By MATT PIKE
A new program in St. Joseph is helping provide pet owners in need with the necessary items to take care of their pets to help in saving money.
The St. Joseph Animal Shelter and St. Joseph Friends of the Animal Shelter Pet Pantry is held on the first and third Monday's of each month helping to provide pet owners with items of need to take care of their animals such as food, toys, and kitty litter all for free.
Friends of the Animal Shelters Melanie Barnes says the program was launched in part in an effort to help pet owners keep their animals in the home.
"Both the City Animal Control and Friends of the Animal Shelter have fought very hard to try and keep pets in their homes as best we possibly can, the last thing we want to do is take a pet out of their home and have them reside in a temporary facility and location such as the shelter," Barnes says on the KFEQmunnity show. "And one of the things that can sometimes drive that is the ability to pay for food and litter."
"We don't want the cost of food or kitty litter to be the reason why someone has to surrender their pet or find another home for their pet."
Items are available on a first come first serve basis. Families are only eligible once a month to pick up items as they are available. Barnes says to help with the Pet Pantry, monetary donations are made from Friends, but other sources step up to help as well.
"We tend to often get donations from pet food companies as well, which is wonderful, and I mean we can't do it without them," Barnes explains. "So, a combination of monetary donations from Friends and or pet food company donations as well, but like I said this is a way to provide the opportunity, we don't want someone to have to surrender their pet because they can't afford to pay for them."
Barnes says only a certain number of items can be picked up per household as well. The Animal Shelter will also work with families if your pet has a certain diet to follow. Pet Pantries in October will be held on October 5th and October 19th.
Interview
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