'We are desperate': Animal Food Bank receives record number of requests

The need for pet food is at an all-time high, according to the Animal Food Bank, which is seeing record demand during the start of 2022.

The need for pet food is at an all-time high, according to the Animal Food Bank, which is seeing record demand during the start of 2022.

The Animal Food Bank currently supplies animal food to people in two provinces, Manitoba and B.C., with the goal of ending food insecurity for pets.

Nicole Frey, the food bank's founder, said it's received an influx of requests since reopening after a short holiday break.

"We reopened on Jan. 8, and we have 112 requests in our queue as of this morning," said Frey. "So we normally on a busy month we see 250 to 300 requests. So if this keeps up, we're on track for 450 requests this month, which is our record, and I can only assume it is part and parcel for Omicron and just what we're seeing in the economy and society and lockdowns."

The recent two-week break is the first time the organization has closed since opening in 2019. Frey said it was well deserved, as last year was the organization's busiest.

"So what we saw in the year before is an increase in demand."

Frey said the demand rose and fell as government benefits were doled out and increased again during the holiday season.