Pet Food Donations Sought for Pantry

V1 Staff |

During the holidays, many of us are motivated to offer a helping hand to our neighbors in need. But sometimes our neighbors need a helping paw, too. Hard times may force pet owners to surrender their animal companions; other struggling owners go hungry themselves so their pets can eat. In order to help the furry members of these families, the Chippewa Valley Cat Club and Oakwood Hills Animal Hospital have teamed up annually since 2011 on a holiday pet food drive. Over the past few years of this collaborative effort, donations have grown. Last year 10,138 pounds – more than 5 tons! – of pet food were delivered to St Francis Food Pantry, one of the few pantries that distributes pet food to the needy locally. This year’s drive began Nov. 1 and will run until Dec. 15. Donors are encouraged to drop off pet food (dry dog and cat food are the most-requested items), treats, or cat litter at any of the following locations: Barks and Recreation, Chippewa Veterinary Clinic, Eau Claire Animal Hospital, emBark, IDEXX, Kindness Animal Hospital, Lake Wissota Animal Hospital, Northside Pet Hospital, Oakwood Hills Animal Hospital, Pet Food Plus, Riverview Animal Hospital, The Ark, Tropic Waters, and Westgate Animal Hospital. On every Saturday during the donation drive, shoppers at Pet Food Plus will be asked to round the price of their purchases to the next dollar to contribute toward the drive. The store will use the proceeds to buy pet food at cost to donate to the food pantry. If you’d like to make a large donation or have questions about the drive, call (715) 836-0092 or email Carol Larson at prettykitty7@hotmail.com. You can also direct questions to Ted Maday of Oakwood Hills Animal Hospital at (715) 835-0112.