PET owners are being advised to find creative ways to care for their pets as the cost of living crisis bites.

While the rising costs of food and energy are hitting humans hard, animals are also bearing the brunt of the decreasing affordability of living essentials.

Now the RSPCA in Shropshire has urged people to take steps to look after their animals when cash is tight.

  1. Switch food- pet food can be really expensive and during this time people should look at switching to cheaper options. You could mix your regular food with cheaper brands to stretch it further. Check with your vet that the new food that you are buying is still high welfare and meets your pets' needs.
  2. Buy prescriptions online- vets can write prescription for a small fee and ordering medication online is usually cheaper than buying it directly from the vet.
  3. Payment plans – if you need help spreading the cost of your pets veterinary care, just ask your vet if they do plans through credit companies
  4. Shop around for insurance – insurance usually gives you peace of mind for any surprise bills you might get, as they will cover it. But pet insurance premiums can go up, so it might be worth looking at cheaper ones with a suitable level of cover.
  5. Get crafty – make your own toys for pets by looking at the DIY guidelines on the RSPCA website
  6. Prevention pays – keeping on top of your pets' health can save your wallet later, as preventing things like worming and flea treatments are cheaper than treating them when they have already appeared.
  7. Expensive exotics- If you’re struggling with the costs of heating and lighting, move multiple animals into the same room so heat sources do not have to work as hard, while taking care that they are not overheating. But do not turn the temperature down as this can also cause serious issues.

Information is also available on www.rspca.org.uk/

The Shropshire RSPCA has a lot of cats looking for forever homes.

  • Gizmo is a 4 year old that need a lot of outdoor space, in a rural area, ideally the only cat in the household and needs an experienced cat owner as he is on special urinary food.
  • Popey is a 10 year old friendly cat that has diabetes and needs insulin injections twice a day. He does not like living with other cats and loves being inside most of the time.
  • Blue is another 10 year old black and white tuxedo female cat, that is very shy and would be best kept inside with preferably no children, she would love to make other pet friends so she can get lots of TLC.

Anyone wishing to meet the cats should contact the RSPCA Shropshire Branch at: admin@shropshire.rspca.org.uk or 07703 567 935.

All cats rehomed from the RSPCA Shropshire Branch are blood tested for FELV/FIV, vaccinated, neutered, wormed and de-flead. The adoption fee is £75.