By Susan E. Miers Smith
MediaNews Group
Sometimes older pet owners fall on hard times and are unable to provide adequate nutrition for their animal charges.
Several organizations in the region have stepped up to provide food assistance so animals can remain with family members and do not have to be relinquished to animal shelters and rescues.
Here are some resources for pet food in the region:
Animal House Project/Chester County Pet Food Pantry
Mailing address: 1055 S. Hanover St., Suite 1, Pottstown, PA 19465
Phone: 484-558-0467
Website: www.animalhouseproject.org
Eligibility: “We require an application for assistance to be completed as well as a copy of a valid Pennsylvania photo ID and proof of financial need: SSI determination letter, disability letter, public-assistance letter and any form that shows what their monthly and/or yearly income is,” wrote MaryBeth Yannessa, board president. “We use the 200 percent Federal Poverty Guidelines but have made exceptions for medically stressed families.”
Availability: They operate three pantries. One in Leesport is only for military personnel; on the first Saturday of the month, one is conducted in North Coventry Township from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and one is conducted the third Saturday of the month, a mobile pantry, in Downingtown at the Minquas Fire Co. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“We are anticipating opening another pet food pantry in Norristown the fourth quarter of 2019,” Yannessa wrote.
Donations needed: Money; pet food for dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs and fish; postage stamps; Ziplock bags; plastic grocery bags; and time from volunteers.
Will your organization pick up donations if someone is unable to drive them to your location? "Yes. We have a large box truck that can pick up donations."
How did your program start? 2 Moon Junction Animal House Project was founded in June of 2001 as a no-kill animal rescue group, according to Yannessa.
“By having a small foster network, we were successful in placing over 300 pets in good homes,” she wrote. “However, we realized that 95 percent of the animals being surrendered were because families could not afford to feed or provide basic veterinary care. In 2004, The Chester County Pet Food Pantry was formed and moved to the heart of Chester County with a mission to keep companions pets at home and out of the shelters and rescues.
“A ‘No-Fleas’ Market was established, which was used to help offset operational costs of the pet food pantry. In 2013, with the ever-growing need of families and pets, the pantry moved to a much larger facility in Pottstown, and began a mobile pet food pantry in Downingtown. With the increased square footage and warehouse space, our area of coverage has also expanded to include Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties. We also shortened our name to Animal House Project.”
Pet Pantry of Lancaster Pet Food Program
Mailing address: 26 Millersville Road, Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: 717-983-8878
Website: www.petpantrylc.org
Eligibility: The Pet Pantry of Lancaster County provides free dog, cat and small animal food to qualifying residents of Lancaster County.
Melody Sanders, CEO and president of the Pet Pantry of Lancaster, provided the following requirements: Proof of unemployment/low-income status or disability with a valid drivers license or form of ID (this information must be included for application to be reviewed); agree that pets are for companionship and not for breeding or any illegal activities; agree to maintain healthy living conditions; must pick up food once a month; agree to give fresh water daily; proof of spay/neuter certificate (upon request); proof of current pet license (upon request); and agree that you will not add more pets while on the Pet Pantry Program, because your first responsibility is to the pets you already own. Formal application is required.
Availability: Designated pickup dates.
Donations needed: Any brand of dry or canned cat and dog food.
Will your organization pick up donations if someone is unable to drive them to your location? Yes. Pickup is limited to larger donations and availability of volunteers.
How did your program start? The Pet Pantry was founded with the primary mission of helping to prevent surrender of people’s beloved pets because they could not afford to provide them with the proper food.
“We started helping only 18 families more than six years ago, and today we are helping over 300,” Sanders wrote. “We hold food handouts for those families on our program once a month. To be considered for our food program, you must be approved after filling out an application.”
Providence Animal Center, Upper Providence, Delaware County
Operates a pet food bank. "When families are struggling financially, feeding pets becomes problematic. Our pet food bank program in conjunction with Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry provides free pet food for up to 400 pets a month to families in need so that they can keep their pets at home versus having to turn them in to an animal shelter. We also provide annual free spay/neuter and vaccinations of the pet pantry clients as well as holiday goodies."
Location: 555 Sandy Bank Road, Media, PA 19063
Contact: info@providenceac.org or 610-566-1370
Website: https://providenceac.org
Adoption Center hours: Monday - Friday: Noon-7 p.m., Saturday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday: Noon-5 p.m.
Spike’s Pet Pantry (Humane Pennsylvania)
Mailing addresses:
Berks County residents: 1801 N. 11th St., Reading, PA 19604
Lancaster County residents: 2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone numbers: Berks, 610-921-2348, ext. 218; Lancaster, 717-393-655,1 ext. 240
Website: https://humanepa.org/
Eligibility: Spike’s Pet Pantry program is an income-based program. “We require an application to be filled out and proof of income submitted,” wrote Tiffany Kissinger, lifesaving programs coordinator for Humane Pennsylvania. “However, if someone is struggling to feed their pet, for any reason, we will help. We only are able to help families or individuals located in Lancaster County or Berks County.”
Availability: Food can be picked up at their facilities seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. They are open until 7 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.
Donations needed: Any unopen bags of dry food for cats and dogs.
Will your organization pick up donations if someone is unable to drive them to your location? No.
How did your program start? “Spike’s Pet Pantry started due to the shelter noticing families were in need of assistance with food,” Kissinger wrote. “We were noticing that families were surrendering their pets due to financial insecurity and having to pick between feeding themselves and their pets.
“We often receive food donations and figured we could help these families keep their pets by providing food. The program has expanded so much within the past few years that we are able to provide food to local food banks.”
Humane Pennsylvania works with three food banks in the region:
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 521 Walnut St., Reading, PA 19601
The food bank is open on the second Thursday of the month
Exeter Food Bank, Reformation Lutheran Church 3670 Perkiomen Ave., Reading, PA 19606
The food bank is open on the last Friday of every month
Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, 355 Buck Road, Quarryville, PA 17566
The food bank is open on the first Saturday of every month
For more information on how to pick up Spike’s Pet Pantry items at these locations, call Kissinger and the phone number above.
Other resources
The website www.SamsHope.org offers a list of pet food resources throughout the United States.
