About us.
Animal FoodBank UK
Animal FoodBank UK was created with one simple belief: no pet should go hungry or be separated from the people who love them because of financial hardship.
Founded by Anita Arthur and Robert Miller, what began as a Facebook group bringing together people who needed help and volunteers willing to provide it has grown into a registered charity supporting pet owners across England, Scotland and Wales.
Today, with the help of our incredible volunteers, supporters, businesses and partner organisations, we provide short-term emergency pet food support to people facing some of the most difficult times in their lives.
At the heart of everything we do is one aim:
Keeping pets and the people who love them together.
Our Story
Animal FoodBank UK began in December 2022, when founders Anita Arthur and Robert Miller saw a growing problem that simply didn’t feel right.
As the cost of living increased, more people were finding themselves struggling to afford the basics — including food for the pets they loved and considered part of their family. For some, financial hardship was beginning to raise the heartbreaking question of whether they could continue to keep their pets at all.
Anita and Rob believed that financial hardship should never be the reason a much-loved pet loses its home.
So they decided to do something about it.
What started as a simple Facebook group brought together people who desperately needed a little short-term help and people willing to donate food, collect supplies or make a delivery in their local community.
Very quickly, it became clear that the need was far greater than they had imagined.
People volunteered. Businesses began donating. Communities got involved. Support came from organisations and professionals working with vulnerable people, and Animal FoodBank UK began reaching further and further across the country.
That small idea grew into Animal FoodBank UK — a registered charity supporting people and pets across England, Scotland and Wales.
Today, our volunteers help provide emergency pet food to people facing financial hardship, homelessness, domestic abuse, unexpected bills and other difficult circumstances. We also work alongside community organisations, charities and professional services to make sure help can reach people when they need it most.
But however much Animal FoodBank UK grows, the reason behind it remains incredibly simple.
A pet can be someone’s companion, their comfort, their routine, their family and sometimes the one constant they have during an incredibly difficult period of their life.
We want to help make sure financial hardship doesn’t take that away from them.
Keeping pets and the people who love them together — that is why Animal FoodBank UK exists.
What We Do Today
Animal FoodBank UK provides short-term emergency pet food support to people experiencing financial hardship or crisis across England, Scotland and Wales.
Support is provided in a number of ways depending on where someone lives and what resources are available.
Local Volunteer Support
Where we have volunteers nearby, we can arrange for pet food to be collected or delivered locally.
Our volunteers also help collect donations, support community activities and raise awareness of the help available.
Support Where We Don't Have a Volunteer
We know we cannot have a volunteer in every postcode.
Where local support is not available, we may be able to send pet food using InPost, helping us reach people in areas where we do not yet have volunteer coverage.
Professional Referrals
We also accept referrals from professionals and organisations supporting people in difficult circumstances, including Citizens Advice, Police, Social Services, housing and homelessness services, domestic abuse services and support workers.
Working With Our Communities
Much of the pet food and pet supplies we provide is generously donated by individuals, businesses, retailers and community organisations.
We collect, sort and redistribute those donations so they can reach pets and families who need them most.
A large amount of pet food and pet items that are still usable might otherwise go to waste or end up in landfill if they were not collected and redistributed.
This means our work not only supports people and pets in crisis, but also helps reduce unnecessary waste and gives donated items a valuable purpose.
More Than Just Pet Food
The food itself is important, but the impact can go much further.
For someone facing hardship, a pet can provide companionship, routine, comfort and emotional support. By helping with pet food during a difficult period, we can help reduce some of the pressure on a household and, most importantly, help prevent a much-loved pet from being separated from its family.
Our aim is simple: to be there when a little short-term support can make a very big difference.
How Far We’ve Come
What began as a small Facebook group in December 2022 has grown into a registered charity supporting people and pets across England, Scotland and Wales.
Since then, Animal FoodBank UK has:
Provided more than 150,000 pet meals
Built a growing network of 140 volunteers across the UK
Developed partnerships with businesses, community organisations, charities and professional services
Supported people experiencing financial hardship, homelessness, domestic abuse and other crisis situations
Expanded our support through local collections, community activity and postal assistance where local volunteers are not available
Secured our own branded vehicle to help us collect and move pet food donations
Established a dedicated base in Redditch to support our growing operations
Every milestone represents something much more important than a number.
It represents pets staying in loving homes, people receiving support at a difficult time, and communities coming together to help one another.
We are incredibly proud of how far Animal FoodBank UK has come — but we also know the need for support continues to grow.
Our focus remains the same: reaching more people, supporting more pets and helping keep families together.
Our team
Animal FoodBank UK is led by a dedicated team of trustees, coordinators and volunteers working together to support pets and families across England, Scotland and Wales.
Together, we share one aim: keeping pets and the people who love them together.
Anita Arthur
Co Founder/Trustee
Anita has a long history of fundraising and helping others, from humans to animals. She has supported many charities including sending pet items out to the Ukraine Appeal. In her spare time Anita dedicates her time to her loving family and also travelling the country, educating about conservation work with Giant Aldabra Tortoises and spreading awareness.
Robert Miller
Co Founder/Trustee
Robert spent his career in hospitality management. Robert has volunteered for many animal charities, either fundraising or helping with social media including fundraising for Dogs Trust. In Roberts spare time he enjoys photography and family history.
Mel Beer
Trustee/Finance
Mel has a financial background and joins us to help with behind the scenes administrative area. Mel is an animal lover and also has a history of volunteering and fundraising for charities. In her spare time, Mel has a passion for art including pet portraits. Mel also enjoys quality time with her family.
Rebecca Harrison
Trustee/Legal
Tracy Hulse
Tracy has a working background in nursing. She has been with Animal FoodBank UK more or less from the start and has been a huge part of making us work, helping with our Facebook Group and distributing pet foods to those in need. In her spare time she dedicates herself to her loving family.
Admin
Rebecca has a background in the regulation of health & social care. She is committed to making a positive difference, empowering individuals & advocating for vulnerable people & animals. She enjoys spending quality time with her family & dogs, keeping fit, travelling & practising reiki. She has a genuine commitment to helping others & a passion for animal welfare
Ann-Marie Nixon
Lead Admin
Ann-Marie is our newest member of the team. She recently joined us after finishing 5 years as reception/ front of house at The Cotswolds Dogs and Cats home, RSPCA Cotswolds Gloucester and district. Ann-Marie has previously worked in admin in a child bereavement charity, Radiography assistant team leader, school nurse assistant and her pre kids job as a primary school teacher.
Ann-Marie is now retired and she has a 90 year old dad and wants to be there more for him.
Make a difference.
Help our cause.
- You can be a part of our mission to support pet owners in need.
- Your donation will help us provide essential pet food to those facing financial hardship.
- Together, we can ensure that no pet goes hungry and that the bond between pets and their owners remains unbroken.
- Join us in making a difference today!