Pet Food Pantry- Please Consider Donating Food and Treats You are no longer feeding

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I see so many posts where people try this food or that treat then switch foods to find the perfect kibble to feed their dogs or new puppies.  What are you doing with this food?

Recently I purchased food for my foster puppies before they arrived to find out later I really needed to switch their kibble to something higher in calories. And, I had no idea they were puppies. We thought they were 1.5 years of age. Not 5-6 months old.   Not wanting to waste this large bag of food I started to search.

According to the ASPCA between 500,000 to 1 million dogs and cats in the United States are at a risk
of becoming homeless in an economic downturn. Yes, many homes are still suffering.

This past weekend over 80 families turned out for the Sunday Food Drive in my area.  80 families struggling to keep their beloved pets. The volunteers told me they also have difficulty with the elderly who do not drive or can not carry food but have loving companions at home. Groups of college-aged kids were delivering food to senior citizens.   What you and I may throw away or just forget all about it in our cupboard Pet Food Pantries are in desperate need to help others feed their pets.

Please consider donating.  Consider hosting a Pet Pantry in  your area.  Arrange this through your work, church, school projects,  or your community.  This is a good project for high school children.

Just type in your city with the search words Pet Food Pantry or Pet Food Bank. You will find many areas are holding events near you.

An informative article from Dogster Magazine

 

On a search I found a pantry in dire need of donations.

http://saveourpetsfoodbank.org/

Please Donate Your Unused Pet Foods

THANK YOU

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Often, the human food pantries have a pet food pantry, too. I was not even aware of that. The veterinary specialty center where JD sees most of his specialists has a drive each year for a pet food pantry in our county, and that's how I learned of it. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I met this woman while I was shopping for work boots around Christmas :)   I just happened to save her card in my wallet.  I had no clue. When I called the number this week they were so desperate and told me their needs were getting higher, not lower. 

I had no idea they did this weekly! 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

You have several large pantries in your area

http://www.pawschicago.org/pet-resource-center/pet-food-bank/

http://www.chicagovma.org/FoodPantries#.UUv2SDdvB4I

http://www.safehumanechicago.org/

and

Chicago Tribune

If DK members do a search, I am certain they can find many places in their area.  And YES. Food Banks for Humans do take Pet Foods

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know, but most of them are in the city itself, or in the suburbs on the other side of it from me. There are some out here in my area, though. The woman mentioned and pictured in the Tribune article, who started the new pantry here in Lake County was JD's first trainer after I adopted him. She now has her own rescue group. 

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Joanne, what a fantastic post. Going to look into this immediately, where in our area is there one?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Lisa, above I linked our local drop off- see hyperlink Sunday Food Drive
This location is in Kent, just behind Gabrial Brothers

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

What a great idea.  I always donate unwanted foods etc to our local shelter who are always very grateful but this is such a good idea.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thanks for this important reminder, Joanne!  Local rescues are also often in need of food and supplies.  I just donated  collars and leashes that I wasn't using anymore to our local rescue...they were so grateful.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I agree Joanne, great reminder.  I just boxed up all the miscellaneous things we had bought to try to get Sophie to eat something and took them to our local animal shelter which is run by our Humane Society now.   One of the biggest volunteers has a business right at the end of my street so I just always drop my stuff off with her.  One thing that they did that you might mention to some of these other rescues is they started a "Wish List" on Amazon and they announce it on their web page.  People can go right to Amazon and see what is needed at the shelter and they can order right there and it is shipped straight to the shelter.  It was cute a few months ago a lady adopted a lab mix from the shelter and "surprise" then found out the dog was pregnant and had 11 puppies.  The shelter was unaware when the dog left.  The lady agreed to keep the puppies and raise them until they were old enough to get adopted out so they didn't have to go to the shelter.  The Shelter held a "Virtual Puppy Shower" for the lady to help with all the supplies she would need.  They just set it up on Amazon and things were shipped right to the lady.  It was the cutest little announcement they sent out on FB. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Oh, I love the idea of the "virtual puppy shower".

[F, Calla & Luca]

Nice idea. Of course I have Calla so not a morsel of food is wasted.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Great idea!!