Pet food donations urgently needed

The team at the South Simcoe Pet Food Bank needs pet food, treats, litter, supplies or monetary donations.

The South Simcoe Pet Food Bank is reaching out to the community for urgent help.

The organization is in desperate need of food donations and is struggling to keep up with demand.

No one should have to choose between feeding their human family and their pet family.

“It’s sad – so many families are struggling – struggling with the general cost of things these days, whether to pay for a bill or pet food," says Erin Sanderson, a volunteer with the pet food bank.

The team says it has requests for 51 dogs, 48 cats and one rabbit with the most needed items being pet food, treats, litter, supplies and monetary donations.

Volunteers ask that pet food donations be within the expiry dates.

“In an effort to keep our family members, our pets out of the rescue system, in order to keep them with their families, in the hands of those that love them, we need to be able to provide the support that they need,” says Sanderson. “People are struggling right now and if we can step in and a small bag of kibble or a can here and there, it goes really really far.”

To help, the South Simcoe Pet Food Bank has partnered with 12 local businesses in Barrie and Innisfil to collect donations.

For those who’d like to donate, here are the drop-off locations for Barrie:

• Cotty’s Cleaners – 420 Essa Road
• TJ’s Tails 2 Toes Grooming – 280 Dunlop Street West
• Kat’s Pets – 420 Leacock Drive
• PetValu – 632 Yonge Street
• PetValu – 165 Wellington Street West
• Global Pet Foods – 420 Essa Road

Here are the drop-off locations for Innisfil:

• Sunset Grill – 1472 Innisfil Beach Road
• PetValu – 1491 Innisfil Beach Road
• Sticks N Bones – 2543 Innisfil Beach Road
• The Lodge for Paws – 2849 Innisfil Beach Road
• Global Pet Foods – 1484 Innisfil Beach Road
• PetValu (Stroud) – 7975 Yonge Street