As animals continue to enter the nation's shelters, groups have stepped up to help with pet retention in homes that would otherwise have to relinquish their much loved pets for lack of money to purchase food for them, according to the Star. Sometimes it's a one-time thing, but more often than not it's an ongoing need for assistance that also works to keep more pets from entering the already stuffed to the gills shelter population, causing more and more unnecessary deaths due to overcrowded shelters with limited space.
Setting up pet food banks is a resource that can make a difference between life and death for some pets by giving their owners the assistance they need to properly feed them a balanced meal. One such place is the pet food bank of Toronto's Woodgreen Community Services, who have seen a tremendous need for pet food among its clients.
When social worker Cara Heitmann saw clients forgoing their own meals in order to feed their beloved pets, she saw a hole in the system that needed repairing. So Heitmann set about establishing a pet food bank in just three months, without advertising. Dog and cat food is hard to keep on the shelves there.
"We see that people are feeling really desperate and are sometimes taking the chance of being arrested stealing pet food," said Heitmann.
Still others agonize over having to give up their pets because they cannot afford to feed them properly.
"Many of these people had their pets before they went on assistance. That's a decision I don't think people should have to make on top of everything else they're dealing with," added Heitmann.
Major cities across the U.S. are also setting up what some call ani-meals, which is an addition to meals on wheels programs, where recipients can receive dog and cat food and cat litter in addition to their own meals. The pilot programs have been hugely successful and now more and more are establishing this much needed service.
Grace Episcopal Church's pet food pantry in Rhode Island gives out pet food on the third Sunday of the month for one hour, according to Lock Point Journal. They average about 900 pounds of pet food given out in that hour.
"When walking around our neighborhood, the most requested service from our community was assistance for pets. We are located in a low-income area and many cannot afford food for their pets," said Pastor Cindy Sever.
Pet food manufacturers are also stepping up to do their part by donating to these programs as well as to needy animal shelters. The donations are always needed and the benefits to the animals are considerable.
Oklahoma's Shawnee Milling Company recently pledged 50 tons of food each year for the next two years of their Hi-Point pet foods, according to the Ok Gazette.
"We are so thankful to Shawnee Milling Company because these types of public-private partnerships where the community [comes] forward go a long way in making things better," said Animal Welfare Superintendent Julie Bank.
"I noticed their staff [spends] a tremendous amount of time looking for [food] donations," said Joe Ford, senior vice president of operations at Shawnee Milling Company. "Our hope is they can focus on the care for the animals and getting more of the animals adopted."
