I’m struggling to pay my bills but I’m spending £140 on Christmas presents for my dogs – I don’t want them to miss out

A dog owner who is struggling to pay her bills this winter has said she will still buy her pets £140 worth of Christmas presents because they are her ‘babies’.

Fay Skerritt, 30, says she’s repurposed old clothes and won’t be doing Secret Santa this year so she can afford to treat her beloved pooches.

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Fay, who lives in London with her cockapoos Lola and Fudge, said she will spend up to £70 on gifts for each dog because she “likes to make him nice things.

She told The Sun: “They are like my babies, they are my children.

“They can’t treat themselves, so I’m happy to get them nice things.”

The happy pets each include a sweater to keep them warm on winter walks and a basket of healthy treats to munch on.

Fay will also buy them a new bed and a zip-up towel to keep them comfy and prevent them from walking around their apartment with muddy paws.

When asked how she’s managing to afford the lovely gifts amid the cost of living crisis, she said: “I’m definitely not spending on things I would have had around this time last year.

“I had to limit gifts for my family. We just said we won’t be giving any big gifts this year.

She added, “I was about to buy a winter coat, but I found an old coat and I was like, ‘I’m just going to carry my old stuff in the ground.’

“I’m going to sacrifice my own clothes for theirs because if their clothes get holes, they really can’t use them anymore.

“The old clothes I have will do for me.”

The doting dog mom admitted, “I’m fully aware it sounds crazy.”

She said some people “roll their eyes,” but argues that “they’re not dog people, so they don’t really get it.”

She added that she feels lucky to have her family’s support and understanding to help her afford the gifts for Fudge and Lola.

In addition to buying sustainable gifts, however, Fay emphasizes the importance of DIY toys and the ability to recycle old toys into new ones.

She said: “I went to my local hardware store and brought some rope to make each into a rope toy.

“Not only was it fun to make something yourself, but it was half the price of going to a store.”

A survey has found that UK dog owners are expected to spend more than £1.3billion on gifts for their dogs this Christmas.

According to research by the Guide Dogs charity, 26% agree with Fay that they’re happy to forgo the sprite and turn down invitations to celebratory parties and use the money saved to treat their pets.

A quarter are now looking for creative ways to spoil their pooches with DIY toys.