Whether you’re a lover of dogs, cats, reptiles, or just pets in general, coming home to a furry, or scaled, friend to hug and talk to about your day is a comfort reserved only to animal companions. Sadly, many of these animals that we have at home are either purebred from a breeder or off the street to a shelter. These shelters take in strays, impoverished, or simply left behind animals, and give them a temporary home until their future owner notices and takes them home.
Pet breeding, a process used for pet owners who have the money and resources, allows for anyone to buy their “dream pet;” however, despite the excitement and idea of getting your ideal breed or size, the treatment and living conditions of these bred animals is not only abusive, but detrimental to their way of life. According to the National Institute of Health, “Breeding dogs solely for their physical appearance in order to increase profits is itself a real form of animal abuse [17].” Additionally, the conditions in which dogs are bred are often harmful, with overcrowding and unsanitary environments leading to lifelong mental and physical health issues.
Another way that it impacts the pets themselves is that many of the shelters that take in the animals are immensely overpopulated; small shelters built to house one to two hundred taking in thousands of dogs and cats. Animal shelters are a staple of big cities where, no matter what circumstance, pet owners relinquish their pets to either the streets or shelters or the pets themselves escape.
There are many specific ways that the animal shelters help with the adoption process, but one of their main focuses is helping low-income families take care of their pets through donating dog and cat food for around more than 300 dogs and cats every Sunday. The Pet Food Pantry program is essentially a way for shelters to give back for pet owners working hard to provide a comfortable, safe home for their adopted pets.
Every family that signs up for the pet food pantry is given a one gallon bag of dog or cat food for each pet. This essentially aims to give each family and pet enough food to support them until they can enroll to receive food the following week. Many different shelters offer this program as well. Every volunteer has a different task: greeting the families, handing out food, and packaging the bags beforehand.
So, if you are looking for a furry, or scaled, friend to take home, look to a shelter near you. No matter where you are, or whether or not you have a pet at home, animal shelters do incredible and life-saving work to take in animals of any shape or size. In addition, if you are interested in volunteering, donating, or receiving food from the Pet Food Pantry, here’s a couple of links to get started:
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