Dogs Trust has a gift for homeless pooch owners this Christmas

Over Christmas, Dogs Trust will be distributing gift parcels to dog owners affected by homelessness across the North West as part of its Together Through Homelessness scheme.

Each year, Dogs Trust brings festive cheer to the dogs of people experiencing homelessness by delivering ‘Christmas Parcels’ filled with collars, leads, coats, treats and balls. This year, in response to the reported rise in homelessness across the UK*, Dogs Trust is scaling up its support, delivering more parcels than ever before – 30 per cent more than in 2023.

Together Through Homelessness has been providing support to people experiencing homelessness for over 30 years. Alongside distributing Christmas hampers, the service offers free veterinary treatments for dog owners experiencing homelessness and supports homelessness services to become pet friendly.

• Dogs Trust to deliver 2613 parcels filled with warm dog coats, bouncy balls, and tasty treats to owners experiencing homelessness across the UK this Christmas.
• The charity’s Together Through Homelessness scheme supports people experiencing homelessness and their dogs to stay together.
• The charity will distribute boxes to services across the North West.

In the past 12 months, Together Through Homelessness has funded over 1600 vet treatments for dogs whose owners are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The parcels are delivered via a network of more than 270 homelessness services around the country, all working to support people experiencing homelessness this Christmas. One service is Lifeshare in Manchester.

Judy Vickers, Operations Manager at Lifeshare Manchester said: "We're incredibly grateful for the essential supplies and treats included in the Christmas parcels.

“It has really raised morale amongst the dog owners in our service in the past. Seeing the look on their faces and how happy people are to give their dogs a gift is exactly what the festive season should be about!"

James Hickman, Head of Outreach Projects at Dogs Trust said: “Everyone knows that the bond between a dog and its owner is a strong one, but for people experiencing homelessness, it can become an unbreakable lifeline.

“With the current housing crisis and rising cost of living, the need for support this year is even more crucial.

“At Dogs Trust, we are committed to supporting people experiencing homelessness, and thanks to the generosity of Dogs Trust supporters, this year we’ll be able to spread more Christmas cheer and help over 2600 dogs celebrate the season alongside their best friends.”

With the increase seen by the charity for 2024, Dogs Trust is calling on the nation to come together to support Together Through Homeless. Any donations will ensure that even more dogs and their owners have access to essential items this Christmas. Every donation counts toward giving a warm and joyful Christmas to those who need it most.

To support Dogs Trust Together Through Homelessness and help dogs and their owners who are experiencing homelessness, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/how-we-help/hope-project/donate.