Brother, can you spare a bone?
Call it a two-sided sign of the times, one that reflects the increasing regard in which we hold our dogs, and the increasingly hard times the economy is creating for us: food pantries for dogs.
Part of a movement to keep pets with their families, and out of overloaded animal shelters, pet food pantries are popping up across the country, according to ZooToo Pet News
“There are so many things that pet owners have to consider, like spay/neuter, boarding, and other types of vet care, but we are seeing that food is the primary concern,” said Ellen Gillmore, Best Friends Animal Society campaign coordinator. “There is such an immediate need for it that it jumps to the top of our list.”
Best Friend’s new program, First Home, Forever Home, which is aimed at helping families keep their pets, recently gave 1,215 bags of dog food and snacks to two food banks in the Atlanta area.
“Getting that food was like a godsend,” said Ann King, executive director of Save Our Pets. “I keep on getting calls from people all around the country, saying that they are in dire need, asking how they can start something like this up, too.”
The food was just as appreciated at Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen, located in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where
the list of needy pet owners has climbed to 400.
Across the country, the growing need has led to the opening of pet food banks by shelters, humane societies and pet lovers.
The Dog Food Bank opened in Clackamas County, Oregon in February.
Pikes Peak Pet Pantry, opened last year, is serving needy dogs in Colorado Springs.
The Hope for Pets food pantry hands out free kibble regularly in Lafayette, Indiana.
The Lost Our Home Pet Foundation operates a food bank in the Phoenix area.
The Central Florida Animal Pantry provides pet food assistance to economically challenged, disabled and elderly citizens who need help feeding their pets.
The Humane Society of the United States has assembled a state by state list of agencies that are helping down on their luck families hang on to their pets by offering spay/neuter assistance, pet food, or other services.
Pikes Peak Pantry has also assembled a national resource list, which can be found here.
Posted by jwoestendiek May 12th, 2009 under Muttsblog, videos.
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