When an economic crisis hits an area, some of the first family members to feel the pinch are cats, dogs and other pets.
That’s already the case in the Gulf, where the oil spill disaster is already making it hard for families to afford to feed their four-legged friends.
Luckily, the Humane Society of the United States has heard their cry, and more than 12 tons of dog and cat food has arrived in Louisiana to help pet owners in two hard-hit parishes.
The donation includes 24,000 pounds of food donated by Mars Petcare US and another 700 pounds donated by Humane Choice Co.
The food arrived in the town of Belle Chasse on Thursday and will be distributed through shelters in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes to local pet owners.
“Cats and dogs are often the innocent victims when their owner’s livelihood is impacted in a disaster,” said Mars Petcare’s Debra Fair in a prepared statement. “We support the shelters that are helping these pets stay with their families by providing these badly needed resources to the hard-hit residents of the Gulf Coast region.”
The request for this donation came from the Plaquemines Parish Animal Welfare Society, which reported to the Humane Society that the number of pets given up to local shelters has been on the increase since the spill. Hopefully this donation will help to reverse that trend before things get worse.
Photo by Ale Paiva via Stock.xchng.