The Petspiration Foundation and Ivory Coat will be donating 50 tonnes of bagged pet food to Safe Pets Safe Families (SPSF) as part of their Fill Their Bowl Project to support vulnerable people and pets in South Australia.
The donation comes during Homelessness Week (1-8 August) and will enable SPSF to continue supporting vulnerable owners and their pets and ultimately reduce the occurrence of surrender, animal abuse, neglect, and euthanasia.
With the increased rate of pet ownership in Australia and an increase of those who are facing disadvantage or crisis, there is growing concern about how pet owners will provide their pet with essential care and supplies.
SPSF founder, Jennifer Howard, says that the Fill Their Bowl Project is an integral part of their organisation and allows them to make a real difference to the people and pets within the community.
“The rising cost of living and an increase in pet ownership has really impacted many who are experiencing crisis or are at a disadvantage, and through my own personal experience I can appreciate what it feels like to be in a position when you’re unable to care for a pet, and I don’t want anyone else within the community to have to experience this,” says Howard.
“With regular help from volunteers and generous partners – such as Ivory Coat and the Petspiration Foundation – we can maximise our impact and continue our mission to help keep vulnerable people and their pets together by alleviating the burden of providing essential pet care during times of hardship.
“Since our inception in 2013, we have distributed hundreds of paw packs through Paws and Pals outreach service, supporting several families and pets in need. This donation is key in helping us to make an immediate impact on pets and people experiencing difficulty in the state.”
Ivory Coat’s National Account Manager, Sam McLoughlin, says that they value the opportunity to help ease the burden on South Australian pets and their owners.
“We’re proud to partner with SPSF and support the ongoing and incredible work that they carry out to help relieve the burden on pet owners across the state.
“Pets are such an important part of our lives and struggling to provide them with essential care can be extremely stressful for owners. By donating pet food, we hope to play a part in SPSF’s journey towards making a change to the lives of hundreds of pets.”
Petspiration Foundation CEO, Shane Young, says that they’re proud to partner with Ivory Coat and SPSF to assist in easing the financial strain on pet owners and help reduce the number of healthy pets being surrendered to shelters.
“The bond between pets and their people is important, and we want to continue supporting this integral bond through SPSF,” he says.
In conjunction with the Fill Their Bowl Project, Ivory Coat will be providing additional donations to SPSF’s The Paws and Pals program, partnering with homeless organisations and facilities to provide pop up veterinary clinics every few months to remove barriers for the homeless and their pets.
SPSF encourages those who are able to donate pet food and provide a meal and peace of mind for a struggling family and their pet.
Drop off locations can be found here.
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