Humane Canada will establish an effective, efficient and sustainable model for a cross-Canada pet food bank program providing short term aid to companion animal guardians experiencing financial hardship. This program will help vulnerable companion animals to stay with their families during the deepening financial crisis.
As the financial crisis brought on by COVID-19 deepens, animal shelters throughout Canada are reporting an increasing need from the community - particularly for pet food. As government support programs end, we will see more risk to companion animals of homelessness and abandonment. Canadians love their animals and approximately 62% of us have at least one pet and we don't want to let financial constraints to separate vulnerable families due to lack of access to pet food and basic pet supplies.
Humane Canada will run a pilot program with the goal of understanding the options that will best support individuals and the community by establishing a grant program for shelters to support the immediate needs of people who have financial challenges while determining how to set up Canada's first national pet food bank program.We intend to work with these three groups - food banks for humans, pet food and other retailers, and humane societies and SPCAs - to disperse food to those in need.
Support mechanisms are NOW needed to ensure that families can afford to keep their beloved companion animals and that our shelter system does not become overwhelmed by surrenders. These supports include emergency food aid and veterinary care. Without these immediate solutions pet owners will be forced to surrender their beloved companion animals creating long-term impacts on shelter statistics. It is critical that we help vulnerable companion animals to stay with their families.
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