Vernon Pet Pantry Introduced To Help Hungry Animals

VERNON, CT — In an effort to help what organizers say are "families struggling to feed and care for their pets and to reduce the number of cats and dogs being abandoned," a group of residents, a real estate office and the regional food pantry have established the Vernon Pet Pantry.

The Vernon Pet Pantry has partnered with the Hockanum Valley Community Council and together they will be taking in collections of both canned and dry dog and cat food and treats and making them available to needy pets and families. Donations of leashes, toys, beds and pee pads are welcome, but the focus will be on food, officials said.

HVCC is taking donations at its headquarters and food bank at 29 Naek Road in Vernon. Other drop-off locations include:

• Dog Essentials on Route 83 in Vernon
• Posh Pups, 56 Hyde Ave., Vernon
• Both the Rockville and Vernon Stop & Shops and the South Windsor Stop & Shop
• The Dog Barkery on Oakland Street in Manchester
• Mellow Mutt on Parker Street in Manchester
• The Proper Pet at Fieldstone Commons in Tolland
• Coldwell Banker Realty on Buckland Road in South Windsor
• ShopRite in Vernon, which is offering pre-packaged donation bags for sale and will bring them right to HVCC

Larger bags will be broken up at the pantry into smaller quantities so that more families will benefit from the donations, said Lisa Moody, a Vernon resident and one of the pet pantry's creators.

"It's heartbreaking to see more and more people cruelly abandoning their dogs and cats, often because they simply cannot afford to feed them," Moody said. "Other families do their best to feed their pets, but financial pressures sometimes mean their dogs and cats go hungry."

Moody said the animals are defenseless.

"They cannot speak or ask for help themselves, but there is so much we can do to help," she said. "A donated bag or can of food can make all the difference."

HVCC Executive Director David O'Rourke said the organization is proud to sponsor the pet pantry.

"Hunger is a very real issue in Connecticut and we work hard every day to help feed families facing food insecurity," he said. "It's a natural extension to help feed all the members of these families, including their beloved pets."

Coldwell Banker Realty in South Windsor has donated $2,500 to initially stock the Vernon Pet Pantry.

"We are pleased to be a community partner and to help this very worthwhile effort," Coldwell Banker's Shelby Muraski said. "Coldwell Banker really cares about finding the perfect homes for people and about helping families in those homes properly feed their pets."

Added Moody, "Every can and bag helps."

The pet food will be available at the HVCC Food Bank at 29 Naek Road in Vernon.