Happipup has now set up a Swap and Share Community Hub for pet parents to help you save money and reduce waste.

We had the idea after seeing puppies quickly growing out of their accessories and pet owners sharing how they felt guilty about buying things they didn’t use. At the moment our Swap and Share Boxes are available at our classes and workshops but we would love to get the idea working in the wider community.

It works like a food bank, but for pet essentials to help people in these difficult economic times and to ensure products people have bought for their dogs are used. Often people buy items online and they might be the wrong size or their dog might not like a certain kind of harness or toy and instead of returning the items they end up in the back of a cupboard!

The swap box has things like collars, leads, harnesses, toys, coats and fleeces. We also have larger items like beds, crates and blankets. Pet parents can give things that they no longer use and take a larger size, choose toys that their pet likes the look of or simply donate items.

The share box has things that owners can borrow such as surgery suits and inflatable collars that are used when pups are spayed or neutered and are often only used once.

The boxes are a way in which pup parents can work together and support one another by making every penny count.