DALLAS AREA ORGANIZATIONS MET WITH HUGE INCREASE IN NEED FROM LOCAL PET FAMILIES
Pet owners lined up as early as 7am in the rain to access food and services for their pets.
A pet owner and her adorable dog don't let the weather dampen their spirit as they meet with an event volunteer who ensures they leave with what they need.
An event volunteer organizes some of the 40,000lbs of food made available for pet families at the event.
At the second Dallas Pets Are Family event, 40,000lbs of food wasn't enough to meet the needs of local pet families seeking assistance.
DALLAS, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, November 7, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- CUDDLY, a mission-driven company centered around the needs of rescued animals has expanded into community based programs, including pet food pantries, to help keep pets with their families. During the first event of its name, held this past June, the organizations leading the event saw significant need - distributing over 45,000 lbs of food and providing services to over 500 cats and dogs. In light of the demand for support services, the organization opted to hold a second event this past Saturday, November 29th.Though food economic pressures and related issues such as food insecurity are up, Texas families have been especially impacted with an estimated 1 in 6 families in Dallas challenged with accessing adequate food in the last two years according to BUILD Health Challenge. These issues impact not only people, but pets as well and can often result in families making difficult decisions. Dallas Animal Services, the organization tasked with receiving animals from the public saw a 15% increase in dogs relinquished by their owners in September compared to the previous year with financial hardship often cited as a reason.
Though the November event provided the same level of support, the 40,000 lbs of food available was not enough to supply the more than 500 pet families who arrived as early as 7am to wait in the rain; an hour earlier than expected the inventory was exhausted and food distribution ended. Some pet families who arrived later in the day could not receive food, so participating organizations including Dallas Pets Alive!, Dallas Animal Services, Friends of Dallas Animal Services, Operation Kindness, Dogs Matter, and SPCA of Texas are still seeking donations to ensure every family who needs it has access to the resources made available through Dallas Pets Are Family.
Volunteers from these organizations diligently collected information from pet families ensuring they could follow up after the event and fully meet the need. Preventing unnecessary pet surrender and ensuring pets can stay with the families who love them is a top priority for area organizations. “Last fiscal year, more than 3,000 pets were surrendered by their families to Dallas Animal Services (DAS),” said Dallas Animal Services Director MeLissa Webber.
“However, by providing struggling families with the support they need to keep their beloved pets, the Dallas Pets Are Family model can help DAS dedicate our limited shelter kennels and resources to animals with no other options. It’s a win-win – we maximize lifesaving at our shelter while minimizing trauma and heartbreak in our community.” Members of the public can support these efforts by donating pet food at https://tinyurl.com/donatedallaspets. Learn more about the June and November events and stay updated on future events at CUDDLY.com/dallaspets.
Bridget Bowhay
CUDDLY
+1 562-430-8191 ext. 103
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