Pet food drive underway as demand increases in Santa Barbara County

In the latest weeks, pet food items pantries across Santa Barbara County have been functioning reduced on food for cats and pet dogs.

“There is a good deal of men and women that, in the course of the pandemic, struggled to feed by themselves as well as their animals,” mentioned health and fitness educator for Santa Barbara County Animal Solutions, Esmeralda Medina.

She states in a 5-thirty day period interval, their pet foodstuff pantry in Lompoc assisted roughly 250 family members, even though the countywide desire for pet and cat foodstuff continues to enhance.

“There had been about 80 family members that ended up relying on the pet foodstuff pantries to assist their canines and cats get meals they need each individual month,” explained Paul Benedix, common supervisor of Lemos Offer and Pet Food items. “The demand from customers has enhanced by nearly 50{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86}, so there is more than 120 households that count on the pet food items pantries to feed their pet dogs and cats.”

In change, many regional organizations are doing the job collectively this month to encourage pet food donations at the County’s animal centers, or at participating Lemos locations.

You can come across pet foodstuff donation bins at Lemos’ Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Solvang destinations, but purchases can be designed everywhere. People can also provide in their very own dry or damp pet dog and cat foodstuff to be donated.

“Each and every of the areas, we have obtained a wonderful client foundation. People who shop at our outlets are, when they can, generous, and we are definitely viewing some site visitors occur in to assist the application,” added Benedix.

Medina says there is not a precise total of pet foodstuff they are striving to acquire in donations for the pet food items push, just that a donation of any sum goes a long way to continue to keep their solutions likely.

“We are very grateful for regardless of what anyone can give,” Medina informed KSBY. “We know that a ton of people today want to enable, but don’t know how, or that they are not capable to very own an animal, want to assist, but don’t know how. This is a fantastic way for these folks and local community associates that want to be a portion of this method and be a element of assisting group pets.”

Santa Barbara County’s pet foodstuff pantries are also offered at no price tag to pet parents in the place. When out there, they also offer you other crucial free pet supplies and companies like conditioners for pet dogs and cats, leashes and harnesses, and occasional flea and vaccine therapies.

If you or somebody you know is in have to have of meals and materials for their furry pals, all you have to do is contact a single of the animal shelters in Santa Barbara County, or visit them all through business enterprise hours to be aided by on-web site staff.