00:00 Do you have a pet at home? The UK is truly a nation of pet lovers. About 57% of UK households
00:08 - that's around 16.2 million of us - house the nation's 38 million pets. But in recent
00:15 years the cost of just about everything has risen, including the essentials it takes to
00:19 look after our furry friends. Animal charities are reporting an increase in demand for their
00:23 services as a result, even leading to an uptick in abandonment. The RSPCA has seen an 8% year
00:29 on year increase in people wanting to give up their animals. And it also comes at a time
00:34 where public financial support for the charity sector has dropped. A report by the Charities
00:38 Aid Foundation revealed last year that the number of people regularly donating to charity
00:43 had fallen from 65% in 2019 to fewer than 6 in 10, or 56% in 2023. It means while more
00:51 people are seeking help with affording care for their pets, access to funds to make these
00:55 services available is down. How does the cost of living affect how likely you are to get
01:00 a pet? And how has financial strain changed the care you are able to afford?
