Pet Food Donations Sought for Needy Owners in Riverside County

Riverside County Animal Services is seeking pet food donations that will be provided for needy pet owners.

The donated food will help continue a pet food pantry program started several years ago by the nonprofit organization known as the Animal Solutions Konnection (or ASK).

The ASK Foundation started the monthly pet food pantry, nicknamed the ASK Café (and also known as the companion animal food endowment), in the hope of providing some assistance to pet owners struggling to feed their pets. Helping pet owners in need was one way to prevent animals from ending up in county shelters simply because an owner could no longer afford to feed their dog or cat.

“This program is a major assistance to one of our key goals of keeping pets in their loving families’ homes,” Animal Services Director Robert Miller said. “The ASK Café has been helping needy pet owners maintain ownership of their pets by supplying donated food or food that the ASK Foundation bought on its own.”

Unfortunately, funding the program consistently is a difficult task and the food pantry is running desperately low, Miller said.

“That’s the reason behind this public appeal to get donated food.”

Miller said he wanted to ensure the public that the stray dog and cat population at the county’s animal shelters are not assisted with the donated food. The Department of Animal Services has an annual budget to buy pet food for the stray pets that end up in county shelters. However, that same food is unavailable for the ASK Café.

“It would be inappropriate for us to use taxpayer-funded pet food for privately owned animals,” Miller said. “That is why the ASK Café is so valuable to our community.”

Anyone who would like to bring donated food is asked to bring unexpired food that is still sealed to the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter, 6851 Van Buren Blvd., Jurupa Valley. Monetary donations are also accepted and will be used to support the ASK Café. To make a monetary donation, visit this link on the ASK Foundation’s Web site: http://theaskfoundation.org/do...

The next ASK Café is scheduled for Wednesday, March 1. Those interested in receiving pet food must live in

Riverside County, bring a proof of residency in the county, and must have proof of low-income status, such as a MediCal card, EDD card, Section 8 housing documentation, a WIC card or similar documentation.

– SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: Riverside County Department of Animal Services