FOODBANK FORPETS IS A HIT

Donations flood in as new initiative proves popular

A PET shop owner has launched a new foodbank – for animals.

Ashley Condie decided to open a collection for our four-legged friends after a conversation with a customer gave her the idea.

She then posted the suggestion online and received such positive feedback she began taking donations at her store Abbey Pet Shop, on Lordburn in Arbroath.

Ashley said: “We are collecting, dog food, cat food, rabbit, hamster, bird food, anything.

“It doesn’t need to be bought from here, if people want to get a shop’s own brand and bring it in, that’s not a problem.”

The pet food will be distributed between t wo foodbanks i n the town

– Angus Foodbank and the Old & Abbey Parish Church.

It is not the first time Ashley has collected for pets. The 37-year-old added: “We did a food collection at Christmas, that was for animals in shelter.

“I never even thought about a foodbank until I had this conversation with a customer.

“We assume foodbanks are for humans and we forget these humans have furry friends to feed. Sometimes their pet is their only companion.

“It’s going to be an ongoing thing. If this goes well I want to keep it all year round.”

The pet shop is open Monday to Saturday.

Norman Brown, who runs the Angus Foodbank with distribution centres in Arbroath, Montrose and Forfar said the service receives a reasonable amount of pet food in donations.

And Arthur Pritchard, organiser of the foodbank at the Old & Abbey Parish Church, said they have a number of users with pets.

He said: “We are very grateful that the pet shop is supplying items such as these.

“It’s just something else that helps us because there is going to be somebody that comes in to the foodbank and is in need of it.”

Ashley has started the collection with the support of Kali and Daga.

Ashley is happy to accept donations of pet food bought anywhere, not just her own shop.