Free pet food for rescue groups
ANIMAL rescue groups in the Far North have been given a huge boost with hundreds of kilograms of free pet food as part of a national campaign.
More than 31,000kg of food was donated through a partnership between animal welfare charity PetRescue, pet food manufacturer Pedigree and retail giant Woolworths.
Woolies shoppers were invited to donate food to rescue pets while buying their own, with PetRescue organising its distribution to not-for-profits.
The Pedigree ‘Feed the Good’ campaign provided nearly $1m of pet food nationally, almost $400,000 of it in Queensland.
Local distribution was orga200kg nised by Anglicare with pet food going to North Queensland Animal Rescue Inc, Adopt Me Kittens, Salvos Connect Community Service Centre Atherton and Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre.
Adopt Me Kittens secretary Ann Jonas of Bentley Park said the donation was a huge help to the small organisation.
“It was brilliant. We were very fortunate. We were given of dry cat food, which we’ve given to our foster carers. We’ve got three main carers. Between us, we have about 40 kittens. I’ve got three mums and three litters.”
She said the animals were rescued from a range of situations, including the city pound.
“Often people’s circumstances change and they move down south or overseas and can’t take their cat with them.”
Anglicare chief executive officer Ian Roberts said the organisation often heard stories of people going without food themselves so they could feed their children and pets.
“Only a year ago, one dog owner left their Jack Russell with us as they just could not feed her anymore,” he says.
PetRescue’s food donation program manager Tarsha Andrews said the organisation was grateful to be able to help owners care for their pets, as well as many of Queensland’s animal rescue organisations.
“To some disadvantaged people, these food donations could make the difference between them keeping their pet as part of their family, or having to surrender them,” Tarsha said.
“We are extremely grateful to the team at Pedigree for helping us to support both rescue groups who are saving hundreds of pets every year, and pet owners who are doing it tough.”