As of today, there are seven local pet stores and services that are accepting donations of pet food for The Caring Pet Cupboard. BFI Canada donated bins to us, we’ve put signs on them and they’re in place. Yippee!! We’re working with the Caring Cupboard Food Bank (at 803 Talbot Street). We’ll pick up the food from the bins and take it to the Caring Cupboard and they will distribute it to those who need it for their pets.
Donation sites are (from west to east):
- K-9 Concepts (9830 Sunset Dr., east of Talbotville),
- Elgin Animal Hospital (across the road at 9789 Sunset Dr.),
- Beaver Creek Animal Hospital (7477 Sunset Dr., toward Pt. Stanley),
- Tabby’s Treasures (335 Talbot St., beside Animal Aide),
- Goliath Pet Supplies (385 Talbot St.),
- Pets/Friends for Life (14 St. Catherine St.) and
- Elgin Pet (1063 Talbot St., in the Walmart plaza).
We are talking with other pet businesses and services and getting more bins ready to go. You can also take pet food directly to the Caring Cupboard itself.
Look for our logo and buy an extra can or bag of food, or take in any you’ve got at home and don’t use. You can also put pet food donations in the regular Caring Cupboard donation boxes found in grocery stores and other businesses around town.
Patricia at Tabby’s Treasures and the Animal Aide cat shelter next door will also give out donated food to those who ask. If you need cat food, go to Animal Aide. For dog food, go to Tabby’s Treasures. Pets/Friends for Life will also help out with food for those who need it.
The reason for us doing this is dogs being dumped by their owners because they can’t afford to feed them any more. That’s heartbreaking. Wouldn’t it be better if dogs – and cats and other pets – could stay with the people they love and who love them?
There is certainly a need for basic economic help for people – food bank usage is up across Ontario and in St. Thomas. The closing of factories in St. Thomas has been hard on the town, and in 2011 there’s going to be another one – a big one. When Ford closes, we’re all going to feel it. Pets, unfortunately, are kind of like the canary in the coal mine – they are first to suffer from economic trouble.
If there’s need of food banks for people who can’t afford food for themselves and their families, why shouldn’t there be food banks for the animals who are part of those families? It was that simple question that led to the Caring Pet Cupboard.
Brian Burley, manager of the Caring Cupboard, told me that they can give pet food to those who need it (without having to go through the client registration process) and they can accept donations of pet food. The only thing they cannot do is use cash donations they receive to purchase pet food. But the STDOA can!
If you don’t feel like lugging food around, STDOA can buy it for you. Just contact us at info@stdoa.ca or call 519-637-1830 and say that your donation is for the Caring Pet Cupboard. All of your money will be used to buy good quality dog and cat food for the Caring Cupboard shelves. We’ll buy (and accept donations of) hampster, bird and snake food too if there’s a need for it.
Let’s start 2011 with a resolution to stop the abandoning and surrendering of pets because of a simple lack of food – one can or bag of food at a time. It’s not a big thing to do, but it could make a huge difference to a lot of families and their pets. Please help.
Leashes, collars, toys, dog coats and blankets are also still needed by All Breed Canine Rescue for the many dogs already in their care. Please take them to K-9 Concepts or Beaver Creek Animal Hospital or call Lois at 519-633-6226. Animal Aide and Pets/Friends for Life need cleaning products, paper towels, kitty litter, towels and cat toys.
