South Africans Break World Record While Feeding Thousands of Rescue Animals

South Africa has officially claimed another GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title after donating 67,200 kilograms of pet food in just 24 hours… nearly double the previous global record.

Bloemfontein, South Africa (06 May 2026) – This past weekend, in the middle of the bustling “Bloem Skou”, South Africans did something extraordinary. They rallied together for animal rescues in a way that has now earned the country another GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title… but the biggest story is not the record itself. It is the compassion behind it.

Behind every rescue organisation in South Africa is someone choosing to keep going. Someone spending weekends cleaning kennels, fundraising for vet bills or sitting beside an abused animal until it learns to trust again. Animal welfare in South Africa is carried by people who give everything they can, often with very little in return.

After more than a year of travelling 17,000 kilometres across all nine provinces and assessing over 200 shelters, Barking Mad, a network supporting animal welfare organisations, discovered just how enormous the need really is. South African rescues require more than 300 tonnes of pet food every single month.

“After more than a year of research and visiting animal rescues across South Africa, we found that, on average, rescues use more than 1000 kilograms of dog food every single month,” said Tracy McQuarrie, Managing Director of Barking Mad.

“Food security is their most pressing concern.”

That reality sparked something much bigger.

Montego partnered with Petshop Science to attempt a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the largest donation of pet food in 24 hours. The previous record stood at 36,750 kilograms, set in the United States in 2023 through a massive corporate operation backed by international logistics support.

Their target was ambitious: 3,360 bags of Monty & Me Dry Essential Dog Food, each weighing 20 kilograms. That meant a staggering 67,200 kilograms of pet food. Nearly double the standing world record.

And then Bloemfontein delivered.

Every single bag allocated for the record attempt was purchased by visitors attending the Bloem Skou, South Africa’s biggest agricultural, trade and entertainment show. More than 126,000 people attend the event annually but this year they became part of something much bigger than a weekend outing. People chose to spend their money helping rescue animals hundreds of kilometres away. Families, farmers, pet lovers and ordinary South Africans collectively turned compassion into action.

At 15:43 on Saturday, 2 May 2026, the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title was officially confirmed.
But for Montego, Petshop Science and the rescue organisations on the ground, the work does not end there.
Giving back has long been part of Montego’s story. The company already donates more than 30 tonnes of pet food to rescues every year and steps in during times of disaster to support affected communities and animals. Through the M-Power Charity Relief Project, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africans are also able to purchase subsidised pet food for vetted rescue organisations, with delivery costs fully covered.
Between March 2025 and March 2026 alone, more than 55 tonnes of dog food and nearly 5 tonnes of cat food were distributed through the platform to rescue organisations around the country.

And while this latest achievement may come with a world record attached to it, perhaps the bigger win is what it says about us.

South Africans care deeply. We rally when given the opportunity to help. We understand that kindness is not just a feeling; it is action. It is buying one bag of dog food at an agricultural show because somewhere, a rescue animal needs to eat tonight.

The reality is that rescue organisations still need more than 300 tonnes of food every month. One record-breaking weekend cannot solve everything. But it can prove what is possible when businesses, communities and ordinary people decide to work together.

The bowl does not have to stay empty.

And if the scenes from Bloemfontein proved anything, it is that South Africans will keep showing up to fill it.

Sources: Johan van Jaarsveld, Managing Director, Montego Pet Nutrition

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