black Country families keep their pets — but we urgently need a home

A small community-run charity supporting pet owners in crisis is urgently seeking a permanent base to continue its work.

Louise Colledge, who runs The Pet Food Bank serving Sandwell and surrounding areas, says the service has seen a significant rise in demand over recent years.

The organisation provides emergency pet food to residents facing financial hardship, helping ensure animals can remain with their families during difficult times.

“Our work helps prevent pets from being abandoned or surrendered simply because their owners cannot afford to feed them temporarily,” Louise explained.

“By providing short-term support, we help keep pets with the families who love them, which has a positive impact on both animal welfare and the wellbeing and mental health of their owners.”

Despite its growth, the charity currently operates without a dedicated venue. All donated stock is being stored at Louise’s home, creating ongoing challenges around space, organisation and distribution.

“We have wonderful local donation points which provide a constant flow of pet food, but without space we will have to start turning donations away,” she said.

“It also makes it very difficult to organise and distribute food efficiently.”

The group is now appealing for a vacant lock-up, garage, or small building within around three miles of West Bromwich.

Even a temporary solution would allow the charity to continue operating while longer-term funding is pursued.

Ideally, the space would provide safe storage for donations and a small reception area where volunteers could meet clients and distribute food parcels. It would also allow the charity to hold small fundraising sales to help cover ongoing costs and create more opportunities for local people to get involved.

Louise has spent the past year applying for council lock-ups and exploring shared spaces with local organisations, but nothing suitable has become available.

Limited funds mean renting a commercial property is currently not an option.

“We often need permanent access at varied hours depending on the needs of clients,” she added. “We also need space to store large quantities of donated food safely and consistently, which has made partnering with other organisations difficult.”

The Pet Food Bank supports residents across Sandwell and parts of the Black Country, though West Bromwich remains its central hub due to the location of most volunteers.

As part of its ongoing efforts, the charity will be supporting the Sandwell Valley Dog event on Saturday, 19 April between 10am and 3pm. Volunteers will be running a stall offering a pet food giveaway alongside a small fundraising sale, giving the public an opportunity to learn more about their work.

Louise hopes increased awareness could lead to a local business or individual stepping forward with an offer of space.

“Anything anyone could do to help would be so appreciated,” she said.

The charity continues to rely on donations and community support as it works to meet growing demand and ensure no pet goes hungry due to temporary financial hardship.

To get in touch to help email: [email protected]