National recognition for Horncastle couple

A local couple who set up a pet food bank during the lockdown have received national backing.
By John Fieldhouse
Published 25th Apr 2021, 14:00 BST
High praise: David and Gemma ColsonHigh praise: David and Gemma Colson
High praise: David and Gemma Colson

The Horncastle News revealed how husband and wife Dan and Gemma Colson had launched Happy Paws Pet Food Bank to help struggling pet owners.

Since then, they have been overwhelmed by donations from the public and pet food companies.

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The couple have helped hundreds of owners by delivering vital supplies of pet food.

Now, national pet food company, Webbox, has teamed up with Happy Paws.

To support Gemma and Dan, Webbox will be donating a bundle of pet food, toys and treats to the pet food bank.

Melanie Smith, pet care expert at Webbox, says: “Covid-19 has made us more aware than ever about those around us and how they may be struggling.

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“Community initiatives are continuing to crop up at a fantastic rate and we wanted to team up with The Happy Paws Pet Food Bank to celebrate their hard work and raise awareness of the fantastic support they provide to furry friends across the region.”

Gemma said: “Since November, we have seen a great increase in our community of pet owners needing help, especially as we approached the third lockdown.

“We help around two-dozen families a week with their pet food and this number seems to be growing on a weekly basis.

“We mainly rely on online donations and also have drop-off points at various locations.

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“We collect both wet and dry dog and cat food, along with treats and any dog coats, collars, leads or unused toys.

“All of our donations make a huge difference and we will be continuing to deliver donations to people after the lockdown restrictions lift as we recognise our support will still be needed within the community.

“We are incredibly grateful to Webbox for its support.”

According to research, the nation’s love for pets has continued to grow over the pandemic, with a quarter of Brits having purchased a four-legged friend or were planning to do so before Easter.

However, 28 per cent of owners who have purchased or adopted a pet over lockdown have discovered the cost of keeping it to be more expensive than expected

•Visit www.facebook.com/happypawspetfoodbank/ to find out more.