Pup Idol: Will Young helps deliver thousands of meals to Scottish dogs in need

Will Young has made a final stop on his tour by delivering thousands of meals to dogs in need in Edinburgh.

The singer, who co-founded dog food company Miraculous Meals in 2023, announced he would be donating £50,000 worth of food to frontline canine charities across the UK.

On the final stop, Young visited Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, a charity that helps dogs and cats find their furever home.

“I’m here today with my dog food brand, and we set it up because we have rescue dogs and saw a crisis in the dog rescue centres across the UK.

Will Young delivered £50,000 worth of dog food to Edinburgh. STV News

“My two dogs came from a kill shelter, and I don’t think people realise that actually, between 50 to 80,000 dogs are put down in the UK every year.

“Rescue centres are at a crisis point at the moment, so we wanted to create a dog food that was going to be amazingly nutritious for your dogs, but also, we give 50% of our profit to dog rescue centres.”

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been operating for over 140 years, something Young said is a testament to the “kindness of Scots people”.

“But the crisis is very real – donations, volunteering, adopting and fostering are needed. If you have hit difficult times with your dog, come and talk to your local centre, we want to keep dogs in their homes,” he added.

Will Young urged people to donate and adopt. STV News

It’s a cause close to Young’s heart who said his relationship with his rescue dogs is “incredible”.

“All of us have been let down in some way, but all of us want a second chance, and so when you get that with your dog, that connection is incredible. I have other dogs who weren’t rescues, and I love them, of course, but there’s a particular bond,” he said.

Will co-founded Miraculous Meals in 2023 alongside two others. STV News

Rachael Halliday, animal welfare carer and training officer with the Edinburgh charity, said it was “fantastic” to have a pop star advocating for the charity.

“The donations are going to go out into our food banks, where we provide meals for pets to keep them in their homes, so it’s really going to help,” she said.

“We get people coming to us for help with food for lots of different reasons. It could be someone who has lost their job, but it could also be that someone’s boiler has broken down and they’re worried about feeding their pet.

“They can come to us and let us know what they need. It’s totally judgment-free.”

The charity has already given out almost 500,000 meals to homes this year, but has struggled with the ongoing cost of living crisis.

“Everyone is struggling at the moment, vet bills are going up, food costs are going up, utilities are too, so it’s so important that we do continue to get the donations to keep the place heated, we’re coming into winter and we need to keep them all cosy,” she said.

The hope is that with this pop star taking the lead, as many people as possible will donate and help these animals find their furever home.