DON'T FORGET THE FURRY FAMILY MEMBERS THIS CHRISTMAS

 

Vet clinics accepting pet food donations

Food drive Michelle Mathes, manager at Lexington Road Animal Hospital, hugs Roo, a blue heeler. Local veterinary clinics are taking part in a pet-food collection to help offset the cost of pet care in low-income households.

Philip Walker/Philip Walker, Record staff

WATERLOO REGION — With Christmas just around the corner, people aren’t the only ones who need a little extra help.

Many of the veterinary clinics in Waterloo Region are accepting pet food donations. These donations will be given to families with pets that benefit from the Food Bank of Waterloo Region in Kitchener.

The Lexington Road Animal Hospital, on Lexington Court in Waterloo, has organized an annual pet food drive for five years. Although the collection started out small, with only 90.7 kilograms collected in the first year, the animal hospital collected 181.4 kilograms the following year, and 635 kilograms the year after. Last year, they collected more than 1,300 kilograms.

“Many people have to sacrifice their own food for their pets, so the food bank will help families have a separate source of food for them,” said veterinarian Dr. Marie Hardy.

Although donations are encouraged as it gets closer to Christmas, they are welcome year-round. The veterinary clinics will accept donations such as cans of cat and dog food appropriate for adult pets.

“People without pets may not understand how important the human-animal bond is, and in many cases their pet may be the only companion and family that they have. They may be forced to share their own food as they cannot afford to buy pet food,” Hardy said.

Pet food collected by local veterinarians will be sent to the local food bank for distribution.

“That makes me feel like we are starting to make a difference,” Hardy said.

For more information, contact Hardy at 519-588-7345, or by email at petvetis@rogers.com.

vdobritoiu@therecord.com

Posted via email from Selling Cambridge with Clare DeJong