Animal lovers are being asked to help provide some festive cheer for homeless people's pets.

Dogs Trust, which has a branch in Shoreham, has launched its latest Hope Project which will distributes canine hampers with collars, leads, treats and toys to dogs and their owners.

The scheme has been running for more than 25 years, providing free veterinary treatment to many dogs whose owners are vulnerable, experiencing homelessness or in housing crisis.

This year, the Hope Project expects to deliver over 2,000 Christmas parcels to dogs and their owners across the UK, a 24 per cent increase in the number given out in 2021. It is urging people to donate money towards the goodies inside.

Over the next few weeks, Christmas hampers will be distributed to homelessness services in Sussex, including YMCA Brighton, Turning Tides in East Grinstead, and the Safe Haven Sussex Seagull Project.

Harriet Page, Dogs Trust pets and housing manager, said: “Everyone knows that the bond between a dog and its owner is a strong one but for people experiencing homelessness, the bond is often unbreakable. Christmas can be an especially difficult and lonely time for people in a housing crisis."

According to a recent report by the homeless charity Shelter, one in 78 people are homeless in Brighton and Hove, with up to ten per cent of the UK homeless population also pet owners.
Harriet hopes her team’s actions will enable more dogs to “stay with their owners, regardless of their housing situation”.

On top of distributing Christmas hampers and offering free veterinary treatments, the project supports homelessness services to accept clients with dogs and helps them put in place practical guidelines. 

Dogs Trust said this scheme and the other services it provides are only made possible thanks to the generosity of its supporters. To help Dogs Trust’s work and ensure even more dogs benefit from its services visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/hopeforchristmas