Give A Dog A Bone Week Collects Food For Pets Of The Homeless

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Mark your calendars for August 5th-12th for the national Pets of the Homeless Give a Dog a Bone Food Drive, supporting the homeless and their pets.


During the week of August 5-12, 2018, over 470 collection sites will be set out across the country, in order for community members to bring pet food, supplies and donations as part of the ninth annual Pets of the Homeless Give a Dog a Bone Week.


Related: Pets of the Homeless Provide Free Sleeping Crates for Furbabies in Homeless Shelters


Over 3.5 million Americans are homeless, despite a growing and thriving economy. Estimates show that between five and ten percent of homeless people have dogs and/or cats as pets, and in some areas, nearly 24% of the homeless have pets. Often their pets are their only familial connection, and they’d sacrifice any creature comforts for themselves in the name of taking care of their pets.


For those who are homeless, the added stress of wanting to provide for their pets who give them emotional comfort and non-judgemental love is a burden. In extreme cases, pets are the only thing that can keep their homeless human warm, and in 2006, Genevieve Frederick founded Pets of the Homeless to help support animals who give this unconditional love to their owners.


Pets of the Homeless is a volunteer-based organization that became received non-profit status in 2008. Their mission is to feed and provide the pets of homeless people with basic veterinary care that often costs much more than their owners can pay. They take this mission on in both the United States and Canada.


Related: Designs For Dogs Raise Money For Homeless Pets In Arizona


Frederick said that collection site members have brought over 559 tons of pet food and supplies to homeless shelters since 2008. The year-round collections combined with member site drives throughout the community is what keeps their project going.


Pets of the Homeless also uses cash donations to help pay for veterinary care for the pets of homeless people at free wellness clinics, and to help in emergency veterinary care situations across the country. For someone who has nothing but his/her pet, an expensive emergency could be devastating.


There are over 480 distribution locations in food banks and soup kitchens across the country. They’ve raised nearly $750,000 for emergency veterinary care and wellness clinics, serving almost 18,000 pets. Tens of thousands of animals have benefited from over 1,117,000 pounds of donated food.


So get your pet food and supply donations ready and check out their site to find the nearest donation site and mark your calendar!

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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